Real Time Polarimetry for Tailored Silicon Thin Films

提出的研究将推进薄膜成核和生长的实时分析技术。基于偏振法的强大的高速光学探针将被开发出来，从而能够以亚单层分辨率全面表征从生长膜表面反射的光的偏振状态。新方法将在32毫秒内得到1.5至6.5 eV的反射光的Stokes矢量，或者在大约200毫秒内得到样品的16个Mueller矩阵元素在相似的能量范围内。有了这样的能力，更好地理解硅和氮化硼薄膜的生长将成为可能，特别是在整个技术上重要的沉积制度中，薄膜的形态或晶相随着厚度的变化而变化，导致各向异性和退极化效应。这些方法将指导新的和改进的薄膜材料的制造，用于下一代大面积电子和硬涂层。材料制备过程的技术转移有望导致硅薄膜电压和氮化硼硬涂层技术的改进。拟议的研究将有助于培养研究生和本科生在凝聚态物质、材料和光学物理方面的广泛技能，这些技能是工业研究和开发实验室的研究生就业所需要的。在这个项目中，首席研究员将开发在各种衬底上生长改进薄膜的新技术。新方法将被转移到从事各种技术应用的薄膜商业生产的美国工业。这项研究将吸引研究生和本科生，他们将接受方法和技术方面的培训，这些方法和技术将在21世纪的美国技术中发挥重要作用

9820170CollinsThe proposed research will advance techniques for real time analysis of thin film nucleation and growth. Powerful high-speed optical probes based on polarimetry will be developed to enable full characterization of the polarization state of light reflected from the surfaces of growing films with sub-monolayer resolution. The new methods will yield 1) the Stokes vector of the reflected light beam from 1.5 to 6.5 eV in 32 msec, or 2) the 16 elements of the Mueller matrix of the sample over a similar energy range in approximately 200 msec. With such capabilities, a better understanding of the growth of silicon and boron nitride thin films will be possible, particularly throughout the technologically important deposition regimes in which the morphology or crystalline phase of the films evolves with thickness leading to anisotropy and depolarization effects. These methods will guide the fabrication of new and improved thin film materials for use in future generation of large area electronics and hard coatings. Technology transfer of the process of materials preparation is expected to lead in improvements in silicon thin film voltaics and boron nitride hard coatings technologies. The proposed research will serve to train graduate and undergraduate students with broad skills in condensed matter, materials, and optical physics that are in demand for post-graduate employment in industrial research and development laboratories.%%%In this project the principal investigator will develop new techniques for the preparation of improved thin films during their growth on a variety of substrates. The new methods will be transferable to U.S. industries engaged in the commercial production of thin films for a variety of technological applications. The research will engage graduate and undergraduate students who will be trained in methods and techniques which will be important in U.S. technology in the 21st Century ***