INSPIRE Track 1: Manufacture and Characterization of Nanocrystalline/Amorphous Silicon for Particle Detection

该INSPIRE奖的部分资金来自数学和物理科学局物理部的基本粒子物理计划、数学和物理科学局物理部的加速器物理和物理仪器计划、数学和物理科学局材料研究部的电子和光子材料计划、数学和物理科学局的多学科活动办公室以及工程局民用、机械和制造创新部门的纳米制造计划。这是授予明尼苏达大学的INSPIRE Track 1奖，以表彰用于粒子探测的纳米晶体/非晶硅的制造和表征。与INSPIRE计划的目标一致，这是一项高风险的多学科努力，包括粒子物理、R.Rusack、凝聚态物理、J.Kakalios和材料工程、U.Kortshagen。该计划的目标包括：识别、制造和测试至少一种合适的非晶/纳米晶硅材料，该材料具有优异的电荷迁移率、复合率和抗辐射损伤性能特性；为这些已识别的材料(S)开发工艺条件，使其能够在每台设备的实际时间尺度上生产合理的探测器尺寸和厚度；以及向行业转让技术，以便大规模生产适合探测器应用的材料。在该计划的第一阶段，该小组将利用现有的双反共沉积系统来生产和研究一些非晶/纳米晶硅薄膜，以确定将优化迁移率和复合寿命的纳米晶尺寸和密度。辐射研究将成为这一优化的因素。在这些研究的同时，将设计和制造一种新的、具有可平移衬底平台的替代反应器系统。在最后阶段和新的反应堆系统中，该小组的目标是展示一种在合理区域内进行混合相生长的有效的新共沉积系统，从而为更大规模的工业加工奠定基础。这种可扩展的纳米制造技术的开发可以使混合相非晶/纳米晶材料获得广泛的应用。除了开发创新的新粒子探测器材料和技术外，新型混合相材料还可能导致其他重要应用，例如在高效光伏器件、非易失性存储器、医用X射线成像材料、热电学和电致发光器件方面的潜在进展。

This INSPIRE award is partially funded by the Elementary Particle Physics Program in the Division of Physics in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the Accelerator Physics and Physics Instrumentation Program in the Division of Physics in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the Electronic and Photonic Materials Program in the Division of Materials Research in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and the NanoManufacturing Program in the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Directorate for Engineering.This is an INSPIRE Track 1 Award to the University of Minnesota for the manufacture and characterization of nanocrystalline/amorphous silicon for particle detection. In alignment with INSPIRE program objectives, this is a high risk, multidisciplinary effort including particle physics, R. Rusack, condensed matter physics, J. Kakalios and materials engineering, U. Kortshagen. The program objectives include: the identification, fabrication and testing of at least one suitable amorphous/nanocrystalline Si material with excellent performance characteristics for charge mobility, recombination rate and robustness to radiation damage; the development of processing conditions for these identified material(s) that allow production of a reasonable detector size and thickness on a practical timescale per device; and technology transfer to industry to produce the materials at scale suitable for detector applications. In the first phase of the program, the group will utilize an existing dual reactor co-deposition system to produce and study a number of amorphous/nanocrystal silicon films to determine the nanocrystal size and density that will optimize mobility and recombination lifetime. Irradiation studies will factor into this optimization. In parallel with these studies, a new, replacement reactor system with a translatable substrate stage will be designed and fabricated. In the final phase and with the new reactor system, the group's objective is to demonstrate a functioning new co-deposition system for mixed phase growth over a reasonable area, from which larger scale industrial processing could be based.Development of such scalable nano-manufacturing technologies could enable mixed-phase amorphous/nanocrystalline materials to find a broad range of applications. In addition to the development of innovative new particle detector materials and technologies, novel mixed-phase materials might lead to other important applications, for example potential advances in high efficiency photovoltaic devices, non-volatile memories, materials for medical x-ray imaging, thermo-electrics and electroluminescent devices.