NER: A Process for Plasma Co-Deposition of Nanoparticles for Mixed-Phase Thin Films

本研究的目的是合成和表征由嵌入在薄膜半导体或绝缘体中的半导体纳米晶组成的新型混合相材料。这种方法是使用一种新的共沉积系统来在等离子体腔中产生纳米粒子，并将其快速注入第二等离子体沉积系统中，在那里它们被并入生长的薄膜材料中。将粒子生长与薄膜沉积分离使粒子束密度、粒子尺寸和薄膜沉积速率能够独立控制。横截面透射电子显微镜测量将提供有关纳米晶夹杂物的尺寸和密度的重要信息。通过测量电导、光学吸收光谱和红外吸收光谱来表征所得薄膜的整体性质，为缺陷密度和氢的微结构提供重要信息。这一新材料制备的基础研究对于开发各种包含纳米级夹杂物的器件和改善介电或聚合物薄膜的光学性能具有相当大的潜力。可能的实际应用包括改进的太阳能电池、非易失性存储器和固态照明。该项目的成功完成可能会导致与固态照明领域的一家私营公司合作，使新的制造工艺迅速商业化，该公司有可能取代效率较低的荧光灯和白炽灯。

The objective of this research is the synthesis and characterization ofnovel mixed-phase materials consisting of semiconductor nanocrystallitesembedded within a thin film semiconductor or insulator. The approach isto use a new co-deposition system to create nanoparticles in a plasmachamber that are rapidly injected into a second plasma deposition systemwhere they are incorporated into a growing thin film material.Separating the particle growth from the thin film deposition enables theparticle beam density, particle size, and the film deposition rate to beindependently controlled. Cross-sectional Transmission ElectronMicroscopy measurements will provide important information on the sizeand density of the nanocrystalline inclusions. The bulk properties ofthe resulting films will be characterized through measurements of theconductance; optical absorption spectrum and the infra-red absorptionspectrum providing important information concerning the defect densityand hydrogen microstructure.This basic research into the fabrication of novel materials hasconsiderable potential for the development of a wide variety of devicesincorporating nanoscale inclusions and for the modification of opticalproperties of dielectric or polymer films. Possible practicalapplications include improved solar cells, non-volatile memories andsolid-state lighting. Successful completion of this project may lead torapid commercialization of new manufacturing processes throughcollaboration with a private company vested in solid-state lighting,that has the potential to replace less efficient fluorescent andincandescent lamps.