Brian William Goodfellow Department of Chemical Engineering Advisor: Brian Korgel First IGERT Semester: Fall 2006 IGERT Project Focus: Development of Cu(InxGa1-x)Se2 (CIGS) nanocrystal-based photovoltaics Alexander Ako Khajetoorians Department of Physics Advisor: Chih-Kang Shih; Co-Advisor: Allan Macdonald First IGERT Semester: Fall 2006 IGERT Project Focus: STM/STS of Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors and III-V interfaces Alfred Kwon-Hoon Lee Department of Physics Advisor: Alex de Lozanne First IGERT Semester: Fall 2006 IGERT Project Focus: My research involves the study of complex metal oxides using low temperature AFM and STM. In particular, we are interested in observing magnetic and electric domain structure and phase transitions through varying temperatures and fields using our home built multi-mode AFM. Our UHV STM has also been fruitful in investigating the electronic structure of these materials at low temperatures. Han-Jong Chia Department of Physics Advisor: John Markert First IGERT Semester: Spring 2007 IGERT Project Focus: I received a BA in economics and physics at Grinnell College and am currently pursuing a PhD in physics at the University of Texas at Austin. My research, under the guidance of Professor John Markert, is developing magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) to study the properties of thin films. MRFM is a scanning probe microscopy technique that combines the cantilever based detection of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and pulsed magnetic fields of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The synthesis of these two techniques yields nanometer scale spin resolution of various materials. I will use MRFM to obtain 3D spin images and relaxation times of organic and inorganic electronic materials. Down the road I intend to perform single nuclear spin detection feasibility studies by implementing high sensitivity cantilevers, novel forms of active feedback control, and millikelvin temperatures. Shannon Doane Lewis Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisor: Ananth Dodabalapur First IGERT Semester: Spring 2007 IGERT Project Focus: Shannon Doane Lewis is a third year graduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Solid State Electronics). She works for Professor Ananth Dodabalapur in the area of integrated organic and inorganic field effect transistors for chemical vapor sensing. She graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 2005. Robert Alan May Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Advisor: Keith Stevenson First IGERT Semester: Spring 2007 IGERT Project Focus: The study of optical properties of mixed MoxW1-xO3 thin films showing a grain size dependence of the optical band gap related to quantum size effect. Using the optical constants derived from spectroscopic ellipsometry one can determine the band gap and porosity of mesoporous TiO2 films as well as the orientation of Au nanocrystals electrophoretically fused into those same films. Benjamin Spivey Department of Chemical Engineering Advisor: John Ekerdt; Co-Advisor: Thomas Edgar First IGERT Semester: Spring 2007 IGERT Project Focus: My research project is focused on the growth of semiconducting vertical nanowires for use as chemical sensors. Currently, we have an APCVD system that has proven successful in growing vertical nanowires. Further research is expected to involve modeling the nanowire growth process, improving process control, and developing the nanowire pattern into an electrical sensing device. Neliza León Department of Materials Science and Engineering Advisor: Alex de Lozanne First IGERT Semester: Summer 2007 IGERT Project Focus: Novel methods of optimizing a fiber optic interferometer for cantilever motion detection by using a setup that allows alignment along three coordinate axes and two angles. She has been able, for the first time, to permanently attach AFM cantilevers directly to the end of an optical fiber after the five-variable adjustment to optimize the detection signal. Once the attachment is done, the fiber/cantilever is a robust single unit that can be moved or even cooled to liquid helium temperatures, where most of our scanning microscopes work. Daniel Birt Department of Materials Science and Engineering Advisor: Elaine Li First IGERT Semester: Fall 2007 IGERT Project Focus: The dynamics of spin torque transfer induced spin waves in thin magnetic multilayers using Brillouin Light Scattering Spectroscopy. Justin Harris Department of Chemical Engineering Advisor: Brian Korgel First IGERT Semester: Fall 2007 IGERT Project Focus: The use of nanoparticles in photovoltaic devices. Current focus is on all-nanoparticle p-InP/n-CdS heterojunction devices. All-nanoparticle thin film devices provide a less expensive alternative to traditional single-crystalline photovoltaic devices, important during our current energy crisis. Synthesis of the nanoparticles and formation of the thin films have been studied with TEM, SEM, XRD, and four-point electrical probe. Justin also collaborated with IGERT Trainee Brian Goodfellow and an interdisciplinary team on the investigation of nanoparticle CIGS photovoltaic devices. Michael Ramon Department of Electrical Engineering Advisor: Sanjay Banerjee; Co-Advisor: Miguel Yacaman First IGERT Semester: Fall 2007 IGERT Project Focus: The fabrication of self-aligned inversion-type enhancement-mode (E-mode) GaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al2O3 dielectric directly on GaAs substrates using an ex-situ wet clean of GaAs. Thermal stability of the gate stack was first examined by monitoring frequency dispersion behavior of GaAs MOS capacitors at elevated annealing temperatures, indicating excellent thermal stability of the interface. The stability of the of Al2O3/GaAs interface made transistor fabrication possible, and the demonstration of the inversion-type E-mode GaAs MOSFET substantiates the effectiveness of the ex-situ chemical cleaning treatment of GaAs substrates in improving the high-κ/GaAs interface. Daniel Ratchford Department of Physics Advisor: Elaine Li First IGERT Semester: Fall 2007 IGERT Project Focus: In our lab, we study the quantum dynamics of composite nanostructures using a variety of optical spectroscopy techniques (e.g. micro-PL, pump and probe, and 2D Fourier transform).  Self-assembled composite materials allow for the design of unique materials with integrated and tunable properties.  Because of complicated interactions between components, the properties of the composite material may not be derived from the properties of the individual components.   A basic understanding of the quantum mechanics will aid in the design of new and improved structures.  Currently, we are studying a bio-conjugated semiconductor and metallic nanostructure focusing on how exciton and plasmon interactions affect its optical properties.