Description
The Electronic Devices and Materials (EDM) Program encompasses the synthesis and growth of electronic, optoelectronic, magnetic and superconducting materials that depend on novel fabrication and characterization techniques to enable the development of advanced devices. The success of this program is due in part to a number of interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts amongst our faculty.
The synthesis of novel material structures, such as epitaxial III-V compound semiconductor materials is performed using our molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) and gas-source MBE/chemical beam epitaxy (CBE) facilities. Charles Tu and H. H. Wieder are involved with the epitaxial layer growth of heterojunctions, quantum wells and superlattices of binary and ternary III-V compound semiconductiong alloys. This includes some exciting work using novel growth techniques such as laser assisted CBE for selective-area growth and plasma-assisted MBE for wide bandgap III-V compounds. Huey L. Luo and his group are working with high transition temperature superconducting oxide systems. Their studies include deposition, analysis and processing of thin films for IR and microwave devices. Teresa Cheeks and her associates are sputter depositing magnetic thin films that have applications in magnetic/magneto-optic recording media and microwave devices. Their studies include nanostructured magnetic materials, magneto-optic spectroscopy and magnetically tunable optoelectronic devices. Neal Bertram's conducts research in magnetic recording phenomena in association with the Center for Magnetic Recording Research.
Materials characterization is carried out by a range of techniques within the department. It is used to determine the microstructural, electrical, electro-optic, galvanomagnetic and optical properties of bulk layers, heterojunctions, quantum wells and superlattices. Karen Kavanagh's research focuses on the development of mechanisms for atomic diffusion in III-V semiconductors, understanding plastic relaxation at semiconductor interfaces and the effect of local structure on semiconductor surface barriers. Her group uses ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) along with other characterization techniques to achieve these goals. Lea Rudee is investigating the structural properties of magnetic materials using a number of techniques including transmission electron microscopy. S. S. Lau and his associates are working on ion beam processing of electronic and optoelectronic materials. Using ion implantation and MeV Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy along with other techniques, their research topics range from metal-semiconductor interactions for self aligned gate/ohmic contacts to compositional disorder or superlattices by ion mixing. Ed Yu's group is investigating the atomic-scale properties of semiconductor heterostructures and devices using scanning tunneling microscopy. In addition, they are exploring novel techniques for performing nanoscale fabrication and new Group IV heterostructures for applications in Si based nanoelectronics.
Optoelectronics and device research at UCSD include the study of Optoelectronic and Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) devices and circuits. William Chang is primarily interested in optical guided wave devices, quantum well and superlattice guided wave switches, modulators and analog subcarrier modulation with large linear dynamic range. Paul Yu's research includes tunable wavelength laser diodes, high speed detectors, semiconductor waveguide devices as well as microwave signal transmission in fibers. A major research effort exists in the area of HBT devices and circuits. The objectives of this program include exploring a variety of semiconductor materials for HBT operation; determining limits of device scaling and performance; HBT modeling; developing advanced HBT circuits; and the integration of HBT's and photonic devices. Silicon-On Insulator technology is also being studied with a particular focus on low power rf communications. This research area is currently being pursued by Peter Asbeck.
Affiliated Faculty
| (research group: High Speed Devices Group ) | |
| (research group: Nanoscale Characterization and Devices Laboratory ) | |
