Semiconductor and Optical Materials Commons^™

Growth Of Indium Nitride Quantum Dots By Molecular Beam Epitaxy, Steven P. Minor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the last decade, the evolution of the global consciousness in response to decreasing environmental conditions from global warming and pollution has led to an outcry for finding new alternative/clean methods for harvesting energy and determining ways to minimize energy consumption. III-nitride materials are of interest for optoelectronic and electronic device applications such as high efficiency solar cells, solid state lighting (LEDs), and blue laser (Blu-ray Technology) applications. The wide range of direct band gaps covered by its alloys (0.7eV-6.2eV) best illustrates the versatility of III-nitride materials. This wide range has enabled applications extending from the ultraviolet to the near …

Plasmonic Properties Of Nanoparticle And Two Dimensional Material Integrated Structure, Desalegn Tadesse Debu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, various groups have demonstrated nano-scale engineering of nanostructures for optical to infrared wavelength plasmonic applications. Most fabrication technique processes, especially those using noble metals, requires an adhesion layer. Previously proposed theoretical work to support experimental measurement often neglect the effect of the adhesion layers. The first finding of this work focuses on the impact of the adhesion layer on nanoparticle plasmonic properties. Gold nanodisks with a titanium adhesion layer are investigated by calculating the scattering, absorption, and extinction cross-section with numerical simulations using a finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. I demonstrate that a gold nanodisk with an adhesive …

Optical Enhancement In Periodic Plasmonic Gratings For Sers And Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Photodetectors (Msm-Pds) Applications, Ahmad Aziz Darweesh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is aimed to numerically study the effect of plasmonic grating electrodes on the efficiency of metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM PDs) and the sensitivity of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). This research can benefit many areas of nanoscience and optics, including plasmonic applications, such as, super lenses, nano-scale optical circuits, optical filters, surface plasmon enhanced photo-detectors solar cells, imaging sensors, charge-coupled devices (CCD), and optical-fiber communication systems. Several parameters, wire widths and thickness, gap space, taper angle, and the incident wavelength and angle, were investigated. The goal of this research is to utilize the plasmonic phenomenon by using plasmonic gratings …

Coupling Of Light's Orbital Angular Momentum To A Quantum Dot Ensemble, Alaa A. Bahamran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the transfer of orbital angular momentum from light to an ensemble of semiconductor-based nanostructures composed of lead sulfide quantum dots. Using an ensemble of quantum dots offers a higher cross-section and more absorption of twisted light fields compared to experimentally challenging single-nanostructure measurements. However, each quantum dot (except for on-center) sees a displaced light beam parallel to its own axis of symmetry. The transition matrix elements for the light-matter interaction are calculated by expressing the displaced light beam in terms of the appropriate light field centered on the nanoparticles. The resulting transition rate induced by …

Scanning Probe Microscopy Measurements On 2d Materials And Iridates, Armin Ansary

Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy

In the past two decades, there has been a quest to understand and utilize novel materials such as iridates and two-dimensional (2D) materials. These classes of materials show a lot of interesting properties both in theoretical predictions as well as experimental results. Physical properties of some of these materials have been investigated using scanning probe measurements, along with other techniques.

One-dimensional (1D) catalytic etching was investigated in few-layer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) films. Etching of hBN was shown to share several similarities with that of graphitic films. As in graphitic films, etch tracks in hBN commenced at film edges and …

Transient Transmission Oscillations In Doped And Undoped Lithium Niobate Induced By Near-Infrared Femtosecond Pulses, Bryan J. Crossman, Gregory J. Taft

Physics Faculty Publications

Transient transmission oscillations in X-cut and Z-cut congruent, iron-doped, and magnesium-doped lithium niobate samples were measured using 50 fs, 800 nm, 0.5 nJ pulses from a self-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser in an optical pump–probe system. Several Raman-active oscillation modes excited by these pulses were observed as changes in the transmitted probe intensity versus time delay between the pump and probe pulses. The samples were rotated to determine how the incident polarization of the pump pulses affects the mode excitations. The observed Raman-active oscillations correspond to previously reported symmetry modes measured with traditional, continuous-wave, Raman spectroscopy using the same scattering …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Electrochemical Glucose Sensors, Mohammed Marie

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical sensors based on the nanostructure of the semiconductor materials are of tremendous interest to be utilized for glucose monitoring. The sensors, based on the nanostructure of the semiconductor materials, are the third generations of the glucose sensors that are fast, sensitive, and cost-effect for glucose monitoring.

Glucose sensors based on pure zinc oxide nanorods (NRs) grown on different substrates, such ITO, FTO, and Si/SiO2/Au, were investigated in this research. Silicon nanowire (NW)- based glucose sensors were also studied. First, an enzyme-based glucose sensor was fabricated out of glass/ITO/ZnO NRs/BSA/GOx/nafion membrane. The sensor was tested amperometrically at different glucose concentrations. …

Modeling Recombination In Solar Cells, Paul Chery

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

Solar cells are a competitive alternative to nonrenewable energy sources such as fossil fuels. However, the efficiency of these devices is limited by photogenerated carrier recombination. We use a finite difference numerical model to study recombination phenomena in the absorber layer of solar cells including alternate recombination models and the effects of spatial distribution of recombination centers. We compare the effect of using the constant lifetime approximation for recombination to the full Shockley-Read-Hall expression in Silicon solar cells and find that the constant lifetime approximation holds for high defect densities but not for high photon flux densities. Finally, we simulate …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Harmful Radiation On Type-Ii Strained Layer Superlattice Focal Plane Arrays Operated In The Long Wave Infrared, Patrick Fumo

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

In-situ exposure of InAs/InAsSb strained layer superlattice focal plane arrays to gamma-rays revealed the possibility of a detector capable of imaging through a total ionizing dose event. Two long wave infrared focal plane arrays were exposed to a Co⁶⁰ source at dose rates of 60 Rads/s and 70 Rads/s in incremental steps up to a total accumulated dose of 30 kRads. The first device showed no degradation in dark current density with accumulated dose while the second device tested showed a small increase up to 1 kRad and minimal increases with subsequent dose steps. The primary imaging defect in …

Thermoelectrics And Thermoelectric Devices, Benjamin T. Erck

Senior Theses

The field of thermoelectrics has many applications, and more are found in everyday systems. From its current studies, it is apparent that improving the figure of merit zT (which defines a good thermoelectric material) is important in the effectiveness of power generation. Another important part of thermoelectrics is the duality of these devices. They can both move heat and generate power, depending on their role in the system. In this thesis research, a process was made to test these thermoelectric relationships for a few Peltier devices in order to understand their efficiencies and what systems they can be applied to.

Near Bandgap Two-Photon Excited Luminescence Of Inas Quantum Dots, Xian Hu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) confine carriers in three dimensions, resulting in atomic-like energy levels as well as size-dependent electrical and optical properties. Self-assembled III-V QD is one of the most studied semiconductor QDs thanks to their well-established fabrication techniques and versatile optical properties. This dissertation presents the photoluminescence (PL) study of the InAs/GaAs QDs with both above bandgap continuous-wave excitation (one-photon excitation) and below-bandgap pulse excitation (two-photon excitation). Samples of ensemble QDs, single QD (SQD), and QDs in a micro-cavity, all grown by molecular beam epitaxy, are used in this study. Morphology of these samples was examined using atomic force …

Characterization Of Magnetic Thin Films Using The Magneto Optic Kerr Effect, Nicholas J. Savino

Student Scholar Showcase

Understanding magnetic properties of materials allows for advances in applications such as data storage. The Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (MOKE) displays the reflective response a magnetic material has to a magnetic field. When polarized light reflects off of a magnetic material, the polarization orientation can change. The application of an external magnetic field can affect how much this polarization changes in a non-linear manner. Hysteresis loops are created when examining the relationship between intensity of the reflected light to the applied magnetic field provide information about magnetic properties of that material, such as the coercive field and field retention. Preliminary measurements …

Swelling As A Stabilizing Mechanism During Ion Bombardment Of Thin Films: An Analytical And Numerical Study, Jennifer M. Swenson

Mathematics Theses and Dissertations

Irradiation of semiconductor surfaces often leads to the spontaneous formation of rippled structures at certain irradiation angles. However, at high enough energies, these structures are observed to vanish for all angles, despite the absence of any identified, universally-stabilizing physical mechanisms in operation. Here, we examine the effect on pattern formation of radiation-induced swelling, which has been excluded from prior treatments of stress in irradiated films. After developing a suitable continuum model, we perform a linear stability analysis to determine its effect on stability. Under appropriate simplifying assumptions, we find swelling indeed to be stabilizing at wavenumbers typical of experimental observations. …

Demonstration Of Versatile Whispering-Gallery Micro-Lasers For Remote Refractive Index Sensing, Lei Wan, Hengky Chandrahalim, Jian Zhou

Faculty Publications

We developed chip-scale remote refractive index sensors based on Rhodamine 6G (R6G)-doped polymer micro-ring lasers. The chemical, temperature, and mechanical sturdiness of the fused-silica host guaranteed a flexible deployment of dye-doped polymers for refractive index sensing. The introduction of the dye as gain medium demonstrated the feasibility of remote sensing based on the free-space optics measurement setup. Compared to the R6G-doped TZ-001, the lasing behavior of R6G-doped SU-8 polymer micro-ring laser under an aqueous environment had a narrower spectrum linewidth, producing the minimum detectable refractive index change of 4 x 10⁻⁴ RIU. The maximum bulk refractive index sensitivity (BRIS) …

Copper-Doped Lithium Triborate (Lib3o5) Crystals: A Photoluminescence, Thermoluminescence, And Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Study, Brant E. Kananen, John W. Mcclory, Nancy C. Giles, Larry E. Halliburton

Faculty Publications

When doped with copper ions, lithium borate materials are candidates for use in radiation dosimeters. Copper-doped lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7) crystals have been widely studied, but little is known thus far about copper ions in lithium triborate (LiB3O5) crystals. In the present investigation, Cu+ ions (3d10) were diffused into an undoped LiB3O5 crystal at high temperature. These ions occupy both Li+ and interstitial positions in the crystal. A photoluminescence (PL) band peaking near 387 nm and a photoluminescence excitation (PLE) band peaking near 273 nm verify that a portion of these Cu+ ions are located at regular Li+ sites. After an …

Effects Of Edge Inclination Angles On Whispering-Gallery Modes In Printable Wedge Microdisk Lasers, Cong Chen, Lei Wan, Hengky Chandrahalim

Faculty Publications

The ink-jet technique was developed to print the wedge polymer microdisk lasers. The characterization of these lasers was implemented using a free-space optics measurement setup. It was found that disks of larger edge inclination angles have a larger free spectral range (FSR) and a lower resonance wavelength difference between the fundamental transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) whispering-gallery modes (WGMs). This behavior was also confirmed with simulations based on the modified Oxborrow’s model with perfectly matched layers (PMLs), which was adopted to accurately calculate the eigenfrequencies, electric field distributions, and quality parameters of modes in the axisymmetric microdisk resonators. …

Photoluminescence From Gan Co-Doped With C And Si, Mykhailo Vorobiov

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis devoted to the experimental studies of yellow and blue luminescence (YL and BL relatively) bands in Gallium Nitride samples doped with C and Si. The band BL_C was at first observed in the steady-state photoluminescence spectrum under high excitation intensities and discerned from BL1 and BL2 bands appearing in the same region of the spectrum. Using the time-resolved photoluminescence spectrum, we were able to determine the shape of the BL_C and its position at 2.87 eV. Internal quantum efficiency of the YL band was estimated to be 90\%. The hole capture coefficient of the BL_{C …}

Structural, Transport, And Topological Properties Induced At Complex-Oxide Hetero-Interfaces, Justin K. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy

Complex-oxides have seen an enormous amount of attention in the realm of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science/Engineering over the last several decades. Their ability to host a wide variety of novel physical properties has even caused them to be exploited commercially as dielectric, metallic and magnetic materials. Indeed, since the discovery of high temperature superconductivity in the “Cuprates” in the late 1980’s there has been an explosion of activity involving complex-oxides. Further, as the experimental techniques and equipment for fabricating thin films and heterostructures of these materials has improved over the last several decades, the search for new and …

Nonlinear Coupled Effects In Nanomaterials, Sia Bhowmick

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Materials at the nanoscale have different chemical, structural, and optoelectrical properties compared to their bulk counterparts. As a result, such materials, called nanomaterials, exhibit observable differences in certain physical phenomena. One such resulting phenomenon called the piezoelectric effect has played a crucial role in miniature self-powering electronic devices called nanogenerators which are fabricated by using nanostructures, such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanofilms. These devices are capable of harvesting electrical energy by inducing mechanical strain on the individual nanostructures. Electrical energy created in this manner does not have environmental limitations. In this thesis, important coupled effects, such as the nonlinear piezoelectric …

Structural And Elastic Properties Of Degenerate Sno Monolayers At Finite Temperature, Afsana Sharmin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chalcogen-based layered superconductors with a litharge structure such as FeS and FeSe mono-layers undergo structural and superconducting phase transitions that are tunable by doping. Representing another material platform with a litharge structure but without valence d-electrons, SnO monolayers also display a structural ground state with a degenerate rectangular unit cell at zero temperature and a charge-tunable energy barrier that leads to a thermally-controllable structural phase change. Doped SnO monolayers with rectangular degenerate unit cells give rise to two-dimensional multiferroicity. Their two-dimensional elastic energy landscape adopts a basic analytic expression that is employed to discuss this structural transition. The results contained …

Generalized Ellipsometry On Complex Nanostructures And Low-Symmetry Materials, Alyssa Mock

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

In this thesis, complex anisotropic materials are investigated and characterized by generalized ellipsometry. In recent years, anisotropic materials have gained considerable interest for novel applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices, mostly due to unique properties that originate from reduced crystal symmetry. Examples include white solid-state lighting devices which have become ubiquitous just recently, and the emergence of high-power, high-voltage electronic transistors and switches in all-electric vehicles. The incorporation of single crystalline material with low crystal symmetry into novel device structures requires reconsideration of existing optical characterization approaches. Here, the generalized ellipsometry concept is extended to include applications for materials with …

Artificial Olfactory System For Multi-Component Analysis Of Gas Mixtures., Alexander Aleksandrovich Larin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gas analysis is an important part of our world and gas sensing technology is becoming more essential for various aspects of our life. A novel approach for gas mixture analysis by using portable gas chromatography in combination with an array of highly integrated and selective metal oxide (MOX) sensors has been studied. We developed a system with small size (7 x 13 x 16 inches), low power consumption (~10 W) and absence of special carrier gases designed for portable field analysis (assuming apriori calibration). Low ppb and even sub-ppb level of detection for some VOCs was achieved during the analysis …

Superconductivity At Т≈200 K In Bismuth Cuprates Synthesized Using Solar Energy, J. Chigvinadze, Juana Acrivos, S. Ashimov, D. Gulamova, G. Donadze

Faculty Publications, Chemistry

When investigating low-frequency (0.1 Hz) oscillations of multiphase high-temperature cuprate superconductors (HTCS) Bi1,7Pb0,3Sr2Ca(n-1)CunOy (n=2-30), a wide attenuation peak (ΔT~100 К) with a maximum at Т≈200 К was detected. This peak was particularly pronounced in field cooling (FC) experiments, i.e. after abrupt cooling of the sample in the external magnetic field at the temperature Т<Тс with subsequent slow warming up to room temperature with invariance of the applied field. The attenuation peak height depended on the preliminaryorientation (before cooling) of the samples θ in the measured permanent magnetic field Н. On the one hand, it is well known that, after the FC procedure and subsequent slow warming up, at the temperatures close to the critical temperature Тс, the attenuation peak associated with “melting” of the Abrikosov frozen vortex structure and its disappearance at Т >Тс is detected in monophase samples. At the same time, in most multiphase bismuth HTCS samples, synthesized using solar energy and superfast quenching of the melt, the attenuation peak with the maximum at Т≈200 К was observed.Depending on the conditions of synthesis, the attenuation peak could …

Use Of A Novel Infrared Wavelength-Tunable Laser Mueller-Matrix Polarimetric Scatterometer To Measure Nanostructured Optical Materials, Jason C. Vap, Stephen E. Nauyoks, Michael R. Benson, Michael A. Marciniak

Faculty Publications

Nanostructured optical materials, for example, metamaterials, have unique spectral, directional, and polarimetric properties. Samples designed and fabricated for infrared (IR) wavelengths have been characterized using broadband instruments to measure specular polarimetric transmittance or reflectance as in ellipsometry or integrated hemisphere transmittance or reflectance. We have developed a wavelength-tunable IR Mueller-matrix (Mm) polarimetric scatterometer which uses tunable external-cavity quantum-cascade lasers (EC-QCLs) to tune onto and off of the narrowband spectral resonances of nanostructured optical materials and performed full polarimeteric and directional evaluation to more fully characterize their behavior. Using a series of EC-QCLs, the instrument is tunable over 4.37-6.54 μm wavelengths …

Nanowire-Based Light-Emitting Diodes: A New Path Towards High-Speed Visible Light Communication, Mohsen Nami

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Nano-scale optoelectronic devices have gained significant attention in recent years. Among these devices are semiconductor nanowires, whose dimeters range from 100 to 200 nm. Semiconductor nanowires can be utilized in many different applications including light-emitting diodes and laser diodes. Higher surface to volume ratio makes nanowire-based structures potential candidates for the next generation of photodetectors, sensors, and solar cells. Core-shell light-emitting diodes based on selective-area growth of gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires provide a wide range of advantages. Among these advantages are access to non-polar m-plane sidewalls, higher active region area compared to conventional planar structures, and reduction of threading …

Electrical Characterization Of Irradiated Semiconducting Amorphous Hydrogenated Boron Carbide, George Glen Peterson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide has been explored as a neutron voltaic for operation in radiation harsh environments, such as on deep space satellites/probes. A neutron voltaic device could also be used as a solid state neutron radiation detector to provide immediate alerts for radiation workers/students, as opposed to the passive dosimetry badges utilized today. Understanding how the irradiation environment effects the electrical properties of semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide is important to predicting the stability of these devices in operation. p-n heterojunction diodes were formed from the synthesis of semiconducting amorphous partially dehydrogenated boron carbide on silicon …

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Study Of Neutral Mg Acceptors In Β-Ga2O3 Crystals, Brant E. Kananen, Larry E. Halliburton, Elizabeth M. Scherrer, K. T. Stevens, G. K. Foundos, K. B. Chang, Nancy C. Giles

Faculty Publications

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is used to directly observe and characterize neutral Mg acceptors (Mg⁰_Ga) in a β-Ga₂O₃ crystal. These acceptors, best considered as small polarons, are produced when the Mg-doped crystal is irradiated at or near 77 K with x rays. During the irradiation, neutral acceptors are formed when holes are trapped at singly ionized Mg acceptors (Mg−Ga). Unintentionally present Fe³⁺ (3d⁵) and Cr³⁺ (3d³) transition-metal ions serve as the corresponding electron traps. The hole is localized in a nonbonding p orbital on a threefold-coordinated oxygen ion …

Estimating Index Of Refraction For Specular Reflectors Using Passive Polarimetric Hyperspectral Radiance Measurements, Jacob A. Martin, Kevin C. Gross

Faculty Publications

Results of a method of estimating index of refraction from passive, polarimetric hyperspectral imaging radiance measurements are presented. As off-nadir viewing hyperspectral imaging platforms gain prominence, estimating index of refraction, which is invariant to viewing angle, may prove advantageous to estimating the emissivity, which is not. Results show that index of refraction can be retrieved to within 8% rms error for fused silica and sapphire glass targets, while simultaneously estimating object temperature. The accuracy and self-consistency of this technique for estimating index of refraction are shown to compare favorably to the maximum smoothness temperature–emissivity separation algorithm. Additionally, the results show …

Operating Temperature Of A Solar Thermal Stirling Engine, Spencer Beck

Senior Theses

This paper explores the relationship between the operating temperature and electricity production of a simple heat engine. A Stirling engine was designed and constructed which runs on solar thermal energy collected by a Fresnel lens. The surface area of the solar collector was varied. This manipulated the operating temperature of the Stirling engine in order to measure power output. The mechanical energy from the engine was converted to electricity using a DC motor running in reverse, acting like a generator, in conjunction with an Arduino for data collection. Although adjustments must be made in order to improve the efficiency of …

Are Solar Panels A Viable Power Source For A Green Energy Vehicle?, Mason C. Adams

Senior Theses

A solar cell powered go-kart has been built and tested. The result shows using solar energy alone cannot meet the requirement of running a regular passenger car. This is due to the limited surface area of the passenger car. This thesis also discusses the operating principles of solar panels, the physics of P type and N type semiconductors, and the formation of the PN junction, as well as the solar current. Modifications of an existing go-kart are described in detail in this thesis. Suggestions for making green vehicles are discussed as well.