Abstract: After a brief review of Dr. Doolittle’s research work on III-Nitride epitaxy for Solar Applications and Complex Metal Oxides for Neuromorphic Computing several practical considerations for physical vapor deposition processes such as evaporation and sputtering will be covered.  Topics will include: the connection between pressure controlled mean free path and step coverage; pumping considerations in the viscous and molecular flow regimes; use of virtual sources for increased production uniformity; control of grain size for optimization of diffusion barriers and rigidity; role of metallic purity and surface cleanliness in Schottky barrier formation; and the use of added temperature and/or plasma power to result in epitaxy with Molecular Beam Epitaxy presented as an example.  The discussion will be kept informal and open to questions from the audience.

Bio: Dr. W. Alan Doolittle is a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.  He received his B.E.E. with highest honors in 1989 and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 1996 from Georgia Tech.  Since this time he worked as a research engineer II at Georgia Tech until he was appointed to the academic faculty in January of 2001.  His principal interest is in the development of nitride-based and crystalline oxide-based devices on innovative substrate materials as well as applying new growth techniques to facilitate material and device improvements.  Dr. Doolittle has pioneered the area of wide bandgap semiconductor growth on lithium-metal-oxides.  Dr. Doolittle was the lead PI on two MURI programs focusing on the development of next generation epitaxial systems for three dimensional epitaxy and on the development and exploitation of epitaxial multifunctional oxides, a newly developing family of materials.  He has authored/co-authored over 127 research papers/presentations as well as numerous technical reports and patents.  In 2004, Dr. Doolittle received a NSF CAREER award for his efforts to integrate, understand and utilize crystalline ferroelectric materials with wide bandgap semiconductors.  His research interests have centered on plasma enhanced molecular beam epitaxy for III-Nitride and complex oxide growth for RF power electronic and optoelectronic devices, mixed III-nitride/carbide/oxide growth, and the electrical and optical characterization of electronic materials including Silicon, Silicon Carbide, III-Nitrides, complex metal oxides, dielectrics, and arsenide/phosphide/antimonide based III-V materials.  His current focus is on multifunctional complex oxide materials, growth of high quality III-Nitride materials for solar, RF electronic and optoelectronic devices, and growth of materials for neuromorphic memristor applications.