Semiconductor physics
Amongst
the studies being undertaken at St Andrews are those on
the properties of low dimensional semiconductors (pieces
of semiconductor material which have dimensions so small
that the electron wavefunction is strongly quantised in
those dimensions). Professor Alan Miller and his team
use the ultra-short-pulse laser and optical equipment
shown alongside for these studies. This kit allows them
to investigate the sub-picosecond processes associated
with the electrons in the material.
A
new clean-room has been built to house semiconductor microfabrication
facilities for use by Thomas Krauss and his team in their
studies of photonic crystals. An electron-micrograph
of one such structure, which has a periodic pattern of
hole in it, is shown alongside. Prof Krauss and
his custom-designed etching machine is shown at the right.
BDS 19.8.03
