RUI: Role of the Ambient in the Electrical Properties at the Interface for ZnO Systems

技术：本项目深入研究了ZnO体、薄膜和纳米线系统在不同温度、不同环境、光照、不同线长、膜厚和体取向下的界面电学行为。虽然ZnO纳米线的光学性质开始受到关注，但关于其电学性质的讨论很少，特别是在单线结构下。最近对薄膜和块状材料的研究表明，ZnO/环境界面可能对ZnO的导电性能有重要影响，这可能与ZnO的不可复制和不稳定的p型导电性有关。缺乏可靠的p型掺杂和相对缺乏关于这些界面的信息都极大地挑战了ZnO器件应用的进展和对纳米尺度上电学行为的理解。非技术：该项目涉及材料科学主题领域的基础研究问题，具有高技术相关性。这项研究将进一步了解体纳米级氧化锌界面的过程，这可能导致未来更可靠的材料的生长，从而产生更高的可靠性，更长的寿命，更高效率的明亮光源，紫外线探测器和气体传感器。卡罗来纳海岸大学是一所主要招收本科生的大学，在物理学方面有招收少数族裔和女性的历史。本科生，包括那些代表性不足的群体，将接受基于原子力显微镜（AFM）技术的表面电学性质培训。

Technical: This project is an in-depth investigation of the electrical behavior at the interface of ZnO bulk, thin film and nanowire systems at various temperatures and in different ambient environments, under illumination, and with varying wire length, film thickness and bulk orientation. Although the optical properties of ZnO nanowires are beginning to receive attention, there is very little discussion concerning their electrical properties, specifically in single wire configurations. Recent studies of films and bulk material suggest that the ZnO/ambient interface may significantly contribute to conductive properties, which may be related to the irreproducible and unstable p-type conductivity of ZnO. Both the lack of reliable p-type doping and the relative lack of information on these interface contributions significantly challenges progress in ZnO device applications and the understanding of the electrical behavior on the nano-scale. Non-technical: The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance. This study will further the understanding of processes at the interface of bulk and nano-scale ZnO, which could lead to the future growth of more reliable material, resulting in higher reliability, longer lifetime, and higher efficiency bright light sources, UV detectors, and gas sensors. Coastal Carolina University is a primarily undergraduate institution with a history of recruiting underrepresented minorities and women in physics. Undergraduate students, including those in under-represented groups, will be trained for surface electrical properties by atomic force microscopy (AFM) based techniques.