Profile – Institute of Electronic Materials and Devices

Complex integrated microelectronic circuits play a pivotal role in shaping our daily lives across various domains. These electronic systems continually push the boundaries of performance, achieving unprecedented advancements at a speed that surpasses any other technology. One key area of our research focuses on harnessing quantum effects unique to structures at the nanoscale, as well as novel manufacturing techniques and material combinations down to the level of single molecules.

The fundamental building blocks crucial for future nanoelectronic devices, which utilize quantum mechanical effects, primarily involve epitaxial heterostructures. These structures consist of crystalline materials with varying energy band structures precisely grown on top of each other with atomic layer accuracy. Through this process, atomically sharp energy barriers, quantum channels, and controlled band profiles with dimensions in the nanometer range can be achieved. As an example, these epitaxial heterostructures can be combined with conventional transistors to create "quantum functional devices." These devices enable logic or memory functions with fewer components compared to conventional electronics, leading to significantly higher functional circuit density.

At the nanometer scale, in addition to ultrathin vertical epitaxial layer systems, lateral structures are also of great significance. For instance, nanocrystal islands (quantum dots) embedded in insulators exhibit unique electron transport or storage properties. To fabricate these nanocrystals with precision, methods based on "self-assembly" are particularly promising since traditional "top-down" methods for patterning at the nanometer scale are still limited in their capabilities.

There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom

Richard Feynman

The Institute is currently focusing on addressing the following fundamental questions within this intricate domain:

Development of optimal growth methods for controlled fabrication of ultrathin single-crystalline vertical multilayer structures, mainly by using molecular beam epitaxy.
Controlled formation and characterization of laterally ordered nanocrystals, embedded in either crystalline or amorphous tunneling insulators, achieved through self-assembling growth and patterning techniques.
Electronic properties of heterostructures and embedded lateral nanostructures are studied in relation to their band structure and transport parameters, dependent on growth and process conditions.

We focus on solutions that rely on well-established silicon technology and are capable of functioning at room temperature.

Si semiconductor technology has a rich history of over fifty years of development. Even in silicon photovoltaics, where structural dimensions differ by many orders of magnitude, essentially the same technological processes are employed. As a result, similar questions often arise in both fields. Collaborating with the Institute for Solar Energy Research Hameln (Institut für Solarenergieforschung Hameln (ISFH)), our institute is currently investigating the potential of utilizing semiconductor technology know-how to enhance the production of highly efficient Si solar cells.