Electron Spin Effects in Semiconductor Nanostructures

该提案侧重于半导体纳米级系统的制造和物理研究，包括三个方面：通过劈裂边缘过度生长和自组装过程制造的II-VI磁性半导体量子结构；iii - v基铁磁半导体薄膜及多层膜；以及在II-VI/III-V半导体界面形成的磁性纳米结构。预计该计划将具有智力价值和广泛的影响，远远超出其具体的科学目标，为自旋电子材料的总体武器库做出贡献；培训研究生和本科生掌握尖端半导体制造技术和设计多功能材料，从而在美国工业、国家实验室和学术界广泛需求的领域为美国人力技能做出贡献。此外，圣母大学的研究小组已经通过提供研究样本或进行联合实验，在合作方面取得了优异的成绩（目前与40多个其他机构合作）。随着对自旋电子材料的需求继续增长，这种传播和分享成果的活动预计将进一步加强。目前，在当代电子学领域有一场激烈的全球运动，探索电子自旋的作用——除了它的电荷——着眼于增加电子微芯片设备的功能，特别是在计算领域。本提案通过采用最先进的技术制造和表征一系列新型半导体纳米级结构来解决这个问题，其中电子自旋的作用通过磁性离子的结合而被放大。通过在尖端半导体制造技术以及设计多功能材料方面培训研究生和本科生，该计划预计将产生广泛的影响，远远超出其直接目标，因为这些材料科学领域的技能在美国工业，国家实验室和学术界都有广泛的需求。此外，圣母大学的研究小组已经通过提供研究样本或进行联合实验，在合作方面取得了优异的成绩（目前与40多个其他机构合作）。随着对自旋基电子材料的需求继续增长，这种传播和分享成果的活动预计将进一步加强。

The proposal focuses on fabrication and physical studies of semiconductor nano-scale systems in three areas: II-VI magnetic semiconductor quantum structures fabricated both by cleaved edge overgrowth and by the process of self-assembly; III-V-based ferromagnetic semiconductor thin films and multilayers; and magnetic nanostructures which form at II-VI/III-V semiconductor interfaces. The proposed program is expected to have intellectual merit and broad impact far beyond its specific scientific goals by contributing to the arsenal of spin-electronics materials generally; and by training graduate and undergraduate students in cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication techniques and in designing multi-functional materials, thus contributing to U.S. manpower skills in areas which are in wide demand in U.S. Industry, National Laboratories, and Academia. Additionally, the Notre Dame team already has an exceptional track record of collaborations (currently with more than forty other institutions) either by providing research samples or by carrying out joint experiments. This activity of dissemination and sharing of results is expected to further intensify as the demand for spin-electronic materials continues to grow.There is currently an intense worldwide movement in contemporary electronics to explore the role of electron spin - in addition to its charge - with an eye on increasing the functionality of electronic microchip devices, particularly in the realm of computation. The present proposal addresses this issue by employing state-of-the-art techniques to fabricate and characterize a series of novel semiconductor nano-scale structures in which the role of electron spin is magnified by the incorporation of magnetic ions. By training graduate and undergraduate students in cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication techniques as well as in designing multi-functional materials, the proposed program is expected to have broad impact far beyond its immediate goals, since skills in these areas of materials science are in broad demand in U.S. Industry, National Laboratories, and Academia. Additionally, the Notre Dame team already has an exceptional track record of collaborations (currently with more than forty other institutions) either by providing research samples or by carrying out joint experiments. This activity of dissemination and sharing of results is expected to further intensify as the demand for spin-based electronic materials continues to grow.