Self-Organized Nanostructure Growth during Ion Bombardment

技术：本项目旨在更好地理解低能离子轰击过程中半导体表面形态的演变。该方法是研究离子轰击过程中种子原子对纳米结构生长的影响，以确定导致自组装纳米结构形成的基本机制。为了阐明物理过程，基于同步加速器的主动x射线技术以及晶圆曲率应力测量、原子力显微镜、x射线光电子能谱和横截面透射电子显微镜将被用于提供有关纳米结构表面的结构和化学成分的详细信息。重点将放在建立定量模型来预测纳米结构、生长形态和动力学对播种条件的依赖。非技术：该项目涉及与电子和光子学技术相关的材料科学主题领域的基础研究问题。对离子轰击过程中活跃的表面过程的更好理解可以影响溅射蚀刻，溅射沉积，离子束辅助沉积和等离子体加工。在这个项目中研究的播种方法可能允许以一种直接、廉价的方式控制纳米结构半导体表面。该项目是跨学科的，为研究生、本科生和高中生提供有利的机会进行基础研究和应用研究，以及跨越材料科学、化学、物理和工程等传统领域的研究。除了体验并为以前沿材料研究为中心的重要主题做出贡献外，他们还将学习使用各种材料表征工具所需的基本技能。学生将与波士顿大学不断发展的材料研究社区互动，研究生也将有很好的机会参与多学科同步加速器研究环境。

Technical: This project aims for greater understanding of semiconductor surface morphology evolution during low energy ion bombardment. The approach is to investigate the effect of seed atoms on nanostructure growth during ion bombardment to identify elementary mechanisms causing self-assembled nanostructure formation. To elucidate the physical processes active, synchrotron-based x-ray techniques along with wafer-curvature stress measurements, atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and cross section transmission electron microscopy will be used to provide detailed information about the structure and chemical composition of the nanostructured surface. Emphasis will be placed on developing quantitative models to predict the dependence of nanostructure growth morphologies and kinetics on the seeding conditions. Non-technical: The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with technological relevance in electronics and photonics. An improved understanding of the surface processes active during ion bombardment could impact sputter etching, sputter deposition, ion beam assisted deposition and plasma processing. The seeding approach examined in this project may allow the control of nanostructure semiconductor surfaces in a straightforward, inexpensive manner. The project is interdisciplinary, providing graduate, undergraduate and high school students with advantageous opportunities to do research that bridges basic research and application, and research across traditional fields of materials science, chemistry, physics, and engineering. In addition to experiencing, and contributing to an important topic centered in forefront materials research, they will learn basic skills required in the use of a wide range of materials characterization tools. Students will interact with a growing materials research community at Boston University and the graduate student will also have an excellent opportunity to participate in the multi-disciplinary synchrotron research environment.