Acquisition of Surface Analysis Equipment for Research on Metal Diboride Growth and Student Training

该补助金为伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳尚潘分校的金属陶瓷薄膜生长研究和学生培训提供了表面分析设备。这些表面分析工具将成为我们用于薄膜生长的超高真空设备的永久性和科学上重要的附件。该项目的重点是开发低温化学气相沉积（CVD）路线，以存款金属陶瓷薄膜用于电子器件和硬涂层。这些化合物被分类为金属陶瓷，因为它们具有高熔化温度、低导电率、作为杂质（金属）扩散的阻挡层的优异性能和高机械硬度。表面分析工具的集群将被用来分析薄膜生长过程，提供强大的洞察负责沉积的化学反应，以及薄膜的形态，结晶度和光学特性。从这些原位分析中获得的知识将指导我们努力生长金属，陶瓷和其他薄膜材料，并在合适的衬底上实现外延层生长。我们目前的研究项目是第一个成功地在低生长温度下制备具有块状性质的金属硼化物薄膜。新设备将为提高我们的科学理解和进一步开发这些低温化学气相沉积工艺提供卓越的能力。这些仪器将成为多用户设施的一部分，可供本科生、研究生助理和博士后科学家使用。我们正在招募来自代表性不足的群体的新生，并定期让课堂上的学生参与研究项目。

This grant provides support for the acquisition of surface analysis equipment for research on metal-ceramic film growth and student training at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. These surface analytical tools will become permanent and scientifically important attachments to our ultra-high vacuum facility for thin film growth. This project is focused on the development of low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) routes to deposit metallic ceramic thin films for use in electronic devices and hard coatings. These compounds are classified as metallic ceramics because they have high melting temperatures, low electrical resistivities, excellent performance as barriers against impurity (metal) diffusion, and high mechanical hardnesses. The cluster of surface analytical tools will be used to analyze the film growth processes by providing powerful insights into the chemical reactions responsible for deposition, as well as the morphology, crystallinity, and optical properties of the films. The knowledge gained from these in situ analyses will guide our efforts to grow metallic, ceramic, and other thin film materials, and to achieve epitaxial layer growth on suitable substrates. Our current research project is the first to successfully produce metal boride thin films with bulk-like properties at low growth temperatures. The new equipment will provide excellent capabilities for improving our scientific understanding and for further developing these low-temperature chemical vapor deposition processes. The instruments will become part of a multi-user facility available for use by undergraduate students, graduate assistants, and post-doctoral scientists. We are engaged in recruiting new students from underrepresented groups and routinely involve students from the classroom in the research project.