Collaborative Resarch: 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Philipps-Universität的研究人员，重点研究含有最重的天然V族元素铋的相对未开发的III-V族半导体合金。铋是无毒的，相对便宜，并且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，铋合金具有非常大的自旋轨道分裂和更小的带隙温度依赖性。这项国际合作的研究目标是在理论上和实验上发展研究III-V型铋化合物半导体，用于红外和中红外光电器件和其他小带隙器件，其晶格常数为GaAs， InP， InAs和GaSb。主要研究内容包括：III-V型双化物材料的分子束外延生长；结构表征和性能测量旨在了解掺杂、带隙能量、带偏移、材料性能以及这些材料和相关器件的辐射效率；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特性的理论分析。理论和设备层面的研究将主要由海外科学家进行。该项目的网络目标是通过举办两场国际研讨会，将材料世界网络与更大的全球科学研究界联系起来，一场于2010年夏天在密歇根大学举行，另一场于2011年夏天在萨里大学举行，并通过开发网络基础设施来加强bi合金研究人员与更广泛的科学界之间的数据共享和分析。这些活动促进了III-V类铋材料开发的样品交换和工具共享，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增强科学技术，并推进数据共享和信息交流，这可能会激发进一步的创新，改变数据管理和材料挑战的方式。

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.