News and Events
Fall 2009 Seminars
Thin Film Processing Challenges in Solar Energy and Nanomanufacturing Applications
Raymond Adomaitis
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
University of Maryland
Thursday, September 10, 2009
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
102 Chemistry Building
Abstract
Chemical processes capable of depositing ultra thin films are crucial to manufacturing microelectronic devices, flat-panel displays, and photovoltaic solar cells.
This talk will focus on our work in developing mathematical models describing the interplay between transport of chemical reactants and energy inside the chemical
reactors used to manufacture these films and the atomistic-scale processes governing film growth. These models are used to uncover the physical mechanisms
responsible for spatial nonuniformities and other processing abnormalities and subsequently to optimize film growth, including minimizing the raw material use for "green" manufacturing.
Advanced computer simulation techniques are used for the design of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) systems with new sensing and actuation (control) capabilities; these design concepts subsequently are tested through the construction and evaluation of prototype reactor systems. Applications to be discussed include semiconductors for solar hydrogen production and ALD processes for nanomanufacturing.