Collaborative Research: Materials World Network: III-V Bismide Materials for IR and Mid IR Semiconductors

这个材料世界网络项目涉及来自美国亚利桑那州立大学和密歇根大学、加拿大维多利亚大学和西蒙·弗雷泽大学、英国萨里大学和德国菲利普斯大学的研究人员，他们专注于一种相对未被探索的III-V半导体合金家族，该家族含有最重的自然生成的V族元素--铋。铋无毒，相对便宜，是元素周期表中最重的非放射性元素。此外，与传统半导体合金相比，铋合金具有很大的自旋轨道分裂和较小的带隙温度依赖性。这一国际合作的研究目标是从理论和实验上开发用于红外和中红外光电子器件和其他小带隙器件的研究III-V双酰胺化合物半导体，其晶格常数为GaAs、InP、InAs和GaSb。研究活动包括：分子束外延生长III-V双酰胺材料；结构表征和性能测量，旨在加深对这些材料和相关器件的掺杂、带隙能量、能带偏移、材料性能和辐射效率的了解；以及基于含铋化合物半导体的量子阱结构和光学器件的电子和光学性质的理论分析。理论和器件层面的研究将主要由海外科学家进行。该项目的联网目标是通过举办两次国际讲习班，一次是2010年夏天在密歇根大学举办的，一次是2011年夏天在萨里大学举办的，以及发展网络基础设施，以加强双合金研究人员和更广泛的科学界之间的数据共享和分析，从而将这个材料世界网络与更大的全球科学界联系起来。通过开展这些活动，促进样本交流和工具共享，以开发III-V双胺材料，通过更广泛的传播、理解和学生与研究人员之间的面对面互动来加强科学技术，并促进数据共享和信息交流，这很可能激发进一步的创新，改变数据管理的方式和解决重大挑战的方式。

Abstract This Materials World Network project, involves investigators from Arizona State University and the University of Michigan in the US, the University of Victoria and Simon Fraser University in Canada, the University of Surrey in the UK, and Philipps-Universität in Germany, and focuses on a relatively unexplored family of III-V semiconductor alloys containing the heaviest naturally occurring group V element, bismuth. Bismuth is non-toxic, relatively inexpensive, and the heaviest non-radioactive element in the periodic table. Furthermore, Bi-alloys have a very large spin orbit splitting and a smaller temperature dependence of the bandgap when compared with conventional semiconductor alloys. The research objective of this international collaboration is to theoretically and experimentally develop study III-V bismide compound semiconductors for IR and mid IR optoelectronic devices and other small bandgap devices at the readily available lattice constants of GaAs, InP, InAs, and GaSb. The research activities include molecular beam epitaxy growth of III-V bismide materials; structural characterization and property measurements aimed at developing an understanding of dopant incorporation, bandgap energy, band offsets, materials performance, and radiative efficiency of these materials and related devices; and theoretical analysis of the electronic and optical properties of quantum-well structures and optical devices based on Bi-containing compound semiconductors. The theoretical and device-level research will be performed mainly by the overseas scientists. The networking objective of this project is to link this Materials World Network with the larger global scientific research community by hosting two international workshops, one at the University of Michigan during the summer of 2010 and one at the University of Surrey during the summer of 2011, and by developing cyberinfrastructure to enhance data sharing and analysis between Bi-alloy investigators and the broader scientific community. These activities, promote sample exchange and tool sharing for the development of III-V bismide materials, enhance science and technology through broader dissemination, understanding, and face-to-face interactions between students and researchers, and advance data sharing and information exchange, which may well inspire further innovation and change the way data is managed and material challenges are addressed.