CAREER: Critical Issues in the Growth of Semiconductor Thin Films

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9500858 Roland This is a CAREER award to conduct theoretical research on thin film growth of semiconductor materials and to undertake realted educational activities. The research focus will be on issues relating to the effects of atomic beams and strain on thin film growth. By using a low-energy atomic beam, a pulse of energy may be delivered locally to the growth surface and tune the kinetics. The effect of such atomic beams on low temperature growth, on three-dimensional clustering mechanisms and on the crystallization of amorphous material and regrowth phenomena will be investigated. In addition, the effects of biaxial strain on the initial stages of growth and step distributions will be investigated. The main tool of study will be molecular dynamics simulations using realistic potentials, coupled with ab initio molecular dynamics and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. The educational component includes the development of a course on modern numerical methods in physics, development of educational videos related to the research and research experiences for undergraduates. %%% This is a CAREER award for computer simulation studies of the growth of thin films of semiconducting material. Understanding the growth mechanisms of these films is vitally important for the semiconductor industry in addition to providing fundamental insights into the underlying physical phenomena. The educational component includes the development of a new course on computer simulation for physics, the production of educational videos related to the research and the incorporation of undergraduates in the research process. ***