SGER: Thin Film Electronics on Plastic Substrates

塑料衬底上的薄膜电子器件很可能成为一类非常重要的新器件。 在这些器件的许多应用中有共形平板显示器、有机LED、用于陆地和空间应用的非常大的容错存储器、基于非晶和晶体材料的组合的混合成像器和照相机、IV族材料中的应变层超晶格发光器件、化学传感器、自供电传感器、光伏器件等。在生长过程中原位控制材料和器件界面的结晶度、组成、电子性能和稳定性是必要的。 迄今为止，各种方法，如后沉积激光再结晶，已被用于制造塑料薄膜上的设备。 但是这些方法对于大面积并不总是可行的，它们也不容易制造混合相[例如非晶/晶体]或超晶格器件。 因此，对所有这些新型器件的关键研究需要是直接在塑料衬底上存款具有高电子质量、稳定性和受控结晶度的材料的能力。在这个探索性的建议中，我们建议使用一个良好控制的生长过程，反应等离子体束沉积，存款高品质的IV族材料，如微晶和多晶硅，（硅，锗）和（硅，C）直接在塑料基板上，然后测量其电子性能。 沉积过程使用使用ECR反应器产生的反应离子（例如H）的良好控制的束，以控制生长期间的结晶度、合金组成和晶粒尺寸，使得不需要后处理激光结晶。 该探索性计划的目标是发展在以后几年中在塑料基板上沉积高质量、稳定的IV族器件所需的基本理解和工艺控制。该计划具有很强的教育成分，涉及研究生、博士后科学家和本科生。该计划的工业影响可能是显著的。 所提到的设备是显示行业、光伏行业、传感器、新一代成像器等的尖端技术，而且很可能会有很高的增长率。*

9906622Dalal Thin film electronic devices on plastic substrates are likely to become a very important class of new devices. Among the many applications of such devices are conformal flat panel displays, organic LED'S, very large, fault-tolerant memories for terrestrial and space applications, hybrid imagers and cameras based on combinations of amorphous and crystalline materials, strained-layer superlattice light emission devices in Group IV materials, chemical sensors, self-powered sensors, photovoltaic devices etc. To fabricate many of these devices, it is essential that the crystallinity, composition, electronic properties and stability of the materials and device interfaces be controlled in-situ during growth. To-date, various approaches, such as post-deposition laser recrystallization, have been used to fabricate devices on plastic films. But these approaches are not always feasible for large areas, nor do they easily allow mixed-phase [e.g. amorphous/crystalline] or superlattice devices to be made. Therefore, the critical research need for all these novel devices is the ability to deposit materials of high electronic quality, stability and controlled crystallinity directly on plastic substrates. In this exploratory proposal, we suggest using a well-controlled growth process, reactive plasma beam deposition, to deposit high quality Group IV materials, such as microcrystalline and polycrystalline Si, (Si,Ge) and (Si,C) directly on plastic substrates and then measuring their electronic properties. The deposition process uses a well controlled beam of reactive ions, such as H, produced using an ECR reactor, to control crystallinity, alloy composition and grain size during growth so that no post-processing laser crystallization is needed. The objective of the exploratory program is to develop the basic understanding and process control needed for depositing high quality, stable Group IV devices on plastic substrates in later years.The program has a strong educational component, involving graduate students, post-Doctoral scientists, and undergraduate students.The industrial impact of the program is likely to be significant. The devices mentioned are the cutting-edge technology for display industries, photovoltaic industries, sensors, new generation of imagers etc., and are likely to enjoy very high growth rates.***