Technical Description: With the shrinking of electronics towards the nanometer scale, just a few misplaced dopants can cause significant variability in the performance of electronic devices. Therefore, the development of an ability to accurately map vacancies, defects, dopant atoms, and interface structures becomes urgent to enable future generations of electronic devices. To achieve these goals, this project develops methods for detailed investigation of charged defects in electronics-relevant materials. The approach is to integrate novel electronic materials with single-electron transistor structures so that the native imperfections in the materials and fabrication-induced defects are directly detectable through evaluation of the single-electron transistor's characteristics. Both low-frequency testing methods (e.g., conductance mapping) and high- frequency techniques (e.g., microwave reflectometry) are used to provide detailed characterization of charged defects in the barrier materials over a broad frequency range. The project aims to contribute to the detailed understanding of the interfaces and dielectric materials used in charge-based electronic devices.
Non-technical Description: This project investigates new methods to characterize materials used in mainstream silicon electronics and emerging nanoelectronic devices by using single electron transistors, which are charge-sensing devices that can detect the motion of extremely small amounts of electrical charge in their vicinity. The research project is expected to contribute to the further development of novel electronic materials and to enhance understanding of electronically active interfaces between materials at the nanometer scale. The educational activities associated with this project include the development of educational and training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary environment as well as for diversity and minority recruiting. An outreach program with a local high school, established previously by PIs, continues to introduce high-school teachers and students to engineering and for them to conduct research at the University of Notre Dame in an atmosphere of maximum inclusivity.
