Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Since the dawn of semiconductor research, temperature has been one of the most useful experimental parameters for obtaining information about electronic and optical processes within a material. At low temperature, the vibrations that mask many important processes are reduced and the spectral lines belonging to individual states can be observed. Moreover, many processes are temperature-dependent and measuring this dependence allows researchers to uncover the relevant physics. The applicants are requesting a cryogen-free cryostat with very low vibrations (5 nm peak-to-peak) and low drift for semiconductor research. Such technology has only become commercially available in recent years and allows researchers to use microscopic techniques (imaging/confocal) to study nanostructures and individual emitters at low temperatures. It will be used to pursue research on a broad range of materials for solar energy, lighting, lasers and quantum information. At present, there is only one homebuilt cryostat at Polytechnique Montréal with vibrations at a similar level, but it is incompatible with microscopy and imaging techniques. The requested cryostat will allow for measurements that took upwards of 12 hours to be performed in only tens of minutes, thus freeing up access and drastically increasing productivity. This RTI will fill an essential and urgent need for additional low-temperature capability in the applicants groups-this has been a major bottleneck for student training and research.