High-Mobility Perovskite Thin Films

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This project is jointly funded by the Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM) and Ceramic (CER) Programs in the Division of Materials Research. NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:The project focuses on the development of a new class of thin film oxide semiconductors that are of great interest for applications as energy materials and for novel electronic devices. The project addresses technical challenges through basic materials studies and the development of advanced thin film deposition methods. The highly perfect films synthesized in this project impact the theoretical understanding of oxide materials. The research activities in the project contribute to the interdisciplinary training of graduate and undergraduate students in advanced thin film deposition methods and materials characterization through training in both formal (courses and weekly seminars) and informal (laboratory) settings. TECHNICAL DETAILS: The project focuses on the development of molecular beam epitaxy methods for the growth of a new class of thin film oxide semiconductors, the perovskite stannates, with the goal of achieving a high degree of materials perfection and to determine the intrinsic properties of these materials. Materials such as SrSnO3 and BaSnO3 combine high charge carrier mobilities with wide band gaps, which makes them highly interesting for applications such as transparent conducting oxides, power semiconductors, or in novel heterostructures for the integration with functional perovskites. Conditions for stoichiometric thin film growth, structure-property relationships, and the role of materials defects will be established. The project provides opportunities for two- to three-month-long, self-contained internships for undergraduate students and for interdisciplinary collaborations with materials theorists and experts in electronic devices.