Supersonic Beam Observations of Semiconductor Clusters.
Abstract
The principal thrust of the research carried out during this grant has been concerned with the study of cluster beam spectroscopy of semiconducting elements such as silicon and germanium, as well as III-V semiconductors, such as GaxAsy based on rapid advances in the art of generating and probing supersonic cluster beams developed by one of the principal investigators (R.E.S.) at Rice University. This approach allows the study of small, bare clusters in the high vacuum of a molecular beam apparatus in much the same way that the more conventional type of surface science uses perfect single crystals in an ultra high vacuum surface machine. In both cases the object of study is a highly idealized model of the real polycrystalline surfaces of practical importance, but in the case of the clusters beam approach, this model has the advantage of a far more immediate connection to high level ab initio theory. It can be argued that cluster beam techniques are a means of getting away from the macroscopic, low symmetry aspects of surfaces and bringing surface science experiments into the microscopic, molecular realm ideal for theory. Although there have been substantial studies of metal and rare gas clusters, only recently attention has begun to focus on clusters of semiconductor elements.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA184991
Entities
People
- F. K. Tittel
- R. E. Smalley
- R. F. Curl
Organizations
- Rice University