McGill.CA / Science / Department of Physics

CPM Seminar

Self-organized Nanoscale Quantum Structures in Strained Thin Films

Dr. Feng Liu

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison

The continued miniaturization of electronic devices is leading us into a new realm of nanostructures that exhibit novel electronic, optoelectronic, and magnetic properties, with a wide range of potential applications. Quantum well devices are already widespread. Much recent effort has been devoted to designing and fabricating quantum wires and quantum dots. Nanotechnologies of the future will demand the creation of large arrays of wires and dots with uniform size and spacing. One approach to the creation of such arrays is to "let nature do it." In this talk, I will demonstrate a unique "natual" path to fabricating nanoscale quantum structures by strain-induced self-assembly and self-organization in heteroepitaxial growth. In particular, I will discuss the most recent development in theoretical modeling and simulation of strain-induced self-organization of steps and islands for creating arrays and superlattices of quantum wires and quantum dots.

Wednesday, October 28th 1998, 15:30
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, room 114