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Program Leader
Thomas Jackman
Phone: 613-993-6711
Fax: 613-957-8734
Email: Thomas.Jackman@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
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Engineered Semiconductor-Related Materials
NRC-IMS has a critical mass in state-of the-art facilities and experienced personnel to model and create materials with specific functionality through the control of composition, structure, strain etc. These material systems include compound semiconductors (e.g GaAs-, InP-, GaSb-, GaN-based), organic semiconductors (e.g. small molecules or conducting polymers) as well as dielectric multilayers. The ability to engineer materials with the required electronic or optical properties ensures we can realize solutions for a wide range of applications. Our material expertise extends to hybrid integration such as plastic on inorganic semiconductors.
Materials Characterization
NRC-IMS accelerates the development of both new materials and associated components by having in-house state-of-the-art characterization tools and world-class expertise. Both are critical when technology development cycle times must be kept to a minimum to meet market opportunities. In addition, these facilities are routinely accessed by industry for the evaluation of their-in-house materials, processes and components.
Epitaxy
The Epitaxy Group undertakes research and development activities concerned with the design, growth and characterisation of advanced III-V semiconductor thin films and nanostructures. Epitaxial semiconductors are studied for applications including active and passive optical and electronic devices in such areas as quantum information processing, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring. The group operates the various III-V semiconductor growth facilities within the Institute. These include Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) systems for GaAs-based, dilute nitride and antimonide semiconductors, a Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE) system for InP- and GaAs-based semiconductors and an ammonia-MBE system for the growth of GaN based materials. In addition, a nanotemplate growth facility, with in-situ SEM microscopy, is targeted directly at the controlled growth of three-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures.
Organic Materials & Devices
The organic materials and devices group conducts research and development activities in the area of organic, polymeric and composite semiconductor materials and devices. The group helps Canadian industry through collaborative R&D projects, and by providing consultant and technical services. They also work closely with Canadian universities, other government agencies and with research groups around the world to advance the research. In year 2008, the group worked closely with its academic and industrial partners to develop low cost printable organic solar cells (a project funded by the Sustainable Development Technology Canada), and significant progresses have been made in the area of materials preparation, scale-up synthesis, device fabrication and characterization.
Quantum Physics
The Quantum Physics group undertakes experimental research into the electronic and optical properties of semiconductor-based materials including semiconducting carbon nanotubes. Much of the research is directed towards quantum information processing, nano-spintronics and advanced photonic devices. Of particular interest are two systems; Quantum Dots, fabricated utilizing both top-down (lithographic) and bottom up (self-assembly) approaches and carbon Nanotubes synthesized by chemical vapor deposition on lithographically patterned substrates. A focus of the optics lab is the optical spectroscopy of nanostructured materials emitting in the visible and near infrared region of the spectrum with special attention to the 1550nm telecom window. Single and coupled InAs/InP and InAs/GaAs quantum dot samples in which the nucleation site of individual dots is controlled as well as more complex devices (involving additional electrostatic gates, photonic microcavities etc.) are studied for applications in quantum cryptography and quantum information processing. A second focus is on the control of quantum dot layers and their applications to broadband devices such as multi-wavelength lasers, widely tunable lasers and broadband detectors. Applications are envisioned particularly in the telecom and environmental sectors.
The transport laboratory is largely focused on nanospintronic and quantum information applications. Special emphasis is placed on developing highly tunable multiple quantum dot circuits using both vertical and lateral architectures and the manipulation of single spins and electrons using high frequency CW and pulse techniques.
Carbon nanotubes are an exciting emerging material system expected to have applications in nanoelectronics and nano-optics. The group is working to explore the potential of this material system in the areas of photonics and optoelectronics. Samples are patterned and nanotubes are synthesized by chemical vapor deposition in various configurations, from long isolated individual single walled nanotubes to dense, millimeter thick films. A variety of all optical tools and methods have been developed to characterize the nanotubes, both in situ and ex situ and to explore their fundamental properties. Graphene samples aimed at Nanostructures are prepared using mechanical exfoliation and lithographic techniques.
Much effort is also dedicated to understand the fundamental properties of these complex systems, the relevant properties of the underlying materials and the mechanisms responsible their ultimate behaviour eg. decoherence mechanisms. Recently this has led to studies ranging from the fundamentals of quantum level mixing in quantum dots to detailed studies of spectral features in the photoluminescence excitation map for single walled carbon nanotubes.
The group enjoys strong interactions within the Institute, especially with the Epitaxial and mulitlayer materials, Nanofabrication, Surfaces and interfaces and Quantum Theory groups. The group is also very active in national and international collaborations and programs related to nanotechnology.
Quantum Theory
The Quantum Theory Group carries out theoretical and computational research into the electronic and optical properties of low-dimensional and bulk semiconductors, organic materials, photonic systems, mesoscopic systems and quantum information. It also examines other aspects of quantum theory with promising scientific and technological potential.
Surfaces & Interfaces
The Surfaces and Interfaces Group investigates he physical, chemical, electrical and optical properties of surface and interfaces of materials of strategic interest to NRC-IMS. The group performs analyses in support of NRC-IMS projects and for collaborators and external clients.
The group's facilities for the chemical evaluation of surfaces include secondary ion mass spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope (TEM) energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) absorption spectroscopy. Physical properties of surfaces can be assessed by techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, SEM, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray reflectometry. Structural characterization of thin films and interfaces can also be carried out by x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering spectroscopy. Other optical characterization includes resonant light scattering, Raman, FTIR absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy and microscopy.
Thin Films
The Thin Films Group undertakes experimental and theoretical research and development activities concerned with the application, design, fabrication and characterization of advanced optical thin films structures made of dielectric and non-dielectric materials. Its expertise is of increasing importance to Canadian industry as new applications for thin films and coatings continue to emerge. Many instruments, commercial products and processes depend on the availability of suitable filters in a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum, from 0.1 nm to 100 µm. The group's facilities and expertise are accessed extensively by external clients and collaborators, including industry, universities, and other government laboratories. Capabilities include the identification and analysis of a given problem, the theoretical design of a multilayer solution, the fabrication and characterization of a prototype and deposition process development. Internally, the group supports several Institute projects and provides services to the CPFC facility.
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