9521659 Talwar Recent advances in the growth of semiconductor quantum-wells and superlattices have made it possible to design and fabricate novel photonic devices for a wide variety of applications. These photonic devices are critically important for optical fiber communication systems, optical computing, optical interconnects; data transmission and signal processing. In order to keep pace with an expanding need, the electronic, dynamic and optical properties of the materials used in such devices must be suitably characterized (both theoretically and experimentally), tailored, and improved. The purpose of the present proposal is to provide a comprehensive theoretical and experimental framework of characterizing how temperature molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) grown III-V (LT III-V) compounds, multiple quantum-wells (MQWs) GaAs/A1GaAs, Si/Si1-xGex, and strained layer InAs/InAs/InGaSb superlaticces (Sls). By involving undergraduate students in this project, we will focus on three major tasks: (I) Identifying the presence of intrinsic defects in LT III-V materials using local vibrational mode spectroscopy and Greens function theory. (ii) Studying theoretically the band structure, dark current, absorptance, photoconductive gains and correlated noise in MQWs and Sls to assess the dependence of sensor performance on the quantum well infrared photodetector device design. (iii) Measuring the absorption coefficient, on MQWs and Sls samples using a high resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. This research, which includes a continuing collaboration with scientist from Wright Patterson AFB, will greatly enrich the education of our undergraduate students who will be working with the project leader towards their independent study projects or senior theses option in a newly approved Applied Physics program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. ***
