Microanalysis of semiconductor materials for far UV-C applications

电磁波谱的远紫外- c区域（λ <240 nm）有望在实现联合国可持续发展目标6：“确保人人享有水和卫生设施并对其进行可持续管理”方面发挥重要作用。由于病原体和化合物在远紫外线- c中表现出吸收，因此发射和检测远紫外线- c光可以实现水卫生和水质监测。目前的远紫外- c技术采用汞，D2或Xe灯和Si探测器，效率低，危险且体积大，因此不足以解决这一社会挑战。宽带隙半导体自然适合与远紫外- c光相互作用，并允许生产紧凑，通用和安全的设备。特别是AlGaN， Ga2O3和h-BN是生产远紫外- c激光二极管，发光二极管和光电探测器的有希望的候选者。然而，由于它们最近才出现，在这些技术可以转移到现实世界之前，需要解决关于这些材料的几个问题。例如，材料极化、器件退化或缺陷对器件性能的影响等问题都是生产高效可靠器件需要解决的重要问题。该项目将利用位于斯特拉斯克莱德大学的EPSRC战略设备电子探针微分析仪（EPMA）来研究远紫外- c应用的宽带隙半导体（AlGaN， Ga2O3和h-BN）材料和器件。扫描电子显微镜（SEM），能量和波长色散x射线光谱学（EDX/WDX）和阴极发光（CL）的组合为在纳米尺度上深入了解材料的结构，化学，光学特性提供了独特的机会。通过使用Strathclyde集团提供的更广泛的设施，例如深紫外光致发光装置，紫外光传导装置或环境sem，将进一步了解材料的特性。通过与Strathclyde集团多年来建立的学术界和工业界的国际合作（例如与Technische Universität Berlin， AIXTRON Ltd，利物浦大学），将为该项目提供最先进的样品。该项目将与晶体种植者密切合作，以深入了解生长如何影响性能，从而生产高效远紫外- c器件的材料。

The far UV-C region (lambda<240 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum promises to play an important role towards achieving UN Sustainable Goal No. 6: "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". Since pathogens and chemical compounds exhibit absorption in the far UV-C, emission and detection of far UV-C light could enable water sanitation and water quality monitoring.Current far UV-C technologies employ Hg, D2 or Xe lamps and Si detectors which are inefficient, hazardous and bulky, and are therefore inadequate to tackle this societal challenge. Wide bandgap semiconductors are naturally suited to interact with far UV-C light and allow to produce compact, versatile and safe devices. In particular, AlGaN, Ga2O3, and h-BN are promising candidates for the production of far UV-C laser diodes, light emitting diodes and photodetectors.However, due to their recent emergence, several questions need to be solved about these materials before these technologies can be transferred to the real world. For example, the question of material polarisation, of device degradation, or of the impacts of defects on device performance are all important questions to tackle to produce efficient and reliable devices. This project will take advantage of the EPSRC strategic equipment Electron Probe MicroAnalyzer (EPMA) at the University of Strathclyde to investigate wide bandgap semiconductors (AlGaN, Ga2O3, and h-BN) materials and devices for far UV-C applications. The combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy- and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX/WDX) and cathodoluminescence (CL) into a single instrument provides a unique opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the structural, chemical, optical properties of the materials at the nanoscale. Further insights into the materials properties will be attained by using the wider range of facilities available at the Strathclyde group, such as the setups for deep UV photoluminescence, for photoconduction in the UV, or the environmental SEMs.State-of-the-art samples will be provided for the project through international collaborations with academia and industry that the Strathclyde group has established for several years (e.g. with Technische Universität Berlin, AIXTRON Ltd, University of Liverpool). The project will be conducted in close collaboration with the crystal growers in order to build an in-depth understanding of how the growth affects the properties in order to produce materials for efficient far UV-C devices.