Physics Commons^™

Synthesis And Characterization Of The 2-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides, Robert Browning

Dissertations and Theses

In the last 50 years, the semiconductor industry has been scaling the silicon transistor to achieve faster devices, lower power consumption, and improve device performance. Transistor gate dimensions have become so small that short channel effects and gate leakage have become a significant problem. To address these issues, performance enhancement techniques such as strained silicon are used to improve mobility, while new high-k gate dielectric materials replace silicon oxide to reduce gate leakage. At some point the fundamental limit of silicon will be reached and the semiconductor industry will need to find an alternate solution. The advent of graphene led …

Thin Film Group Ii-Vi Solar Cells Based On Band-Offsets, James Keith Walton

Dissertations and Theses

The amount of traditional energy sources are finite and the ecological impact of continuing to produce energy using fossil fuels will only exacerbate the carbon footprint. It is for these reasons that photovoltaic modules are becoming a larger and more necessary part the world's electricity production paradigm.

Photovoltaic (PV) semiconductor modules are grouped into three categories. 'First generation' monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon modules that consist of p-n junctions created via the addition of impurities known as dopants. Almost 85% of solar cells produced at this time are 'first generation' and it is the high production costs of silicon PV modules …

Nano-Structure Formation Driven By Local Protonation Of Polymer Thin Films, Carsten Maedler, Harald Graaf, Mingdi Yan, Andres H. La Rosa

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We report the creation of nano-structures via Dip Pen Nanolithography by locally exploiting the mechanical response of polymer thin films to an acidic environment. Protonation of cross linked poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) leads to a swelling of the polymer. We studied this process by using an AFM tip coated with a pH 4 buffer. Protons migrate through a water meniscus between tip and sample into the polymer matrix and interact with the nitrogen of the pyridyl group forming a pyridinium cation. The increase in film thickness, which is due to Coulomb repulsion between the charged centers, was investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy. …

Cryogenic Thin-Film Electron Emitters, Pavel Smejtek, David G. Onn, M. Silver

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Thin‐film electron emitters are described, which operate below 200°K and below a limiting critical applied voltage (νc) in a stable temperature‐independent regime. Current‐voltage characteristics and normal electron energy distributions are presented. Fabrication and operation criteria are outlined. Comparison with temperature‐dependent emitters is made, and possible conduction mechanisms discussed briefly.

New Thin-Film Tunnel Triode Using Amorphous Semiconductors, Pavel Smejtek, R. F. Shaw, H. Fritzsche, M. Silver, S. Holmberg, S. R. Ovshinsky

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

A new thin‐film tunnel triode is discussed which uses a p‐type amorphous film to achieve amplification of injected current from a tunnel cathode. It is not only the basis for a new semiconductor device but also suggests a novel method for measuring electrical properties of semiconductors.