Funds are provided for development of a unique device for the simultaneous application of uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure to semiconductor and high-temperature superconductors. Using the Boundary Element Method, the device is calculated to withstand 1.4 GPa hydrostatic pressure and 1 GPa uniaxial stress with a safety factor of 1.5. High-pressure experiments are important for the study of high-temperature superconductors, and for the testing of theoretical models to acquire clues for the improvement of the compounds. The application of an external stress to a semiconductor is also significant due to the modification of the band structure. Currently, enormous effort is being expended in order to engineer the band structure of semiconductors for improved electronic and optoelectronic devices. The device to be developed in this work will be used in the investigation of laser diodes owing to the commercial importance of this area.
