Collaborative Research: Developing metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) for chalcogenide semiconductor thin film synthesis

合作研究：开发用于硫族化物半导体薄膜合成的金属有机分子束外延（MOMBE）

• 批准号: 2224948
• 负责人: Rafael Jaramillo
• 金额: $ 45.08万
• 依托单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2224948&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Developing; metal; organic

Non-Technical SummaryThere are many known semiconducting materials, and their different properties are what enable different technologies, from cameras, to solar cells, to computers, to high-speed telecommunications, and so on. A new class of semiconductors called chalcogenide perovskites has been recently shown to feature a unique combination of properties that make these materials promising for solar cell applications. To-date, making these materials has required high temperatures and slow rates of crystal growth. Future technology development and commercially viable manufacturing will require a method to make these materials faster and at lower temperatures. This collaborative project between researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry and Ceramic Programs in NSF’s Division of Materials Research, will develop a new chemical approach for making chalcogenide perovskites faster and at lower temperatures than hitherto possible, without sacrificing material quality. Insights from this fundamental science will also inform research and development of other families of semiconductors, with potential impact in computing technologies. This project develops the future workforce by training graduate students in semiconductor chemistry and materials research. This project also expands workforce training opportunities for community college students by supporting an internship program – the Guided Academic Industry Network (GAIN) – that provides students from Boston-area community colleges experiences in materials research and development in academia and industry.Technical SummaryThis collaborative project between researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry and Ceramic Programs in NSF’s Division of Materials Research, focuses on fundamental studies of chalcogenide thin film growth, developing processes to make high-quality, epitaxial thin films of chalcogenide compound semiconductors by metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE). Chalcogenide compound semiconductors containing refractory metals (such as Zr) are of widespread current interest. High-quality thin film processing at moderate temperatures is necessary to propel basic research, and to enable future manufacturing (including heterogeneous integration), but there remain significant scientific hurdles stemming from the combination of very-low vapor pressure metals with very-high vapor pressure chalcogens. Three high-level objectives of this work are: (1) studying the synthesis of Zr-based chalcogenide compound semiconductors using metal-organic (MO) precursors; (2) developing a variation on molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) that allows new access to crystalline films of chalcogenide compound semiconductors; and (3) expanding workforce training opportunities for community college students. The collaborative approach of this project begins with evaluation and down-selection of MO precursors through evaporation measurements and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) screening at Tufts. MOMBE experiments at MIT can then focus within a high-value parameter space for epitaxial thin film growth. The combination of chemical analysis and film characterization capabilities available across the collaboration allows detailed study of the film-forming reactions at the solid-vapor interface. In addition to providing training opportunities for graduate students, this project expands workforce training opportunities for community college students through the Guided Academic Industry Network (GAIN). In this program, students at local community colleges acquire experience in materials research and development through two summer internships, one in academia and a second one in industry.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

非技术摘要有许多已知的半导体材料，它们的不同特性使不同的技术成为可能，从相机到太阳能电池，到计算机，再到高速电信等等，一种称为硫族化物钙钛矿的新型半导体已被开发出来。最近被证明具有独特的特性组合，使这些材料在太阳能电池应用中具有广阔的前景。迄今为止，制造这些材料需要高温和缓慢的晶体生长速度，未来的技术开发和商业上可行的制造将需要一种制造方法。这些材料麻省理工学院和塔夫茨大学研究人员之间的这一合作项目得到了美国国家科学基金会材料研究部固态和材料化学和陶瓷项目的支持，将开发一种新的化学方法来更快地制备硫属化物钙钛矿。并且在比迄今为止可能的温度更低的情况下，在不牺牲材料质量的情况下，这一基础科学的见解也将为其他半导体系列的研究和开发提供信息，从而对计算技术产生潜在影响。该项目还通过支持实习计划——引导学术产业网络（GAIN）——为波士顿地区社区学院的学生提供材料方面的经验，扩大了社区学院学生的劳动力培训机会。学术界和工业界的研究和开发。技术摘要这个麻省理工学院和塔夫茨大学的研究人员之间的合作项目，得到了 NSF 材料研究部的固态和材料化学和陶瓷项目的支持，重点是基础研究硫族化物薄膜生长，通过金属有机分子束外延 (MOMBE) 开发含有难熔金属（例如 Zr）的硫族化物半导体外延薄膜的工艺受到广泛关注。中等温度下的高质量薄膜加工对于推动基础研究和实现未来制造（包括异质集成）是必要的，但由于极低的蒸气压，仍然存在重大的科学障碍这项工作的三个高级目标是：（1）研究使用金属有机（MO）前驱体合成锆基硫族化合物半导体；（2）开发分子束的变体。外延 (MBE)，允许新获得硫族化合物半导体的晶体薄膜；(3) 扩大社区学院学生的劳动力培训机会，该项目的协作方法首先通过评估和筛选 MO 前体。麻省理工学院塔夫茨大学的 MOMBE 实验的蒸发测量和金属有机化学气相沉积 (MOCVD) 筛选可以集中在外延薄膜生长的高值参数空间内，从而可以将化学分析和薄膜表征功能相结合。详细研究固体-蒸汽界面的成膜反应 除了为研究生提供培训机会外，该项目还通过引导学术产业网络 (GAIN) 扩大了社区学院学生的劳动力培训机会。当地社区学院的学生通过两次暑期实习（一次在学术界，另一次在工业界）获得材料研究和开发的经验。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响进行评估，被认为值得支持审查标准。