Ohio State’s first Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) system to focus on the important field of wide bandgap nitride materials was installed earlier this week, adding new major materials capability to OSU’s already strong materials facility infrastructure. These semiconductor materials have wide technological applications including next-generation solid state lighting, solar power, high data-rate communications, and energy-efficient electric transportation systems. This state-of-the-art system allows nanometer-scale control of III-Nitride semiconductor crystal structures, enabling OSU researchers from several departments, including ECE, MSE, Physics, and ME to make scientific discoveries and invent new technology based on III-Nitride semiconductors.
This new instrument was procured by Professors Siddharth Rajan and Roberto Myers, two new Assistant Professors with joint appointments in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, with resources provided by both departments and the Institute for Materials Research.
Professors Myers and Rajan were brought to OSU in Autumn 2008 as part of IMR’s signature research thrusts in the areas of “Energy for Materials” and “Electronic Materials,” core topics in which IMR has invested by creating and funding teams leading to large interdisciplinary research programs. Support for these areas also comes from the Targeted Investment in Excellence (TIE) program in Advanced Materials and a collaboration with the TIE on Energy – Center for Energy, Sustainability and the Environment.
The III-nitride MBE system is the fourth MBE system at OSU, and is located within the Electrical and Computer Engineering department’s Semiconductor Epitaxy and Analysis Lab (http://www.ece.osu.edu/oepv/mbe.html), the primary center for MBE research, development and services at Ohio State.
For more details on the capabilities and uses of this new instrument, contact Siddharth Rajan (rajan@ece.osu.edu), Roberto Myers (myers.1079@osu.edu) or the SEAL lab manager, Mark Brenner (brennerm@ece.osu.edu).