NIRT: Semiconductor Nanowire-Based Electronics and Optoelectronics

[0506902]作为用于更复杂结构和设备的工程纳米级构建块，半导体纳米线特别有趣，因为它能够从各种材料中形成导线，并控制基本的电子特性，并开始控制导线的定位和组装。然而，关于半导体纳米线异质结构的合成，纳米级结构和电子特性的阐明，包括接触和控制纳米线放置在内的器件的加工，以及纳米线中独特的电子、传输和光学行为在各种器件应用中的最佳利用等广泛问题仍有待探索。PI建议对半导体纳米线的基本特性及其在电子和光电子器件中的应用进行全面调查，重点关注以下器件应用：(1)基于纳米线的晶体管结构，该结构将提供(a)为未来的逻辑和存储应用提供极低功耗、高速操作，或(b)为微波和毫米波电路应用提供极高频率和功率密度的操作；(2)将纳米线光电二极管集成到结构中，用于(a)产生太赫兹辐射，或(b)基于在单个芯片上集成不同纳米线结构的多光谱成像。所有这些都代表了设备性能或功能方面的潜在重大突破，同时在材料合成、表征和加工方面存在共同的基本问题。拟议的团队包括材料合成，高级表征，材料加工以及电子和光电器件和系统方面的专家，从而确保材料和加工研究解决与器件和系统应用最相关的问题，并且器件设计利用先进材料合成和加工提供的全部可能性。智力优势：纳米级系统和纳米结构集成到现实的高性能器件中的物理学基本问题将由一个高度成功的多学科团队解决，该团队具有建立的，广泛的成功合作记录。感兴趣的研究课题将包括新型半导体纳米线异质结构的合成；纳米线的纳米级电子结构和载流子输运行为接触形成中的冶金、加工和量子导电性问题；用于计算和通信的先进纳米线晶体管结构设计纳米线光电二极管用于太赫兹信号产生和多光谱成像。项目设想了一个强大的教育组成部分，包括针对多学科学生的新研究生课程序列的开发、新生系列研讨会、本科生指导，以及通过UCSDPreuss学校与中学生的互动。UCSDPreuss学校是一所特许学校，服务于圣地亚哥联合学区的高能力但社会经济条件较差的中学生。更广泛的影响：拟议的计划将产生纳米结构合成的新能力和见解，纳米结构的物理学，纳米结构的加工和组装，以及它们在现实设备和系统中的适用性，这不仅与这里针对的设备应用有关，而且与半导体纳米线的研究有关，更普遍的是固态纳米结构。潜在的影响领域包括未来的逻辑和存储系统，通信的高速电路，以及太赫兹到红外/可见光成像。研究生和博士后研究人员将在一个垂直整合的多学科环境中接受教育，与加州大学圣地亚哥分校Cal(IT)2相关的主要新实验设施将为这一研究和相关活动提供新的能力和统一的保护。研究生阶段课程的发展将进一步促进学生在重要的新兴科学技术领域的培训，而拟议的本科和中学阶段的课程和指导/推广计划将有助于教育非技术学生有关科学和技术问题，并鼓励学生追求科学和工程方面的高等教育和职业生涯。

0506902YuAs engineered nanoscale building blocks for more complex structures and devices, semiconductornanowires are particularly intriguing due to the ability to form wires from a variety of materials withcontrol over basic electronic properties and the beginnings of control over wire positioning and assembly.However, a broad range of issues pertaining to synthesis of semiconductor nanowire heterostructures,elucidation of nanoscale structure and electronic properties, processing into devices including contactsand controlled nanowire placement, and the optimal exploitation of unique electronic, transport, andoptical behavior in nanowires for various device applications remain to be explored.The PI proposes a comprehensive investigation of the fundamental properties of semiconductornanowires and their application in electronic and optoelectronic devices, focusing on the following deviceapplications: (1) nanowire-based transistor structures that will offer either (a) extremely low-power, highspeed operation for future logic and memory applications or (b) operation at extremely high frequencies and power densities for microwave and mm-wave circuit applications; and (2) nanowire photodiodes incorporated into structures for (a) generation of terahertz radiation, or (b) multispectral imaging based on integration of different nanowire structures on a single chip. All represent potentially major breakthroughs in device performance or functionality, while sharing common fundamental issues inmaterials synthesis, characterization, and processing. The proposed team encompasses experts inmaterials synthesis, advanced characterization, materials processing, and electronic and optoelectronicdevices and systems, thereby ensuring that materials and processing studies address the issues mostrelevant to the device and system applications, and that device designs exploit the full range ofpossibilities provided by advanced materials synthesis and processing.Intellectual Merit: Fundamental issues in the physics of nanoscale systems and the integration ofnanostructures into realistic, high-performance devices will be addressed by a highly accomplished,multidisciplinary team with an established, extensive record of successful collaboration. Research topicsof interest will include synthesis of novel semiconductor nanowire heterostructures; nanoscale electronicstructure and carrier transport behavior in nanowires; metallurgical, processing, and quantumconductanceissues in contact formation; design of advanced nanowire-based transistor structures forcomputation and communications; and nanowire photodiodes for terahertz signal generation andmultispectral imaging. A strong educational component is envisioned, entailing the development of newgraduate course sequences aimed at a multidisciplinary student audience, a freshman seminar series,mentoring of undergraduate students, and interaction with secondary school students via the UCSDPreuss School, a Charter School serving high-ability but socioeconomically disadvantaged secondaryschool students in the San Diego Unified School District.Broader Impact: The proposed program will yield new capabilities and insights in nanostructuresynthesis, the physics of nanoscale structures, processing and assembly of nanostructures, and theirapplicability in realistic devices and systems that will have relevance not only for the device applicationstargeted here, but for research on semiconductor nanowires specifically, and solid-state nanostructuresmore generally. The potential areas of impact include future logic and memory systems, high-speedcircuits for communications, and terahertz to infrared/visible imaging. Graduate students andpostdoctoral researchers will be educated in a vertically integrated, multidisciplinary setting, with majornew experimental facilities associated with Cal(IT)2 at UCSD providing new capability as well as aunifying umbrella for this and related activities. The development of graduate-level course sequenceswill further facilitate training of students in important emerging areas of science and technology, whilethe proposed courses and mentoring/outreach programs at the undergraduate and secondary school levelswill help both to educate nontechnical students about scientific and technological issues and to encouragestudents to pursue advanced education and careers in science and engineering.