NER: Colloidal Crystals for Nanoelectronic Device Fabrication

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The objective of this research is to employ colloidal crystalline templating to engineer innovative nanoelectronic device structures. The unique capabilities of the colloidal templating method make it suitable for fabrication of nanoelectronic device structures in which large junction areas / surface areas or a nanometer-level mixture of two materials is needed. The approach is to establish the capabilities of this technique through the fabrication of three nanoelectronic material prototypes. First, a superjunction diode in which interlocking p and n type semiconductor lattices produce a rectifier with high blocking voltages and low on resistance; second, a thermoelectronic material in which quantum confinement across the crystal leads to a greatly enhanced thermoelectronic figure of merit; and third, a battery cathode that intertwines two cathodes materials to simultaneously enhance capacity and stability.The investigation will show that the unique capabilities of the colloidal crystalline templating technique make it a cheap and easy method for the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices that would otherwise require expensive and elaborate fabrication procedures to produce. The exploratory research in this proposal forms part of a long-term plan to enhance nanoscale research and education in the state of Kentucky. High school students will be educated in nanotechnology through a Nanotech Fellows program and development of nanotechnology based science projects. Outreach to the industrial community both within Kentucky and around the country will be used in developing commercial applications for the proposed colloidal fabrication technique.