Magnetically-Assisted Statistical Assembly - a new heterogeneous integration technique

This paper presents a new technique for the monolithic heterogeneous integration of compound semiconductor devices with silicon integrated circuits, and establishes the theoretical foundation for a key element of the process, tailored magnetic attraction and retention. It is shown how a patterned thin film of hard magnetic material can be used to engineer the attraction between the film and nanopills covered with a soft magnetic material. With a suitable choice of pattern, it is anticipated that it will be possible to achieve complete filling of recesses in the surface of fully-processed integrated circuit wafers, preparatory to subsequent processing to fabricate the nanopills into heterostructure devices integrated monolithically with the pre-existing electronics.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Rapid formation of a modern bedrock canyon by a single flood event

Deep river canyons are thought to form slowly over geological time (see, for example, ref. 1), cut by moderate flows that reoccur every few years. In contrast, some of the most spectacular canyons on Earth and Mars were probably carved rapidly during ancient megaflood events. Quantification of the flood discharge, duration and erosion mechanics that operated during such events is hampered because we lack modern analogues. Canyon Lake Gorge, Texas, was carved in 2002 during a single catastrophic flood. The event offers a rare opportunity to analyse canyon formation and test palaeo-hydraulic-reconstruction techniques under known topographic and hydraulic conditions. Here we use digital topographic models and visible/near-infrared aerial images from before and after the flood, discharge measured during the event, field measurements and sediment-transport modelling to show that the flood moved metre-sized boulders, excavated ~7 m of limestone and transformed a soil-mantled valley into a bedrock canyon in just ~3 days. We find that canyon morphology is strongly dependent on rock type: plucking of limestone blocks produced waterfalls, inner channels and bedrock strath terraces, whereas abrasion of cemented alluvium sculpted walls, plunge pools and streamlined islands. Canyon formation was so rapid that erosion might have been limited by the ability of the flow to transport sediment. We suggest that our results might improve hydraulic reconstructions of similar megafloods on Earth and Mars

New PbSnTe heterojunction laser diode structures with improved performance

Several recent advances in the state-of-the-art of lead tin telluride double heterojunction laser diodes are summarized. Continuous Wave operation to 120 K and pulsed operation to 166 K with single, lowest order transverse mode emission to in excess of four times threshold at 80 K were achieved in buried stripe lasers fabricated by liquid phase epitaxy in the lattice-matched system, lead-tin telluride-lead telluride selenide. At the same time, liquid phase epitaxy was used to produce PbSnTe distributed feedback lasers with much broader continuous single mode tuning ranges than are available from Fabry-Perot lasers. The physics and philosophy behind these advances is as important as the structures and performance of the specific devices embodying the advances, particularly since structures are continually being evolved and the performance continues to be improved

High Density Single Crystalline GaN Nanodot Arrays Fabricated Using Template-Assisted Selective Growth

High density, uniform GaN nanodot arrays with controllable size have been synthesized by using template-assisted selective growth. The GaN nanodots with average diameter 40nm, 80nm and 120nm were selectively grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a nano-patterned SiO2/GaN template. The nanoporous SiO2 on GaN surface was created by inductively coupled plasma etching (ICP) using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template as a mask. This selective regrowth results in highly crystalline GaN nanodots confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The narrow size distribution and uniform spatial position of the nanoscale dots offer potential advantages over self-assembled dots grown by the Stranski–Krastanow mode.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Designing and executing digital strategies : completed research paper

The digital economy poses existential threats to — and game-changing opportunities for — companies that were successful in the pre-digital economy. What will distinguish those companies that successfully transform from those that become historical footnotes? This is the question a group of six researchers and consultants from Boston Consulting Group set out to examine. The team conducted in-depth interviews with senior executives at twenty-seven companies in different industries to explore the strategies and organizational initiatives they relied on to seize the opportunities associated with new, readily accessible digital technologies. This paper summarizes findings from this research and offers recommendations to business leaders responsible for digital business success

GaN Nanopore Arrays: Fabrication and Characterization

GaN nanopore arrays with pore diameters of approximately 75 nm were fabricated by inductively coupled plasma etching (ICP) using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films as etch masks. Nanoporous AAO films were formed on the GaN surface by evaporating an Al film onto a GaN epilayer and subsequently anodizing the aluminum. To minimize plasma-induced damage, the template was exposed to CF4-based plasma conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis shows that the diameter and the periodicity of the nanopores in the GaN were directly transferred from the original anodic alumina template. The pore diameter in the AAO film can be easily controlled by tuning the anodization conditions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence (PL) and micro-Raman techniques were employed to assess the quality of the etched GaN nanopore surface. Such a cost-effective method to produce nano-patterned GaN template would be useful for growth and fabrication of III-Nitrides based nanostructures and photonic band gap materials.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Growth of InP on GaAs (001) by hydrogen-assisted low-temperature solid-source molecular beam epitaxy

Direct heteroepitaxial growth of InP layers on GaAs (001) wafers has been performed by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy assisted by monoatomic hydrogen (H∗). The epitaxial growth has been carried out using a two-step method: for the initial stage of growth the temperature was as low as 200 °C and different doses of H∗ were used; after this, the growth proceeded without H∗ while the temperature was increased slowly with time. The incorporation of H∗ drastically increased the critical layer thickness observed by reflection high-energy electron diffraction; it also caused a slight increase in the luminescence at room temperature, while it also drastically changed the low-temperature luminescence related to the presence of stoichiometric defects. The samples were processed by rapid thermal annealing. The annealing improved the crystalline quality of the InP layers measured by high-resolution x-ray diffraction, but did not affect their luminescent behavior significantly

Optics and Quantum Electronics

Contains reports on nine research projects split into two sections.National Science Foundation (Grant DAR80-08752)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS79-19475)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS80-20639)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS82-11650

Two-dimensional Photonic Crystals Fabricated by Nanoimprint Lithography

We report on the process parameters of nanoimprint lithography (NIL) for the fabrication of two-dimensional (2-D) photonic crystals. The nickel mould with 2-D photonic crystal patterns covering the area up to 20mm² is produced by electron-beam lithography (EBL) and electroplating. Periodic pillars as high as 200nm to 250nm are produced on the mould with the diameters ranging from 180nm to 400nm. The mould is employed for nanoimprinting on the poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) layer spin-coated on the silicon substrate. Periodic air holes are formed in PMMA above its glass-transition temperature and the patterns on the mould are well transferred. This nanometer-size structure provided by NIL is subjective to further pattern transfer.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA