McGill.CA / Science / Department of Physics

CPM Seminar

Atomic Structure of Amorphous Silicon

Sjoerd Roorda

Université de Montréal

Few materials have been studied as intensively as silicon. Not surprising, as Si in its cryst alline state is the semiconductor which is at the basis of almost all the "chips" in our computers. But in spite of decades of research, simple questions like "How are the atoms arranged in amorphous Si" or "why is amorphous Si 2% less dense than crystalline Si?" have not been answered to a satisfac tory level of precision. We have tried to remedy this by preparing a thick, free-standing, high pu rity sample and submitting it to the best x-ray diffraction available today.

Thursday, February 17th 2000, 15:30
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, room 114