9704177 Carter This GOALI proposal addresses basic materials science issues in a collaborative program between the University of California at Santa Cruz/UCSC and IBM/Almaden to understand basic phenomena associated with charge transport, injection and degradation in electroluminescent polymer devices. Research at UCSC will involve polymer LED fabrication, characterization of the electronic and optical properties of the electrodes and polymeric materials, measuring changes in the E-field dependent and T-dependent transport and luminance, and visualization of changes in device interfaces during operation via confocal microscopy, scanning probe microscopies, and XAFS. Active participation by the PI and her students at IBM will involve synthesizing polymer materials, making diodes, I-V, luminance characterization, lifetime testing and interface studies using AFM, ESCA, Auger, FTIR, SEM and RBS. The proposed research emphasizes understanding of fundamental mechanisms and processes along with practical aspects of electronic/photonic materials technology. The project is supported by the DMR/EM and the ECS/PFET programs, and by the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA). %%% The project addresses materials science and engineering research issues in a topical area of materials science having high technological relevance. The research will contribute basic materials science knowledge at a fundamental level to important aspects of electronic/photonic devices. Additionally, the fundamental knowledge and understanding gained from the research is expected to contribute to improving the performance of advanced photonic devices by providing a fundamental understanding and a basis for designing and producing improved materials. An important feature of the program is the integration of research and education through the training of students in a fundamentally and technologically significant area. ***
