Background Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers are an important component of semiconductors within a number of electronic devices including solar cells, touchscreens, and light emitting diodes. Currently, indium tin oxide (ITO) is the most commonly used TCO material due its high electrical conductivity and high optical transparency. However,...

Background Electron accelerators are used in a number of applications, from medical imaging by x-ray production, to gamma-ray production for medical applications. Integrating high-power lasers and electron beams can potentially improve the performance of electron accelerators, make compact x-ray sources, and potentially create new kinds of light. However,...

Background Bismuth-containing III-V semiconductor alloys have received considerable attention as materials for optoelectronic devices operating in the mid- and long-wave infrared spectrum. The infrared spectrum finds important applications in both commerce and government, including medical imaging and diagnostics, autonomous vehicle sensors, telecommunications,...

In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, the substrate, usually Silicon, is oxidized to form an oxide layer at the surface prior to device fabrication. This oxide layer (such as SiO2 grown on a Si (100)) surface typically grows completely amorphous with little ordering in the first atomic layers near the interface. This can lead to thickness and...

As electronics become more compact, the issue of electromigration, the accumulation of atoms at the anode of an electronic circuit due to an uneven distribution of current, becomes more prevalent. Devices that undergo electromigration experience physical changes often resulting in short or open circuit failures specifically at the soldering joints....

Electrical structures which interact with light, such as solar cells and optical sensors, generally employ electrodes to collect a generated current (or to apply an external field) however, the electrode designs commonly used suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, the wide spacing of electrodes in conventional solar cells, necessary to...