Semiconductor and Optical Materials Commons^™

Photodetectors And Photovoltaic Devices Based On Semiconductor Nanomaterials, Jiang Wu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Photodetectors based various nanostructures and plasmon enhanced solar cells are investigated in this dissertation. The motivation of the dissertation rise is driven by urgent need of both high efficiency photodetectors and solar cells.

First, quantum dot infrared photodetectors have been intensely investigated due to their promise in high performance photodetectors. However, the strain-driven growth of quantum dots has hindered the progress of quantum dot photodetectors. The presence of strain in the device presents complexity in designing as well as defects. Therefore, in this project, new designs of quantum dot photodetector structures are presented to improve the control over detection wavelength. …

In-Situ Ellipsometry Characterization Of Anodically Grown Silicon Dioxide And Lithium Intercalation Into Silicon, Eric A. Montgomery

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this thesis, in-situ ellipsometry and electroanalytical investigations of two electrochemical processes are reported: including the formation of anodically grown silicon dioxide and the intercalation of lithium into silicon. Analysis of the ellipsometry data shows that the anodically grown silicon dioxide layer is uniform and has similar properties as thermally grown silicon dioxide. The lithium-ion intercalation data reveals non-uniform thin film formation, which requires further studies and development of appropriate ellipsometric optical models.

Advisers: Eva Schubert and Mathias Schubert

Thermodynamic Limit To Photonic-Plasmonic Light-Trapping In Thin Films On Metals, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

We calculate the maximum optical absorptance enhancements in thin semiconductor films on metals due to structures that diffuse light and couple it to surface plasmon polaritons. The calculations can be used to estimate plasmonic effects on light-trapping in solar cells. The calculations are based on the statistical distribution of energy in the electromagnetic modes of the structure, which include surface plasmon polariton modes at the metal interface as well as the trapped waveguide modes in the film. The enhancement has the form 4n²+nλ/h (n – film refractive index, λ – optical wavelength, h …

Effect On The Processing Characteristics Of Zno Varistors Produced Using Vibratory Milling, Maura Kelleher, M.S.J. Hashmi

Conference Papers

Abstract. Each manufacturing stage in the production of zinc oxide varistors from powder preparation to the final encapsulated device is important not only for the formation of the varistor component with optimum microstructure and thus electrical characteristics but also for avoiding the introduction of flaws and reduced yield. In this paper the authors describe and discuss the effect of multi-elemental oxide additives having been milled for different durations using a vibratory mill with cylindrical zirconia media on the powder characteristics of the subsequent processing stages. A commercial ZnO varistor formulation was used. The subsequent processing stages that are given particular …

Study Of Novel Materials For Organic Photovoltaics And Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Solar Cells, Viney Saini

Theses and Dissertations

As the human race evolves and continues to progress in the future, we will face some obstacles during the advancement. Challenges like water, food, and poverty crisis, pollution, population explosion, and diseases are impediments in the development of mankind. Above all, with the development arises the need to fulfill the energy requirements. There are number of technologies available to answer the present energy needs, e.g. coal, nuclear, oil/natural gas, hydropower, etc. All these technologies have their advantages and disadvantages, with disadvantages being greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts. One technology which has lagged behind due to high cost is …

Synthesis, Field Emission And Associated Degradation Mechanisms Of Tapered Zno Nanorods, Gregory M. Wrobel Mr.

Master's Theses

Equation 1..... 4

Equation 2..... 4

Equation 3..... 6

Equation 4..... 7

Equation 5..... 9

Equation 6..... 10

Equation 7..... 11

Equation 8..... 12

Equation 9..... 14

Equation 10..... 40

Equation 11..... 51

Synthesis, Field Emission and Associated Degradation Mechanisms of Tapered ZnO Nanorods

Gregory Michael Wrobel, M.S.

University of Connecticut, 2011

Modern development of field emitter arrays (FEA) has been made possible, partly thanks to the synthesis and development of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures. High aspect ratio 1D nanostructures effectively amplify the electric field at the emitter tips, allowing electrons to be extracted at relatively low electric field. An inexpensive …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Zno/Cuo Core-Shell Nanowire Arrays, Kuo-Ting Liao

Master's Theses

Research into nanomaterials has become more and more popular because of their unique properties compared to bulk materials. Amongst various functional materials, zinc oxide (ZnO), with a direct electron energy band gap of 3.34 eV at room temperature, is an important optoelectronic material with an intrinsically n-type semiconducting property. However, to form a p-type ZnO semiconductor is still a challenge. Copper oxide (CuO), compared to ZnO, has a much smaller band gap, 1.2 eV, and shows an intrinsically p-type semiconducting property. It has been suggested that when CuO is alloyed with ZnO properly, a p-n semiconductor heterojunction can be formed …

Design, Fabrication, And Characterization Of A Thin-Film Nickel-Titanium Shape Memory Alloy Diaphragm For Use In Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, Brian Joel Alvarez

Master's Theses

Previous work done at Cal Poly has shown that thin-film nickel-titanium (NiTi) can be easily sputtered onto silicon wafers and annealed to create a crystallized shape memory alloy (SMA) film. Initial work on creating devices yielded cantilevers that were highly warped due to thin-film stress created during the sputtering process. The objective of this work was to create a thin-film NiTi SMA device that could be better characterized. A membrane was selected due to the simplicity of fabrication and testing which would also oppose the thin-film stress due to the increase in attachment points to the substrate.

Silicon wafers were …

Structural, Electrical And Thermoelectric Properties Of Chromium Silicate Thin Films, Makram Abd El Qader

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Thermoelectric devices can generate electrical power as a result of their ability to produce electrical currents in the presence of thermal gradients. They can also produce refrigerative cooling when electrical power is supplied to them. Among the potential semiconducting silicides, CrSi ₂ is attractive because of its high thermal and chemical stability and its potential for thermoelectric application. CrSi₂ /SiO₂ thin-film structures were prepared using RF sputtering. As deposited and annealed (300°C to 600°C) thin films were characterized for their structural, electrical, and thermoelectric transport properties. As-sputtered CrSi ₂ film is amorphous at room temperature and crystallizes around …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cdse-Zns Core-Shell Quantum Dots For Increased Quantum Yield, Joshua James Angell

Master's Theses

Quantum dots are semiconductor nanocrystals that have tunable emission through changes in their size. Producing bright, efficient quantum dots with stable fluorescence is important for using them in applications in lighting, photovoltaics, and biological imaging. This study aimed to optimize the process for coating CdSe quantum dots (which are colloidally suspended in octadecene) with a ZnS shell through the pyrolysis of organometallic precursors to increase their fluorescence and stability. This process was optimized by determining the ZnS shell thickness between 0.53 and 5.47 monolayers and the Zn:S ratio in the precursor solution between 0.23:1 and 1.6:1 that maximized the relative …

Final Design Review: Design Of An Integrated Solar Cell Array To Power A Solar Ear Hearing Aid Battery Recharger, Christina (Chrissa) Blattner, Scott Carey, Jared Myren, Faye Siao

Materials Engineering

As the energy of fossil fuel supplies are fast depleting due to high consumptions of energy by human beings, the need for other sources of energy, such as solar energy, has become a viable option. By creating solar cell arrays the desired voltage can be generated. The overall goal of the Solar Ear project is to create an array of photovoltaic cells connected with aluminum tracings to recharge batteries that are specifically used for hearing aids. The goal embodies two main areas: the design of a processing method to connect the cells during a micro-fabrication process and the creation of …

Determining A Method For Rendering Low Cost Cdse(Zns) Core(Shell) Quantum Dots Aqueous Soluble Via Amphiphilic Polymer Wrapping, Patrick Mcbride

Materials Engineering

Herein is described the procedure of two amphiphilic polymer wrapping techniques that may be employed for obtaining aqueous soluble quantum dots (QDs) for use in biological fluorescent imaging applications. The advent of QDs has led to new nanoscale fluorescent materials that exhibit unparalleled quantum yields (QYs), high resistance to photobleaching, tunable emissions, and
absorption over a large optical range. However, the QD synthesis employed here at Cal Poly to obtain bright, photostable CdSe(ZnS) core(shell) QDs involves the use of organic solvents and surfactants, leading to hydrophobic QDs. Since all of biology relies on aqueous solubility, this hydrophobicity creates a major …

Design And Characterization Of A Process For Bulk Synthesis Of Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dots, Susan Harada

Materials Engineering

The objective of the process is to synthesize quantum dots that will fluoresce over the visible spectrum of 450 to 650nm; then to mix the quantum dots together in a polymer matrix so that when illuminated with a blue LED the mixture yields “white” light. The current quantum dot synthesis is a chemical process that involves adding a room temperature Se-TOP precursor to a 225°C Cd precursor solution to cause nucleation and growth of nanoparticles. This method, however, only yields quantum dots that fluoresce in the 520 to 600nm range. In order to create the “white” light phosphor replacement, red …

The Design And Manufacture Of A Microfluidic Reactor For Synthesis Of Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dots Using Silicon And Glass Substrates, Peter Gonsalves

Materials Engineering

A microfluidic reactor for synthesizing cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) was synthesized out of silicon and Pyrex glass. Microfabrication techniques were used to etch the channels into the silicon wafer. Holes were wet-drilled into Pyrex glass using a diamond-tip drill bit. The Pyrex wafer was aligned to the etched silicon wafer and both were anodically bonded to complete the microfluidic reactor. Conditions for anodic bonding were created by exposing the stacked substrates to 300V at ~350^oC under 5.46N of force.  Bulk CdSe solution was mixed at room temperature and treated as a single injection. The syringe containing …

Influence Of Tert-Butylpyridine On The Band Energetics Of Nanostructured Tio2 Electrodes And The Photoelectrochemical Properties Of Dye-Seneitized Electrodes, Shu-Ming Yang, Ji-Chao Wang, Hui-Zhi Kou, Hong-Bin Xue, Hong-Jun Wang, Yu-Ling Guo

Journal of Electrochemistry

The flat band edges (Efb) of nanostructured TiO₂ electrodes in electrolyte solutions with tert-butylpyridine (TBP) of different concentrations have been determined with spectroelectrochemical technique. TBP played a role in band energetics of nanostructured TiO₂ electrodes. The Efb values of -2.25, -2.46 and -2.62 V were determined in three 0.2 mol•L^-1 tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) acetonitrile electrolytes which contain 0, 0.2 and 0.4 mol•L^-1 TBP respectively. The addition of Li+ ions shifted Efb positively. The Efb values of -1.12, -1.22 and -1.30 V were determined in three 0.2 mol•L^-1 LiClO₄ acetonitrile electrolytes which contain 0, 0.2 …

Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor-Compatible Detector Materials With Enhanced 1550 Nm Responsivity Via Sn-Doping Of Ge/Si(100), Richard T. Beeler, Jay Mathews, Mee-Yi Ryu, Yung-Kee Yeo, Jose Menendez, John Kouvetakis

Faculty Publications

Previously developed methods used to grow Ge_1−ySn_y alloys on Si are extended to Sn concentrations in the 10¹⁹−10²⁰ cm⁻³ range. These concentrations are shown to be sufficient to engineer large increases in the responsivity of detectors operating at 1550 nm. The dopant levels of Sn are incorporated at temperatures in the 370–390 °C range, yielding atomically smooth layers devoid of threading defects at high growth rates of 15–30 nm/min. These conditions are far more compatible with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor processing than the high growth and processing temperatures required to achieve the same …

Plasmonic Effect On The Photoluminescence Of Inas Quantum Dot Nanostructures, David Fryauf

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

New materials for thin film photovoltaic applications are being explored worldwide, and one of the most popular new implementations is the introduction of an intermediate band gap in the semiconductor energy structure. Careful manipulation of semiconductor lattice material can form nanostructures such as quantum dots, which can be tuned to control specific intermediate energy levels. The introduction of an intermediate band in photovoltaic devices has a theoretical potential sunlight-toelectricity efficiency of roughly 63%. However, a specific material challenge of these thin film devices is limited absorption of long wavelengths of light. To increase absorption of the sun's visible spectrum, plasmonic …

Electromagnetic Modeling And Measurement Of Adaptive Metamaterial Structural Elements, Matthew E. Jussaume

Theses and Dissertations

This document addresses two major obstacles facing metamaterial development: uncertainty in the characterization of electromagnetic field behavior in metamaterial structures and the relatively small operational bandwidth of metamaterial structures. To address the first obstacle, a method of prediction aided measurement is developed and exploited to examine the field interactions within metamaterial devices. The fusion of simulation and measurement techniques enhances the understanding of the physical interactions of fields in the presence of metamaterials. To address the second obstacle, this document characterizes the effectiveness of an adaptive metamaterial design that incorporates a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) variable capacitor. Applying voltages to the …

Electronically Enhanced Surface Diffusion During Ge Growth On Si(100), Ali Orguz Er, Hani E. Elsayed-Ali

Physics Faculty Publications

The effect of nanosecond pulsed laser excitation on surface diffusion during the growth of Ge on Si(100) at 250 °C was studied. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction was used to measure the surface diffusion coefficient while ex situ atomic force microscopy was used to probe the structure and morphology of the grown quantum dots. The results show that laser excitation of the substrate increases the surface diffusion during the growth of Ge on Si(100), changes the growth morphology, improves the crystalline structure of the grown quantum dots, and decreases their size distribution. A purely electronic mechanism of enhanced surface …

Chemical And Electronic Structure Of Surfaces And Interfaces In Compound Semiconductors, Sujitra Pookpanratana

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The interface formation between two different materials is important in applications for optoelectronic devices. Often, the success or performance of these devices is dependent on the formation of these heterojunctions. In this work, the surface and interfaces in such materials for optoelectronic devices are investigated by a suite of X-ray analytical techniques including X-ray photoelectron (XPS), X-ray excited Auger electron (XAES), and X-ray emission (XES) spectroscopies to provide novel insight.

For the group III-nitrides (e.g., AlxGa1-xN) used in many light emitting devices, a significant challenge exists to form an Ohmic contact. The electron affinities and band gaps of GaN and …