[labmembers] Updating mailing lists with Badger names ...

SNF Lab Members:

As you may recall, our equipment mailing lists are still using
subscriptions of the form coral_name@snf.stanford.edu and relying on
email forwarding to get messages directed to the proper address.

We now believe that the great majority of you have completed your Badger
conversion and equipment qualifications. As a result, it now seems to
be a good time to convert all of our mailing lists so that they use your
badger_name (which is an email address) as the address to which you are
subscribed to our lists.

Later today, I expect to run a script that will effect that conversion
based on the existing Badger equipment qualifications. Then, the
labmembers list will be populated on a nightly basis based on the list
of subscribers to all other lists.

Because Badger does not automatically subscribe you to mailing lists
based on equipment qualifications, I will periodically re-run this
script to add newly qualified members to appropriate lists.

After I have run this conversion, I will send out a message to the
"newly constituted" labmembers@snf.stanford.edu ... likely in the next
couple of hours. If you do not receive this second message, you likely
fell through the cracks. (Note: I realize that this is dangerously
close to asking you "Please let me know if you don't receive this
..."). Note: we do have a mechanism for making sure that you are added
to the labmembers@snf.stanford.edu list even if you are not qualified to
use any piece of equipment. If you fall into this category, please send
me email and ask me to add you to the "courtesy" list.

So, in the next hour or two (it is now nearing 12:30 p.m. on Sunday,
February 17) you should receive a second message posted to the new
labmembers mailing list. If you receive that message, you don't have to
do anything ... other than to know that you are subscribed to the
labmembers mailing list under your Badger name.

If you encounter any problems, please don't reply to the labmembers
mailing list, but to me directly: shott@stanford.edu.

Thanks for your cooperation,

John

p.s. For those of you who have already updated your subscriptions based
on your Badger login, I apologize in advance if anything that I do
undoes those previous subscriptions.



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[labmembers] Reminder: AP PhD Defense of Aaswath Raman (Today, 2pm, Allen 101)

Department of Applied Physics

University PhD Dissertation Defense

Broadband Nanophotonics: Plasmonic Band Theory & Light Trapping in Solar Cells

 

Aaswath Raman

Advisor: Professor Shanhui Fan

 

Friday February 15, 2013 @ 2:00 PM (Refreshments: 1:45 PM)

Location: Allen Building (CIS-X), Room 101

ABSTRACT

Subwavelength photonic structures enable a remarkable degree of control over light propagation and absorption at nanoscale dimensions. From sensing and modulation, to on-chip communication and light trapping in solar cells, new device applications and opportunities now motivate the need for a richer understanding of the optical properties of plasmonic structures and metamaterials over a broad range of frequencies.

In this talk, I will first introduce a photonic band theory that rigorously models the broadband behavior of plasmonic nanostructures and metamaterials. The theory formulates plasmonic band structures as Hermitian eigenvalue equations, and offers an intuitive physical picture of modal material loss. An upper bound on the modal material loss rate is then derived, placing fundamental limits on device operation. Furthermore, I will present a perturbation theory that elucidates the effect of dielectric refractive index modulation and metallic plasma frequency variation in plasmonic nanostructures.

Next, I will present a nanophotonic light trapping theory for solar cells and show that, using a nanophotonic design, one can exceed conventional limits on light trapping for all absorption regimes of the active material. The theory's insights are then applied to organic solar cells to design a dielectric light trapping structure that provides 10-15% photocurrent enhancement relative to an optimized planar organic solar cell. Finally, I will use the plasmonic band theory to probe the role of parasitic loss in the metal on achievable absorption enhancement factors in plasmonic light trapping schemes.

--
Aaswath P. Raman | aaswath@stanford.edu 
Ph.D. Candidate, Stanford University | http://www.stanford.edu/~aaswath

[labmembers] borrow ProTEK B3 for long time KOH etch

Dear labmembers,  

My process need a through-wafer KOH etch. From my experience, the unprotected front surface will be attacked. I am wondering if some of the groups have ProTEK B3, and I can borrow a little. I only need it for one wafer. We would like to pay for the portion. Thanks in advance. 

Best, 

Helen 

Helen Qiushi Ran
=========================================
Department of Electrical Engineering
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
Mobile: +1-650-796-1439
Email: qran@stanford.edu

[labmembers] Reminder: Oral Exam for Scott Lee Tomorrow!

Department of Electrical Engineering

University PhD Oral Examination

 

Nanoelectromechanical Relays 

for Low Power Digital Systems

 

Wm. Scott Lee

Research Advisor: Professor Roger Howe

 

Friday, February 15, 2013 @ 10AM

(Refreshments @ 9:45AM)

Location: Packard Building, Room 202

 

ABSTRACT

 

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are flexible digital circuits capable of implementing arbitrary digital logic. This flexibility comes at a price: a digital function implemented on an FPGA requires more area and power while operating at a lower speed compared to the same function built on an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).  The overhead required to implement the programmable routing is directly responsible for much of the discrepancy. By replacing the FPGA pass transistors and SRAM programming cells with low leakage nanolectromechanical (NEM) relays, this overhead can be significantly reduced without a reduction in speed. The NEM relay consists of a released beam, a fixed gate electrode, and a fixed drain electrode. When the relay is out of contact, an air gap separates the beam and drain resulting in zero leakage. When the relay moves into contact, electrical current passes from the drain to the beam.

 

In this work, we investigate NEM relays as potential FPGA routing elements. The NEM relays must meet certain metrics with respect to contact resistance, cycling, and hysteresis to obtain significant benefits for the FPGA. NEM relays are fabricated and characterized to determine if they meet these metrics. Design and fabrication techniques are developed to decrease the contact resistance and achieve better control of the hysteresis window. These techniques enable three regions of varying stiffness for the spring, the actuation electrode, and the contact. Contact materials such as titanium nitride, hafnium diboride, and ruthenium are also explored as a means of reaching these metrics. 

[labmembers] Missing Projector

The Howe Group projector has been missing for over a week. It is a View Sonic projector and is likely in its black shoulder carry bag. Please email me if you might have seen it left in a room, on a chair, or have borrowed it. If not, please keep an eye out for it

Thanks for your help!

-Justin


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[labmembers] Cell phone found

Hi all --

Elmer found a cell phone dropped on the floor in the cube area. Anyone
lost one? Come by Maureen's cube.

Mary

--
Mary X. Tang, Ph.D.
Stanford Nanofabrication Facility
Paul G. Allen Room 136, Mail Code 4070
Stanford, CA 94305
(650)723-9980
mtang@stanford.edu
http://snf.stanford.edu

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[labmembers] Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectro-Microscopy - Feb 26, 12 pm - Free lunch!

Dear All - Come and have lunch with us while you hear about research enabled by the Cameca NanoSIMS 50L. The Cameca NanoSIMS 50L creates nanoscale maps of elemental composition, combining the high mass resolution, isotopic identification, and subparts-per-million sensitivity of conventional SIMS with spatial resolution down to 50 nm.

Tuesday, February 26th, 12:00 – 13:30, Spilker Building, Room 232
Help us plan - let us know if you plan to attend. Enter your name by Feb 24 at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NanoSIMS

Hope to see you there!

TOBI

Tobias Beetz, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Stanford Nano Shared Facilities, Stanford University
348 Via Pueblo, Spilker Building, Stanford, CA 94305-4088