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Purdue study confirms stable anyon behavior at the edge of quantum matter

Researchers at Purdue University have shown that an unusual kind of quantum behavior stays remarkably stable even when experimental conditions change, giving physicists stronger evidence for a longstanding theory of how exotic quantum states behave at the edge of matter. In a paper published in Physical Review Letters, the team reports that a key signature […]

Gallium Arsenide MBE Lab

Our GaAs MBE is a Veeco Gen II system highly customized to improve overall vacuum quality and resulting crystal purity. Meticulous vacuum hygiene results in base pressure ~1x10-12 torr and all the effusion cells in our system are custom designed by our group in an effort to reduce the thermal load during growth. The lab also houses 2 ancillary vacuum chambers used for cleaning and characterization of components before loading into the MBE. One vacuum chamber has been specifically designed for gallium purification and mates with the MBE so that components can be transferred between chambers without exposure to air. This MBE system has recently produced 2DEGs with low temperature mobility in excess of 30x106cm2/Vs as well as 2DEGs exhibiting the highest excitation gap at ν=5/2 ever measured.

Semiconductor-Superconductor MBE Lab

A new deposition system has been developed and installed that combines MBE growth of high spin-orbit coupling III-V semiconductors, such as InAs or InSb, with superconducting metals, such as Al and Nb, to engineer hybrid materials capable of hosting Majorana fermions. This chamber was installed in 2016, and was producing record breaking material within its first four months of operation.

Low Temperature Measurement Lab

The Manfra low temperature lab performs electrical characterization of two-dimensional electron gases in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. The primary focus is on research related to the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE). Quick characterization of material and devices is performed with a home-made 4K dipper probe equipped with a 2 Tesla magnet while more complete measurements can be made at 300 mK in a Janis He3 cryostat equipped with a 9 Tesla superconducting magnet. Installation of an Oxford Kelvinox He3/He4 dilution refrigerator with a 15 Tesla magnet is also underway which will allow lower (T < 50 mK) temperature examination of FQHE states and measurement of their energy gaps.

Gallium Nitride MBE Lab

The gallium nitride (GaN) MBE system is a Riber 32. The machine includes a load lock, a sample outgassing chamber, and a main growth chamber. In the main growth chamber the system is configured with 2 gallium sources, 2 aluminum sources, a nitrogen plasma source, an indium source as well as a source for silicon. It is equipped with in-situ diagnostics including a reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) gun for measuring sample surface evolution as well as a residual gas analyzer. Projects include the growth of AlGaN/GaN and AlInN/GaN heterostructures both on polar and non-polar GaN substrates for intersubband device applications. In addition this system has been used to produce the highest 2DEG mobility ever reported in an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure.