Physical, optical and electronic properties of semiconductor nanostructures

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There is a continual drive in the semiconductor industry towards higher performance electronic and opto-electronic components for applications in communications and computing and it has been projected that the world-wide market for these components will be about $300 billion annually within 10-15 years. Key to these gains in market share and higher performance has been the ability to manufacture semiconductor structures at progressively smaller length scales, now approaching a billionth of a metre across. Structures this small are often prefixed by the term "nano" which implies "one billionth". It will be the purpose of this research to contribute to the development of the scientific framework necessary for understanding semiconductor nanostructures and how changes at the atomic level can impact the performance of a complete device. In order to investigate structures this tiny, highly focused probes of electrons are scanned across the surface of a sample and the electrical currents generated, light produced, and electrons scattered off of and through the sample are measured. By studying how these electrons interact with unique arrangements of atoms valuable insights can be gained into how semiconductor devices work. The main outcome of this research will be an increased understanding of the operation of semiconductor devices at the nanolevel that will lead to improved device functionality. In addition, it is expected that the methodologies developed for characterizing and understanding these semiconductor systems will find cross applications to other nanosystems in the biological, chemical and environmental sciences. Canada will benefit from this work through training of highly skilled researchers that can contribute to the competitiveness of Canada's telecommunication and technology industries. Also, from government and industrially-based collaborative work, it is expected that direct benefits can be realized to Canadian companies in the form of technology transfer.