Joseph Sklenar with Kathleen Kash

Growth of ZnSnN2

The synthesis and study of group II-IV nitride semiconductors is an area of condensed matter physics that has not been rigorously explored.  However, growth of group III nitride semiconductors has received a great amount of attention because of their interesting properties.  For instance, GaN is a large bandgap group III semiconductor of interest because of its use in optoelectronic devices.  This project will attempt to grow ZnSnN2 a group II-IV semiconductor that serves as an analog to the group III conductor InN.  The growth will be done from a Zn and Sn melt exposed to nitrogen plasma under high vacuum at temperatures around 400 C, an environment in which InN grows.  Because this material has never been grown before, it may be unstable at pressures where the plasma system operates.  If material is successfully grown, it will be of interest to measure its properties from crystal structure to electrical bandgaps in order to compare these aspects with the group III counterparts.