Nanocavities in Si - Structural Evolution and Metal Gettering. Nanocavities represent a novel means of minimising metallic contamination in the active region of Si microelectronic devices. We propose innovative experiments, using in-situ transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron-based x-ray methods, to achieve a fundamental understanding of the processes that govern nanocavity structural evolution and metallic impurity trapping. We seek to develop a patentable technology to enhance impu ....Nanocavities in Si - Structural Evolution and Metal Gettering. Nanocavities represent a novel means of minimising metallic contamination in the active region of Si microelectronic devices. We propose innovative experiments, using in-situ transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron-based x-ray methods, to achieve a fundamental understanding of the processes that govern nanocavity structural evolution and metallic impurity trapping. We seek to develop a patentable technology to enhance impurity trapping efficiency and thus dramatically increase the applicability of this industrially-relevant process.Read moreRead less
Probing the properties of amorphous semiconductors with swift heavy ion irradiation and synchrotron radiation. This proposal is consistent with Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and the Priority Goals: Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies and Advanced Materials. We seek to deduce and understand the processes operative during swift heavy ion irradiation of amorphous semiconductors to probe fundamental materials properties. Ou ....Probing the properties of amorphous semiconductors with swift heavy ion irradiation and synchrotron radiation. This proposal is consistent with Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and the Priority Goals: Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies and Advanced Materials. We seek to deduce and understand the processes operative during swift heavy ion irradiation of amorphous semiconductors to probe fundamental materials properties. Our results and accompanying scientific insight will broaden the applicability of amorphous semiconductors in advanced technologies, enhance the national research profile, increase the domestic knowledge base and yield skilled, young scientists trained to utilise the Australian Synchrotron.Read moreRead less
Amorphous-Phase Formation and Structure in Semiconductor Substrates following Swift Heavy-Ion Irradiation. This proposal is consistent with Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and the Priority Goals: Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies and Advanced Materials. We seek to deduce and understand the processes operative during swift heavy-ion irradiation of elemental and binary semiconductor substrates and identify and measure the ....Amorphous-Phase Formation and Structure in Semiconductor Substrates following Swift Heavy-Ion Irradiation. This proposal is consistent with Research Priority 3: Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries and the Priority Goals: Breakthrough Science, Frontier Technologies and Advanced Materials. We seek to deduce and understand the processes operative during swift heavy-ion irradiation of elemental and binary semiconductor substrates and identify and measure the resulting amorphous-phase structure. Our results and accompanying scientific insight will broaden the applicability of these materials in advanced technologies, enhance the national research profile, increase the domestic knowledge base and yield skilled, young scientists trained to utilize the Australian Synchrotron when commissioned in 2007.Read moreRead less
Atomic-Scale Identification of Amorphization and Relaxation Processes in Compound Semiconductors. We seek a fundamental understanding of the processes that govern implantation-induced structure, at the nanometer scale, in the compound semiconductors used in photonic device fabrication. Since implantation-induced disorder limits the performance of such devices, the proposed project is of substantial technological significance and national benefit. The Photon Science techniques of perturbed angu ....Atomic-Scale Identification of Amorphization and Relaxation Processes in Compound Semiconductors. We seek a fundamental understanding of the processes that govern implantation-induced structure, at the nanometer scale, in the compound semiconductors used in photonic device fabrication. Since implantation-induced disorder limits the performance of such devices, the proposed project is of substantial technological significance and national benefit. The Photon Science techniques of perturbed angular correlation and extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy will be used to identify the mechanism of amorphisation and relaxation in order to enable more effective exploitation of compound semiconductors in advanced telecommunications systems.Read moreRead less
ADVANCED PHYSICS AND CHARACTERISATION OF SILICON MATERIALS AND DEVICES. Silicon, the semiconductor material that has revolutionised modern society through Microelectronics, is also at the centre of Photovoltaics, the technology that permits harvesting the energy from the sun to improve the quality of life and sustain it beyond the limitations of fossil fuel resources. By improving our understanding of the fundamental properties of silicon and advancing the solar cell devices made from it, this p ....ADVANCED PHYSICS AND CHARACTERISATION OF SILICON MATERIALS AND DEVICES. Silicon, the semiconductor material that has revolutionised modern society through Microelectronics, is also at the centre of Photovoltaics, the technology that permits harvesting the energy from the sun to improve the quality of life and sustain it beyond the limitations of fossil fuel resources. By improving our understanding of the fundamental properties of silicon and advancing the solar cell devices made from it, this project aims to increase Australia's presence in the vast field of Microlectronics and maintain its leading position in solar energy technologies.Read moreRead less
Improving silicon grain boundaries by linking electronic material quality and device manufacturing conditions. This project develops our recent findings for improving silicon grain boundaries in electronic devices such as cheap solar cells, active matrix displays, thin-film transistors, etc. The performance of such devices and their applications have been limited mainly because no simple link between manufacturing conditions and device quality has been found. However, we recently verified a phys ....Improving silicon grain boundaries by linking electronic material quality and device manufacturing conditions. This project develops our recent findings for improving silicon grain boundaries in electronic devices such as cheap solar cells, active matrix displays, thin-film transistors, etc. The performance of such devices and their applications have been limited mainly because no simple link between manufacturing conditions and device quality has been found. However, we recently verified a physical model description of grain boundaries on a broad range of devices, and this allows us to find such a link and to address prevailing problems from a new perspective. This will improve both the understanding and the manufacturing of such devices.Read moreRead less