Session P3: FIAP/DCMP/DMP Prize Session: Pake, Adler, IAP

George E. Pake Prize Talk: Silicon:Germanium's Road to Market; A Sceptic's Guide From Surface Science to WiFi

There is an adage that goes, ``Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.'' Though this overstates matters just a bit, it is nonetheless a valuable insight, as much of the success in developing and commercializing silicon;germanium(Si:Ge) technology was derived from the suspension of core scientific ``truths'' in favor of rigorous examination of their origins. In this talk I will review a series of foundational discoveries regarding the inception of growth for Si:Ge alloys that ultimately led to the pervasive deployment of this technology. Inextricably linked to the success of this work was a diverse team of extraordinarily talented individuals who each contributed remarkable insights at critical junctures, a valuable reminder of the potential of collaborative innovation to produce seminal discontinuities in science and technology. I will trace the evolution of collaborative innovation from this nucleus to a foundational business model by which much of current silicon technology is derived.   

David Adler Lectureship Award in the Field of Materials Physics Talk: Novel Nitride and Oxide Electronics

Recent progress in development of GaN-based transistors for gas and bio-sensing applications and amorphous IGZO layers for use thin film transistors (TFTs)on flexible substrates, including paper,will be presented. For the detection of gases such as hydrogen, the gateless GaN transistors are typically coated with a catalyst metal such as Pd or Pt to increase the detection sensitivity at room temperature. Functionalizing the surface with oxides, polymers and nitrides is also useful in enhancing the detection sensitivity for gases and ionic solutions.The use of enzymes or adsorbed antibody layers on the semiconductor surface leads to highly specific detection of a broad range of antigens of interest in the medical and security fields. We give examples of recent work showing sensitive detection of glucose, lactic acid, prostate cancer and breast cancer markers and the integration of the sensors with wireless data transmission systems to achieve robust, portable sensors. The amorphous transparent conducting oxide InZnGaO4 (IGZO) is attracting attention because of its high electron mobility (10-50 cm2.V-1.sec-1), high transparency in the visible region of the spectrum and its ability to be deposited with a wide range of conductivities.This raises the possibility of making low-cost electronics on a very wide range of arbitrary surfaces, including paper and plastics. N-type oxides such as zinc oxide, zinc tin oxide, indium gallium oxide, and indium gallium zinc tin oxide (IGZO) exhibit surprisingly high carrier mobilities even for amorphous films deposited at 300K. This has been explained by the fact that the conduction in these materials is predominantly through non-directional s orbitals which are less affected by disorder than the directional sp3 orbitals which control electron transport in Si. Examples of progress and discussion of remaining obstacles to use of IGZO TFTs will be presented   

Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics Talk: Low energy spread Ion source for focused ion beam systems-Search for the holy grail

In this talk I will cover my personal experiences as a serial entrepreneur and founder of a succession of focused ion beam companies (1). Ion Beam Technology, which developed a 200kv (FIB) direct ion implanter (2). Micrion, where the FIB found a market in circuit edit and mask repair, which eventually merged with FEI corporation. and (3). ALIS Corporation which develop the Orion system, the first commercially successful sub-nanometer helium ion microscope, that was ultimately acquired by Carl Zeiss corporation. I will share this adventure beginning with my experiences in the early days of ion beam implantation and e-beam lithography which lead up to the final breakthrough understanding of the mechanisms that govern the successful creation and operation of a single atom ion source.   

Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics Talk: Start-up Company (Ad)Ventures -- the Highs {\&} Lows

Each start-up company is a unique enterprise, with its own strengths, weaknesses, challenges and eventual outcome. However, there are many aspects common to all new technology companies, including the need for: 1. An innovative technology edge. 2. A solid product idea. 3. A team with experienced people in at least some of the key jobs. 4. Adequate initial funding to achieve some significant milestones. 5. Patient investors who can persevere through the inevitable hard times. 6. A liquidity/exit strategy clearly articulated from day one. The case studies of how other companies were started and developed can provide useful insights into what may lie ahead for the founders of a new company. Several examples from my own experience will be discussed. While they are all clearly different, there are common threads running through all of these stories. Some thoughts on what went right or wrong, and what could have been done better will be presented.