Vibrational Spectroscopy of Defects in Zinc Oxide

技术：该项目解决与氧化锌的p型掺杂有关的基本材料科学问题。方法是评估补偿缺陷的作用，并探索引入受主掺杂的新方案。项目目标包括：确定氧化锌中与氢有关的复合体的微观结构；研究和设计氧化锌p型掺杂的新途径；以及评估氧化锌中氢的动力学和振动动力学。氢供体和受体-氢络合物将结合电学测量使用振动光谱进行研究。为了探索杂质的振动动力学、动力学和微观结构，红外(IR)和拉曼光谱将被用来测量杂质在氧化锌中的局域振动模式(LVMS)。静水压力将被用作一个实验变量，以获得与氢相关的复合体的结构以及LVMS和晶格声子之间的振动相互作用的信息。非技术性：该项目解决具有高度技术相关性的材料科学主题领域的基础研究问题，并有望为学生培训提供独特的机会。计划的教育活动将使从小学(K-12)到研究生的一系列学生受益。相关努力包括面向当地学校和在家接受教育的儿童的社区外展计划，为固态物理课程开发讲座演示，以及本科生研究机会。结合研究，这些活动预计将鼓励来自不同背景的学生进入与材料科学和固体物理相关的领域。研究生和本科生将有机会进行前沿研究，并在毕业后对科学和工程做出重大贡献。

Technical: This project addresses fundamental materials science issues related to p-type doping of ZnO. The approach is to assess the role of compensating defects, and to explore novel schemes for introducing acceptor dopants. Project objectives include: determine the microscopic structure of hydrogen-related complexes in ZnO; investigate and devise novel routes to p-type doping of ZnO; and to evaluate the kinetics and vibrational dynamics of hydrogen in ZnO. Hydrogen donors and acceptor-hydrogen complexes will be studied using vibrational spectroscopy in conjunction with electrical measurements. To probe vibrational dynamics, kinetics, and microscopic structure of impurities, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy will be used to measure local vibrational modes (LVMs) of impurities in ZnO. Hydrostatic pressure will be used as an experimental variable to gain information about the structure of hydrogen-related complexes as well as vibrational interactions between LVMs and lattice phonons.Non-technical: The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance, and is expected to provide unique opportunities for student training. Planned educational activities will benefit a range of students from elementary (K-12) to graduate students. Related efforts include community outreach programs to local schools and home schooled children, the development of lecture demonstrations for solid-state physics courses, and undergraduate research opportunities. In conjunction with research, these activities are expected to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to enter fields related to materials science and solid-state physics. Graduate and undergraduate students will have an opportunity to perform forefront research and, upon graduation, make significant contributions to science and engineering.