CAREER: Synthesis, Self-Assembly and Characterization of Mn-doped III-V DMS QDs for Spintronic Importance

本工作的目的是开发单分散III-V稀磁半导体量子点(DMS量子点)，作为自旋电子学特别是量子计算(QC)潜在应用的理想结构域。拟议项目的范围涵盖广泛的基础教育部分，包括固体无机化学、物理化学、材料化学、金属有机化学、固体物理、结构和磁性表征。这项研究的意义在于以下三个方面：(1)通过将DMS系统从II-VI或IV-VI扩展到III-V化合物并在它们中掺杂锰(Mn2)，开辟了一条新的探索途径来化学开发有前景的DMS量子点；(2)通过评估量子点中一个(或几个)量子受限电子(S)的自旋行为，提供了确凿的自旋信息和所建议材料的可行性；(3)基于对真实量子点的实验观察，证明了一些纳米相中的自旋电子学概念。该项目的广泛影响有三个方面：(1)吸引、培训和定位不同层次的学生(高中、本科生、研究生和博士后)进入这个前景光明的跨学科领域；(2)提高路易斯安那州在材料化学和纳米科学方面的研究和教育能力；(3)通过这些前沿研究技术，将学术界和产业界紧密联系起来，提高学生解决工业问题的能力。本工作的目的是探索进一步开发高质量的稀磁半导体量子点(DMS量子点)，作为理想的材料应用于自旋电子(自旋电子学)中，并特别用于量子计算。在与信息存储设备相关的微电子材料中，利用原子的电子自旋作为附加自由度的想法是可行的，并得到了实验的大力支持。这种自旋电子效应可能会导致用于记忆存储和量子计算的下一代电子设备发生革命。我们的工作集中在(1)各种尺寸可控的DMS量子点(主要用于III-V族元素)的制备和操纵，以及(2)发展系统的分析方法来表征这些新型量子点的自旋行为和集体性质，以便可能用于量子计算设计。最先进的量子计算设计理论上是基于DMS量子点，通过在尺寸受限的隔离半导体单元中捕获一个(或几个)电子(S)的自旋。要在实验上实现这一目标，首先要制造有希望的DMS量子点，其次是表征这些量子点的自旋行为。拟议的研究计划将加快这一前景看好的方向的探索，并将促进路易斯安那州高科技K12教育的各种活动。在整个项目过程中，PI/PD将继续参加已经在新奥尔良大学建立的高中生外展计划、高中教师暑期培训计划和REU暑期研究计划。

The objective of this work is to develop monodisperse III-V diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum dots (DMS QDs) as ideal domains for potential applications of spintronics especially for quantum computing (QC). The scope of the proposed project covers a broad range of fundamental education components, including Solid State Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry, Solid State Physics, Structural and Magnetic Characterization. The significance of this research endeavor lies in the following three aspects: (1) creating a novel exploration avenue to chemically develop promising DMS QDs by extending the DMS system from II-VI or IV-VI to III-V compounds and doping them with manganese (Mn2+ ); (2) providing conclusive spin information and the viability of the proposed materials by evaluating the spin behaviors of one (or a few) quantum-confined electron(s) trapped in a QD; (3) proving some spintronic concepts in nanophase based on the experimental observation on real QDs. The broad impacts of this project are three-fold: (1) to attract, train and position students in various levels (high-school, undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral) to this promising interdisciplinary field; (2) to enhance the research and education capability of the State of Louisiana in Materials Chemistry and NanoScience; (3) to closely link academia to industry and to enhance the students' ability in solving industrial problems through these cutting-edge research techniques.The objective of this work is to explore the further development of high-quality diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum dots (DMS QDs) as ideal materials for application in spin electronics (spintronics) with a particular use for quantum computing. The idea of using the electron spin of an atom as an additional degree of freedom in microelectronics materials related to information storage devices is feasible, and has received strong support from experiments. Such a spintronic effect may lead to a revolution in the next generation of electronic devices for memory storage and quantum computing. Our work focuses on (1) the preparation and the manipulation of various DMS QDs (mainly for III-V Group elements) with size-control and (2) the development of systematic analytical methods to characterize the spin behavior and the collective properties of these novel QDs for possible use in quantum computing design. State of the art quantum computing designs are theoretically based on DMS QDs by trapping a spin of one (or a few) electron(s) inside a dimension-restricted, isolated semiconductor unit. To experimentally achieve this objective, the fabrication of the promising DMS QDs is the first challenge, followed by the characterization of the spin behavior of these QDs. The proposed research program will speed up exploration in this promising direction, and will also enhance various activities of high-tech K12 education in the State of Louisiana. Throughout the course of this project, the PI/PD will continuously participate in a high school student outreach program, high school teacher summer training program and REU summer research program already established at the University of New Orleans.