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Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition
Advanced Materials Sciences
The Advanced Materials Sciences Department is responsible for the research, development, and application of chemical science to materials technologies critical to Sandia's missions. Our work currently emphasizes the science and engineering of Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), and nanostructure synthesis and characterization. We support a large variety of semiconductor device projects. We are also involved in the synthesis and characterization of other novel materials such as semiconductor quantum dots and quantum wires and 3D nanostructures using phase mask lithography.
MOCVD is a technology for producing inorganic thin films. MOCVD is a crucial step in the fabrication of GaN- and GaAs-based microelectronic and optoelectronic devices and nanostructures, as well as being used for depositing protective coatings. We advance the state-of-the-art in MOCVD and related technologies through an interdisciplinary approach which includes a wide range of experimental and theoretical techniques and an extensive network of partners inside and outside of Sandia. Using MOCVD we are investigating novel GaN-based structures for the development of high efficiency solid-state lighting and ultraviolet light emitters, quantum dot structures for infrared technologies, nanowire and other nanostructures, and improved in situ diagnostic instrumentation.