Recently the wide bandgap research group has been able to obtain single crystal and low resistivity AlN:C. This breakthrough is an important step for the development of III-V nitride materials
During summer 1995, Howard and UCSB have made a join efford in educational out reach program. Five students (4 males, 1 female) were selected from Dunbar High School and Banneker High School in Washington , D.C. They spent two weeks at each site to experience research in sciences and technology. At the MSRCE, Howard University, stedents were taken tours of the research facilities and lecture on safety in the research laboratories. Three projects were assigned to these students, and each project has a research mentor to ensure safty and serve as an assistance. Prior to the lab works, Students were briftly lecture on properties of semiconductor materials and some principal laws of physics, such as Ohm's Law and Pauli's Exclusion Principle.The activities are summarized in the following sections:
1) Etching Rate of AlN and GaAs: Two of the five students were given this project. The goal of the project was to determine etch rates for AlN and GaAs thin films. This project was aimed at giving students some hands-on experience in etching semiconductor materials which is one of many basic researches in semiconductor devices. Students also learned about chemistry and it applications.
2) Solar cells and photovoltaic effect. Two of the five students were assigned to fabricate solar cells on GaAs substrates. The goal of the project was to fabricate solar cells and demonstrate thier applications. This project was aimed at giving students an experience in wafer cleaning and photolithography processes. In addition, students had an opportunity to understand the process which sunlight was converted to electricity.
3) Determining molecular bond lengths uitilizing a Silicon Graphics Power Challenge Array Supercomputer. One of the five students was assgned to work on computer modeling using Sun SPARC station LX. The goal of the project was to calculate bond length of different molecules. The project was aimed at demonstrating the student how scientist use computers to predict certain phenomena. Furthermore, the student had an opportunity to experience different softwares such as Mathematica, DISCO, Chem Viz, and Framemaker. Exploring computer networks, such as Internet and World Wide Web, was an extra benefit that the student had got as well.
Student were truly exceptional and were highly motivated to work on research projects. They were eager to learn and asked questions in their quest to understand semiconductor materials. Their comments on the last day of summer program indicated their appreciation for the opportunity that made available to them. They also acknowledged that the program encouraged them to enroll in colleges more than ever. as one measure of the success of the program, we will continue to keep in contact with the students to determine their ultimate carreer choices.