NIRT: Semiconductor Nanowire-Based Electronics and Optoelectronics

作为用于更复杂结构和器件的工程化纳米尺度构建块，半导体纳米线特别令人感兴趣，这是由于能够从各种材料形成线，同时控制基本的电子性质以及开始控制线的定位和组装。纳米结构和电子特性的阐明，加工成包括接触和受控纳米线放置的器件，以及独特的电子，传输，和光学行为的纳米线的各种设备的应用仍有待探讨。PI提出了一个全面的调查，半导体纳米线的基本性质及其在电子和光电子器件中的应用，重点是以下器件应用：（1）基于半导体纳米线的晶体管结构，其将提供（a）极低功率、高速操作以用于未来的逻辑和存储器应用，或（B）极高频率和功率密度下操作以用于微波和毫米波电路应用;以及（2）纳米线光电二极管，其结合到用于（a）产生太赫兹辐射或（B）基于在单个芯片上集成不同纳米线结构的多光谱成像的结构中。所有这些都代表了器件性能或功能方面的潜在重大突破，同时在材料合成、表征和加工方面存在共同的基本问题。拟议的团队包括材料合成、先进表征、材料加工以及电子和光电子器件和系统方面的专家，从而确保材料和加工研究解决与器件和系统应用最相关的问题，并确保器件设计充分利用先进材料合成和加工提供的各种可能性。在纳米级系统的物理学和实际的，高性能的设备ofnanostructures集成的基本问题将由一个高度完成，多学科的团队与成功的合作建立，广泛的记录解决。感兴趣的研究课题将包括新型半导体纳米线异质结构的合成;纳米线中的纳米电子结构和载流子输运行为;接触形成中的冶金、加工和量子电导问题;用于计算和通信的先进的基于晶体管的晶体管结构的设计;以及用于太赫兹信号产生和多光谱成像的纳米线光电二极管。设想了一个强大的教育组成部分，需要开发针对多学科学生观众的新研究生课程序列，一系列新生研讨会，指导本科生，并通过UCSDPreuss学校与中学生互动，UCSDPreuss学校是一所特许学校，为圣地亚哥联合学区的高能力但社会经济弱势的中学生提供服务。拟议的计划将产生新的能力和见解nanostructuresynthesis，纳米结构的物理，加工和组装的纳米结构，和theirapplicability在现实的设备和系统，将有相关性不仅为设备applicationstargeted在这里，但对半导体纳米线的研究，特别是固态nanostructures更普遍。潜在的影响领域包括未来的逻辑和存储系统，高速通信电路，以及太赫兹到红外/可见光成像。研究生和博士后研究人员将在一个垂直整合的多学科环境中接受教育，与加州大学圣地亚哥分校的Cal（IT）2相关的主要新实验设施提供新的能力，并为此和相关活动提供统一的保护伞。研究生课程的发展将进一步促进学生在科学和技术的重要新兴领域的培训，而在本科和中学一级的拟议课程和指导/推广计划将有助于教育非技术学生有关科学和技术问题，并鼓励学生追求科学和工程方面的高等教育和职业。

0506902YuAs engineered nanoscale building blocks for more complex structures and devices, semiconductornanowires are particularly intriguing due to the ability to form wires from a variety of materials withcontrol over basic electronic properties and the beginnings of control over wire positioning and assembly.However, a broad range of issues pertaining to synthesis of semiconductor nanowire heterostructures,elucidation of nanoscale structure and electronic properties, processing into devices including contactsand controlled nanowire placement, and the optimal exploitation of unique electronic, transport, andoptical behavior in nanowires for various device applications remain to be explored.The PI proposes a comprehensive investigation of the fundamental properties of semiconductornanowires and their application in electronic and optoelectronic devices, focusing on the following deviceapplications: (1) nanowire-based transistor structures that will offer either (a) extremely low-power, highspeed operation for future logic and memory applications or (b) operation at extremely high frequencies and power densities for microwave and mm-wave circuit applications; and (2) nanowire photodiodes incorporated into structures for (a) generation of terahertz radiation, or (b) multispectral imaging based on integration of different nanowire structures on a single chip. All represent potentially major breakthroughs in device performance or functionality, while sharing common fundamental issues inmaterials synthesis, characterization, and processing. The proposed team encompasses experts inmaterials synthesis, advanced characterization, materials processing, and electronic and optoelectronicdevices and systems, thereby ensuring that materials and processing studies address the issues mostrelevant to the device and system applications, and that device designs exploit the full range ofpossibilities provided by advanced materials synthesis and processing.Intellectual Merit: Fundamental issues in the physics of nanoscale systems and the integration ofnanostructures into realistic, high-performance devices will be addressed by a highly accomplished,multidisciplinary team with an established, extensive record of successful collaboration. Research topicsof interest will include synthesis of novel semiconductor nanowire heterostructures; nanoscale electronicstructure and carrier transport behavior in nanowires; metallurgical, processing, and quantumconductanceissues in contact formation; design of advanced nanowire-based transistor structures forcomputation and communications; and nanowire photodiodes for terahertz signal generation andmultispectral imaging. A strong educational component is envisioned, entailing the development of newgraduate course sequences aimed at a multidisciplinary student audience, a freshman seminar series,mentoring of undergraduate students, and interaction with secondary school students via the UCSDPreuss School, a Charter School serving high-ability but socioeconomically disadvantaged secondaryschool students in the San Diego Unified School District.Broader Impact: The proposed program will yield new capabilities and insights in nanostructuresynthesis, the physics of nanoscale structures, processing and assembly of nanostructures, and theirapplicability in realistic devices and systems that will have relevance not only for the device applicationstargeted here, but for research on semiconductor nanowires specifically, and solid-state nanostructuresmore generally. The potential areas of impact include future logic and memory systems, high-speedcircuits for communications, and terahertz to infrared/visible imaging. Graduate students andpostdoctoral researchers will be educated in a vertically integrated, multidisciplinary setting, with majornew experimental facilities associated with Cal(IT)2 at UCSD providing new capability as well as aunifying umbrella for this and related activities. The development of graduate-level course sequenceswill further facilitate training of students in important emerging areas of science and technology, whilethe proposed courses and mentoring/outreach programs at the undergraduate and secondary school levelswill help both to educate nontechnical students about scientific and technological issues and to encouragestudents to pursue advanced education and careers in science and engineering.