MRI: Acquisition of a Temperature-controlled Probe Station and Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer to Enhance Research and Research Training in Engineering and Physics at SFSU

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Research Objectives/Approaches: The objective of the research is to probe and characterize circuits, sensors, nanostructures, and electro-optic devices, thereby opening new avenues for nano-scale research at San Francisco State University, an institution serving a large population of under-represented minorities (URM). The approach is to acquire a state-of-the-art thermally controlled probe station and a semiconductor parameter analyzer to characterize and investigate the properties of nano-electronic devices and circuits, bioengineering circuits, nano-materials, sensors, and photonic band gap materials.Intellectual Merit: The instrument will advance the research of five junior faculty in Engineering and Physics, their students, and collaborators at the forefront of technology to solve contemporary problems of urgent concern. It will be used to characterize: (i) unreliability mechanisms of nano-scale transistors, (ii) reliability of circuits designed for bioengineering, (iii) nanomaterials for post-system integration, (iv) strain gauge sensors, and (v) photonic bandgap materials. Properties of the above devices will be investigated for the development of new applications.Broader Impacts: The proposed instrumentation will enhance research capacity in the College of Science and Engineering at a non-Ph.D. granting institution that is in the process of building vibrant research programs. The equipment will provide opportunities for master and undergraduate students to engage in leading-edge technology research that will enable them to compete successfully for positions in industry or admission into Ph.D. programs. The instrument will stimulate the recruitment and engagement of URM faculty and students in engineering and physics and will increase collaboration at one of the nation?s most ethnically and culturally diverse universities.