Nanotechnology Fabrication Commons^™

Advancing 4h-Silicon Carbide Power Mosfets Through Three-Dimensional Technology Computer Aided Design Optimization, Skylar A. Deboer

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This research contributes to the advancement of 1.2 kV 4H-Silicon Carbide (SiC) Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) through the development and implementation of sophisticated three-dimensional Technology Computer-Aided Design (3D TCAD) methodologies. These advanced simulation techniques enable comprehensive evaluation of innovative unit cell architectures that remain inaccessible to conventional two-dimensional (2D) TCAD approaches. By leveraging these 3D simulation capabilities, this work facilitates significant improvements in both the performance and reliability of next-generation wide-bandgap power devices.

Power devices convert electrical energy between different forms throughout the power grid making them essential in applications ranging from personal electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, industrial …

Development Of Titanium Dioxide Coating For Self-Cleaning Photovoltaic Panels, Chau Pham

Masters Theses

As global energy demands continue to rise amid increasing environmental concerns, the transition to renewable energy sources, particularly solar power, has become imperative. Solar energy, driven by recent advancements in photovoltaic (PV) technology, presents a promising solution for achieving greater sustainability and efficiency. However, despite these technological advancements, the persistent issue of soiling caused by dust, bird droppings, and other contaminants remains a major obstacle, diminishing sunlight absorption and reducing energy conversion efficiency, presenting a significant obstacle to optimal PV performance.

This study explores the application of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle coatings to address this challenge by enhancing the self-cleaning …

Ge/Sige Quantum Wells: Material For The Post-Moore Era, Troy Alexander Hutchins-Delgado

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

This dissertation demonstrates high-quality germanium quantum wells on a 200 mm silicon wafer platform, enabling novel device possibilities. Partnering with a commercial silicon-germanium epitaxy supplier, we obtained shallow, undoped germanium quantum wells with high-crystalline quality, confirmed through x-ray diffraction, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Hall bar devices fabricated on single quantum wells revealed that surface preparation can tune transport properties while maintaining peak mobilities around 10⁵ cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹. Manganese-germanide spintronic contacts were integrated via solid-state reaction, with contact quality assessed through Schottky diodes, transfer length …

Ellipticity-Controlled Exceptional Points From Nanoscale Metasurfaces, Benjamin Goldberg

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Precise control over light polarization is critical for advancing technologies in telecommunica- tions, quantum computing, and image sensing. However, existing methods for manipulating polarization around exceptional points in non-Hermitian systems, have exclusively focused on circular polarization and work with reflected light. To address this limitation, we de- velop a novel metasurface platform with high-Q resonators that enables tunable control of polarization exceptional points across arbitrary ellipticity for transmitted light. Our design uses orthogonally polarized guided mode resonators in a two-layer silicon metasurface, where careful tuning of the dipolar guided mode resonances (DGMRs) and layer spacing allows us to control the …

Nanostructured Silicon Meta-Waveguides And Surfaces For Enhanced Light-Matter Interaction, Saddam Gafsi

All Dissertations

In this study, we tackle the challenge of light-matter interaction engineering and local field enhancement using various silicon photonic platforms based on three different approaches. (i) The first approach is based on boundary condition engineering where we present and show through simulation and experimental results, a silicon nanodisk “diabolo” configuration able to support significant local field enhancement levels in the range ~102 to 104 in the high index medium through proper structural modifications at the nanoscale. We show that the presented optical behavior is consistent with the anapole modes characterized by the observed near-field enhancement and coinciding with far-field suppression. …

Dual Base Sige Is-Hbt For Use In Biosensing Applications, Liam Stephen Hayes

Master's Theses

The proposed research is for a novel SiGe-based Ion-Sensitive Dual Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistor (IS-HBT) to be used in both trans-dermal biological sensing as well as Lab-on-Chip (LOC) applications. The end goals for the device designed are two: For one, the research done for this work will be used to substantiate the claims made by Zafar et al. [1] that an HBT-style structure is better suited for biosensing application rather than a conventional Field Effect Transistor (FET) based geometries. Secondly, it provides the final element to be integrated along with a selectivity membrane, as well as with a reverse-iontophoresis system to …

Unveiling The Indoor Performance Of Perovskite/Silicon Tan‑Dem Solar Cells: A Comprehensive Exploration Through Numerically Modelled Energy Band Diagrams, Ziad Khalifa, Sameh O. Abdellatif, Alexander De-Bernardinis, Muath Alkadi, Mostafa Ganoud, Saif Qaid

Chemical Engineering

This paper delves into the indoor performance analysis of Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells (PSSTC) through a detailed exploration utilizing numerically modeled energy band diagrams. The primary objective is to uncover the potential of PSSTC for solar energy conversion in indoor settings. Various tandem cell configurations are scrutinized under diverse artificial lighting spectra, with an innovative Li4Ti5O12/ CsPbCl3/MAPbBr3/CH3NH3PbI3/ Si architecture achieving an exceptional maximum power conversion efficiency of 25.25%. This represents a substantial efficiency enhancement of nearly 7% compared to standalone Silicon cells. The study underscores the significance of design optimization in maximizing performance. The energy band diagram analysis reveals a …

Fabrication And Characterization Of A Monolithic Photonic Integrated Circuit With High-Aspect Ratio Photonic Device Structures, Sami A. Nazib

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

The focus of this work was to create a process to fabricate an InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC). The design of the PIC required the photonic components of this device to be created by deep etching of an epitaxially-grown multilayer structure. Therefore, a novel dry etching process was developed to produce very high aspect- ratio (HAR) features. This process not only involved the development of dry etch chemistry but also the engineering of a metal mask structure. The next step of the challenge was to use a polymer-based material that would have two functions: cladding for the etched photonic components …

Optoelectronic And Morphological Surface Resistance Evaluation Of Laser-Induced Graphene Counter Electrodes For Potential Applications In Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells, Ziad Khalifa, Sameh Osama Abdellatif, Rami Ghannam

Chemical Engineering

This study investigates the physicochemical, optical, and electrical characterization of laser-induced graphene (LIG) samples for integration as counter electrodes in cesium lead halide perovskite solar cells. The impact of laser processing parameters on electrode performance is explored, including laser power, laser speed, and beam defocus. Density functional theory (DFT) computational modeling is employed for atomistic investigation and work function estimation, demonstrating the density of states (DOS), quantum capacitance of the graphene sheets, and energy work function. NiO is utilized as a hole transport layer, and the energy work function of LIG is tuned accordingly. SEM measurements estimate thin film porosity, …

Engineering Composite Gridlines For Improved Solar Module Reliability, Andre Chavez

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Renewable energy sources, such as solar power, are rapidly expanding worldwide to meet increased energy demands. However, these sources are exposed to challenging environmental stressors, such as extreme wind, heavy snow loads, and hailstorms that can cause irreversible damage to the crystalline semiconductor solar cells. Today, single crystalline silicon solar cells dominate the market, and our work is focused on improving their reliability against environmental stressors. One of the main degradation mechanisms caused by environmental stressors is cell cracks. These microcracks can go virtually undetected and lead to reduced power output from solar modules over time. To solve this engineering …

Mems Optical Cavities For Low Power Communication., Jacob Schopp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the use of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) optical cavities for use in low power communication. MEMS optical cavities are thin air gaps between an actuated MEMS mirror and a fixed glass encapsulation. By moving the MEMS mirror the reflectivity of the MEMS optical cavity can be changed. This change in reflectivity can be used to transmit information passively by modulating reflected light intensity instead of generating new light using a light source. These MEMS optical cavities are demonstrated using optical fibers for illumination delivery and reflected light collection. In addition to being reflected for communication, the illuminating light …

Exploring The Morphological Surface Resistance And Optical Absorption Of Thin Black Carbon Nanotube Films For Electronic And Optoelectronic Devices, Ziad Khalifa, Sameh Osama Abdellatif

Chemical Engineering

This study investigates the optical and electrical properties of thin black films of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fabricated under various conditions to explore their potential integration as either a perfect broadband absorber or enhanced counter electrode. The study involves SEM measurements, surface resistance measurements, and UV–Vis. spectrometer analysis. The results show that the CNT thin films exhibit high electrical conductivity and strong light absorption across various wavelengths. Optically, we investigated the impact of varying the growth temperature and catalyst temperature on the absorption profile of the thin films. The fabricated and deposited CNTs showed broadband absorption spectra, reaching 92.8% of the …

Mechanical And Electromagnetic Properties Of Incorporating Graphene Oxide In Cementitious Mixtures, Cherif Khalil

Theses and Dissertations

This multidisciplinary study aimed at investigating the impact of incorporating graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical properties and electromagnetic (EM) shielding effectiveness of cementitious mixtures, as well as critically examining the mechanism with which GO affects their microstructure properties. Analysis of the literature review showed that there are discrepancies in reporting the impact of GO on the mortar mix. Consequently, this study focuses on exploring the cause for such discrepancies and identifies three main factors which are thoroughly investigated. The factors were the different sonication energies applied to the GO (Shear Mixing, 1.5 kJ/ml, 3 kJ/ml and 6 kJ/ml), the …

A Comprehensive Exploration Of Fundamental And Experimental Characteristics Of Nanophotonic Metasurfaces, Nasrin Razmjooei

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The advent of diffraction gratings with periodic unit cells has led to numerous advancements in theoretical studies and practical applications. Recently, these structures have been recognized as subsets of “meta-surfaces” or “meta-materials”, employing periodically aligned features at the wavelength scale to manipulate electromagnetic wave properties for diverse applications. This manipulation extends to controlling amplitude, phase, spectral distribution, polarization state, and the local mode structure of light across various spectral expressions. A significant characteristic of these metasurfaces is their ability to couple incident light to laterally propagating leaky Bloch modes in the subwavelength regime, resulting in resonance at specific wavelengths known …

Nano-Patterned Si Structures For Optical Filters And Electro-Mechanical Relays: Fabrication, Characterization, Prospects, And Limitations, Md Ataul Mamun

Theses and Dissertations

Nanofabrication technology, especially nanopatterning, is a rapidly advancing field that has already resulted in creating novel devices and holds promise for producing even more with unmatched performance. These techniques also allow us to gain insight into physical phenomena at the micro- and nanoscale. The ultimate performance of nanofabricated devices and their compatibility with existing Si-based CMOS technology hinge upon the careful selection of materials and precise design, coordinated with meticulous pattern transfer. In this work, we applied nanopatterning techniques on silicon to create optical filters for the shortwave infrared (SWIR) region and nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) relay-based logic gates. Additionally, these …

Semiconductor Photonic Crystal Surface Emitting Lasers For High Power, High Brightness And High Speed Applications, Chhabindra Gautam

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Photonic Crystal Surface Emitting Laser (PCSEL) is the promising third generation semiconductor laser technology as it addresses the challenges of the conventional semiconductor lasers (EEL/VCSEL) by providing single mode high power output with good beam quality (thus high brightness). The large area in plane coupling resulting from the multiple Bragg’s diffraction conditions in the periodic 2D photonic crystal cavities in the lasing cladding region leads to single mode operation over very large area. By model design engineering, such in plane lasing cavity can leak the light out of the plane, which result in surface emission. The ability to scale the …

Cleaning And Characterization Of Chemical Vapor Deposited Graphene For Nanoelectronic Device Development, Sakib Ishraq

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanoelectronic devices based on graphene are a promising technology that combines the sensitivity and specificity of ion and element recognition with the accuracy and precision of electronics. The detection principle is based on the interaction of the target molecules with the nanodevice surface, which generates a measurable electrical signal. In the current study, graphene and its derivatives, synthesis and fabrication of high quality, good uniformity, and low defects graphene have been investigated as they are critical for high-performance and highly sensitive devices. Among many synthesis methods, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), have been used that needs to be transferred from the …

Gas Assisted Electron Beam Patterning Processes, Deepak Kumar

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Radiolysis is a complex phenomenon in which molecules subjected to ionizing radiation form new chemical species. Electron-beam irradiation has proven to be a versatile approach for significantly altering materials’ properties and forms the basis for electron-beam lithography using both organic and inorganic resists. Electron-beam exposure is normally carried out under high vacuum conditions to reduce contamination and allow for unhindered interaction between the electrons and the resist material. Exposure under an ambient gas at sub-atmospheric pressures has been found to provide a distinct mechanism which can be exploited to circumvent some of the challenges associated with material processing and significantly …

Reinventing Integrated Photonic Devices And Circuits For High Performance Communication And Computing Applications, Venkata Sai Praneeth Karempudi

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

The long-standing technological pillars for computing systems evolution, namely Moore's law and Von Neumann architecture, are breaking down under the pressure of meeting the capacity and energy efficiency demands of computing and communication architectures that are designed to process modern data-centric applications related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Internet-of-Things (IoT). In response, both industry and academia have turned to 'more-than-Moore' technologies for realizing hardware architectures for communication and computing. Fortunately, Silicon Photonics (SiPh) has emerged as one highly promising ‘more-than-Moore’ technology. Recent progress has enabled SiPh-based interconnects to outperform traditional electrical interconnects, offering advantages like high bandwidth density, …

Schaeffler Icvd Coating Machine, Louis Mcgrath

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is mutual technology used to deposit thin film through a gaseous phase by vaporizing the solid materials. This conventional process usually requires high thermal stability of the materials, which is not applicable for most of the polymeric materials. Therefore, a novel process, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) is developed by introducing the gaseous monument and initiator to form the thin film in-situ. By adjusting the free-radical polymerization in the vapor phase, a variety of thin and uniform polymer films can be achieved. Depending on the chemistry, iCVD has many categories. This report explains the design …

Spin Wave Devices For Embedded Applications And Information Processing, Raisa Fabiha

Theses and Dissertations

Device miniaturization is a prerequisite for modern day electronics. Spintronics offers immense potential in energy efficient data storage, solid states devices, ultrafast computing and other electronic applications because of their low power consumption, non-volatile nature and unique activation mechanism. The conventional nano-antennas used for wireless communication, biomedical and wearable devices and IoT applications are limited by the traditional Harrington limit. As we attempt to miniaturize the antenna size beyond its emitted wavelength (also called “subwavelength” antenna), its gain and efficiency plummet. To overcome this challenge, the researchers have proposed magnetoelectric antennas. The ultra-thin film based magnetoelastic antennas suffer from eddy …

Amorphous Boron Carbide-Amorphous Silicon Heterojunction Devices, Vojislav Medic

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

This dissertation will show successful development and characterization of amorphous boron carbide-amorphous silicon heterojunction device with potential for neutron detection. The amorphous hydrogenated boron carbide (a-BC:H) has been extensively researched as a semiconductor for neutron voltaic device fabrication. Naturally occurring boron contains 19.8% of boron isotope B¹⁰ that has a high absorption cross section of thermal neutrons at lower energies, and boron carbide contains 14.7% of that B¹⁰ isotope. Therefore, as a semiconductor compound of boron a-BC:H has the ability to absorb radiation, generate charge carriers, and collect those carriers. Previous work on a-BC:H devices investigated the fabrication …

Design, Fabrication, And Integration Of Robotic Skin Sensors For Human Robot Interaction., Olalekan Olakitan Olowo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enhancing physical human-robot interaction in modern robotics relies on refining the tactile perception of robot skin sensors. This research focuses on crucial aspects of the development process, including fabrication techniques, miniaturization, and integration for a more efficient collaborative human-robot interface. The fabrication process of robot skin sensors, designed to mimic human skin, is explored both within and outside cleanroom environments. An enhanced technique is presented to increase fabrication yield and create more miniaturized sensor designs with feature sizes in the tens of microns. These sensors function as piezoresistive arrays using organic polymers like PEDOT: PSS as the pressure-sensing medium. Various …

Improving Cellphone-Based Bio-Imaging Technique For Fluorescence Detection, Erteza T. Efaz

LSU Master's Theses

The research presented in this thesis focuses on the design, development, and evaluation of a fluorescence detection system. The system is implemented primarily as an Android application, Auto Camera, which leverages smartphone cameras to capture and analyze fluorescent images. The application provides a user-friendly interface with some configurable features like exposure time, ISO speed, and storage limit; as well as defining detection thresholds and setting acquisition intervals. This study begins with the architectural framework of the Android application, which is written in Java using Android Studio. The API compatibility is set to version 33, and users are prompted to grant …

Molecular Dynamics Study Of Characterization In Metal-Free Friction Materials, Yizhan Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metallic friction materials currently used in industry may adversely impact the environment. Substitutions for metals in friction materials, on the other hand, can introduce operational safety issues and other unforeseeable issues such as thermal-mechanical instabilities and insufficient strength. In view of it, this dissertation focuses on developing different kinds of materials from simple structure to complex structure and evaluating the material properties with the assistance of molecular dynamics (MD) tools at the nano scale.

First, the concept of the contacted surfaces in friction at the atomic scale was introduced in order to get accurate understanding of the friction process compared …

Electrophertic Deposition And Characterization Of Molybdenum Disulfide On Silicon Substrates, Alex J. Young

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The electrical characteristics of 2D materials such as high electron mobility and current density are of great interest to various fields from optoelectronics to renewable energy. Researchers have focused their efforts on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) due to their direct energy band gap. One such TMDC that has garnered much attention is molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). MoS2 has electrical properties comparable to graphene and is a TMDC with characteristics amenable to applications such as solar cells and sensors. Commonly deposited through time-consuming and complex deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), the viability of MoS2 as an electronic material will …

Impact Of Silicon Ion Irradiation On Aluminum Nitride-Transduced Microelectromechanical Resonators, David D. Lynes, Joshua Young, Eric Lang, Hengky Chandrahalim

Faculty Publications

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators use is widespread, from electronic filters and oscillators to physical sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. These devices' ubiquity, small size, and low power consumption make them ideal for use in systems such as CubeSats, micro aerial vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and micro-robots operating in radiation environments. Radiation's interaction with materials manifests as atomic displacement and ionization, resulting in mechanical and electronic property changes, photocurrents, and charge buildup. This study examines silicon (Si) ion irradiation's interaction with piezoelectrically transduced MEMS resonators. Furthermore, the effect of adding a dielectric silicon oxide (SiO₂) thin film is …

Exploring Topological Phonons In Different Length Scales: Microtubules And Acoustic Metamaterials, Ssu-Ying Chen

Dissertations

The topological concepts of electronic states have been extended to phononic systems, leading to the prediction of topological phonons in a variety of materials. These phonons play a crucial role in determining material properties such as thermal conductivity, thermoelectricity, superconductivity, and specific heat. The objective of this dissertation is to investigate the role of topological phonons at different length scales.

Firstly, the acoustic resonator properties of tubulin proteins, which form microtubules, will be explored The microtubule has been proposed as an analog of a topological phononic insulator due to its unique properties. One key characteristic of topological materials is the …

Origin Of Capacitance In Perovskite Solar Cells: Insight Vision On The Energy Band Diagram, Ziad Khalifa, Sameh Abdellatif, Monica Roman

Chemical Engineering

In recent years, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have made significant progress, with fast improvements in energy conversion. Although they have become incredibly efficient in a short amount of time, they still face several obstacles before becoming a viable commercial technology. Researchers spent time looking for an equivalent circuit that could describe the J-V curves of PSCs and demonstrate the physical processes of optical absorption and carrier transit. In this paper, we proposed a model of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using SCAPS software to determine the parasitic elements and show the solar cell's behavior. A previous model of a perovskite solar …

Integrating Sensor Development, Risk Assessment, And Community Engagement To Support Environmental Justice In The Rural Community Of El Tiple, Colombia, David Bahamon Pinzon

All Dissertations

In Colombia, ethnic communities have traditionally been responsible stewards of natural resources. They recognize the importance of these resources for their livelihood, as well as their ancestral and cultural heritage. El Tiple, a rural Afro-Colombian community, has been affected by the incursion of private corporations that promoted the expansion of sugarcane monocrops in their territory. Since the introduction of the monoculture industry, local freshwater sources have been depleted due to intensive water use for irrigation of the sugarcane crops. Additionally, the intensive usage of agrochemicals has been linked with loss of native flora, damages to family farms, and pollution of …