Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

The main motivation for the proposed equipment is to enable research in the design and implementation of novel heterostructures and micro/nano-structures grown with <span style=""text-decoration: underline;""><strong>state-of-the-art III-V semiconductor</strong></span> processes based on an upgrade of the Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE) reactor at the 3IT (Institut interdisciplinaire d&rsquo;innovation technologique) at Universit&eacute; de Sherbrooke. There is clearly a need for research in the design, epitaxy, and measuring the properties of such advanced compound semiconductor nanostructures, heterostructures, and devices. In these developments, we design novel heterostructures and have to perform the epitaxy of various optoelectronic devices. For example, my current research programs are focusing on photovoltaic phototransducer device research for optoelectronic applications. Such phototransducers are based on a breakthrough Vertical Epitaxial HeteroStructure Architecture (VEHSA) approach. These heterostructures are monolithically integrating a number N of ultra-thin n/p junctions. The stacked heterostructure design is yielding an optimal external quantum efficiency approaching 100%/N in the spectral range around the design wavelength. The devices are featuring modeled and measured conversion efficiencies that are exceeding 60% and the heterostructures are readily tailored with the desired output voltages. Based on Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) epitaxy we have already demonstrated voltage outputs between 5Volts and &gt;12V. The devices can be optimized for the automobile industry requirements, medical, and power electronics applications. For other optoelectronic research done in collaboration with various industrial partners, we need to selectively grow, with reduced diffusion profiles, high quality III-V materials on Si wafers for hybrid integration of active optoelectronic devices with CMOS microelectronic devices. The research is poised to deliver breakthrough contributions in this key area. However, while the 3IT microfabrication (III-V fab) facility is equipped to perform world-class developments, the CBE reactor would benefit from an upgrade to <span style=""text-decoration: underline;""><strong>further improve the 3IT&rsquo;s epitaxy capability</strong></span>. Our research on compound semiconductor devices has clearly demonstrated again recently its potential with the elaboration of phototransducer devices that are featuring by far the highest optical to electrical conversion efficiency ever reported. The upgrade on the reactor will allow further developments to be done directly on the 3IT's reactor for this area of research and also on other programs such as the hybrid device integration research. The epitaxy is at the basis of the development in photonics, in microelectronics, and in optoelectronics. The upgrade will enable a large number of researchers driving the 3IT and C2MI chain of innovation in Sherbrooke and it will benefit their industrial partners.