Mechanically strained silicon nanowire optoelectronic devices

目的：我们提出了新的硅纳米线器件的概念，显示出有效地发射各种波长的光的潜力。使有效的光子发射理论上成为可能的基本器件物理是纳米线的直接带隙和短的辐射复合寿命。研究了在纳米线上施加可逆的机械应变对发射波长的调谐。建议的研究涉及制造，建模和理论之间的密切相互作用，以实现从硅纳米线的可调谐光发射通过使用silicon-on-insulator platform.Intellectual优点：建议的研究的智力价值在于获得应变的作用的基本知识，在调整硅纳米线的光电响应。虽然具有挑战性，但所提出的器件的实现将提供独特的尺寸，允许在纳米线中引入应变，以在硅平台上产生非常期望的光电响应。所提出的光电子响应的工程途径对硅基光电子学也具有基本的重要性。广泛的影响：所提出的研究有可能渗透到通信、医学、国防和能源等领域。最终应用包括激光雷达、组织成像、光源和光化学。培训研究生和本科生使用硅技术的应用是肥沃的增长领域，在半导体行业是一个不可分割的一部分，这项工作。纳米线的机电特性和使用绝缘体上硅平台来创建纳米器件的主题将在本科生和研究生水平的纳米技术课程中介绍。我们的外展活动将侧重于低收入的K-12学生和妇女和少数民族本科生的培训。

Objective: We propose novel silicon nanowire device concepts that show the potential to efficiently emit light of various wavelengths. The underlying device physics that makes efficient photon emission theoretically possible is the direct bandgap of the nanowires and the short radiative recombination life-times. The tuning of emitted wavelength by applying reversible mechanical strain on nanowires is investigated. The proposed research involves a close interplay between fabrication, modeling and theory to realize tunable light emission from silicon nanowires by using the silicon-on-insulator platform.Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit of the proposed research lies in gaining fundamental knowledge of the role of strain in tuning the optoelectronic response of silicon nanowires. While challenging, the realization of the proposed devices will offer an unique dimension allowing for the incorporation of strain in nanowires to yield the much desired optoelectronic response on silicon platform. The proposed pathways to engineer the optoelectronic response is also of basic importance to silicon based photovoltaics.Broad impact: The proposed research has potential to permeate the fields of communication, medicine, defense and energy. End applications include lidars, imaging of tissue, light sources and photovoltaics. The training of graduate and undergraduate students in using silicon technology for applications that are fertile growth areas in the semiconductor industry is an integral part of this work. The topics of electromechanical properties of nanowires and the use of the silicon-on-insulator platform to create nanodevices will be introduced in undergraduate and graduate level nanotechnology courses. Our outreach activities will focus on low income K-12 students and the training of women and minority undergraduate students.