MMAE 2023–2024 Seminar Series: Partha S. Dutta

The Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering presents a 2023–2024 Seminar Series featuring guest speaker Partha S. Dutta who will give a presentation on “Bulk Crystal Growth of Ternary III-V Compound Semiconductors.”  This seminar will take place on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 in the auditorium (room 104) of the John T. Rettaliata Engineering Center from 3:30–4:30 p.m. This event is open to all graduate students and faculty.

Abstract

Bulk Crystal Growth of Ternary III-V Compound Semiconductors

Modern electronic, photonic and fiber optic technologies have been made possible by III-V compound semiconductor materials and devices. Current device structures are based on epitaxial layers of ternary and quaternary compounds grown on binary substrates of GaAs, InP, GaP, InAs, GaSb, and InSb. Some of the niche applications require bulk ternary substrates of different band gaps and lattice constants. However, the industrial crystal growth technology and optimized process parameters established for binary crystals cannot yield ternary crystals that are application worthy. This talk will discuss the fundamental challenges that have impeded the progress of ternary crystal growth. Defects such as cracks, inclusions, and spatial compositional fluctuations are common in ternary crystals unless special processes are used during crystal growth. Some of the recent advances made to overcome these challenges during the growth of 50–150 mm diameter GaInAs, GaInSb, InAsP, and GaInP bulk crystals using vertical gradient freezing (VGF) technique will be presented. The precise control of heat and mass transport in the melt during the crystal growth, along with dopant incorporation strategies that are necessary during ternary crystal growth will be discussed. Specialized equipment developed for ternary crystal growth that requires precise gradient control for radial and longitudinal homogenous crystals will be presented.

Bio

Partha S. Dutta is the chief technologist at United Semiconductors in Los Alamitos, California and a professor emeritus in the electrical, computer and systems engineering (ECSE) department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York. Prior to his current position, he served as a professor in the ECSE department at RPI from 2000 to 2022 and as the deputy director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center from 2010 to 2015. 
  
He received his Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Recently, he received an Honorary D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) from the RKDF University, Bhopal, India for his innovative contribution in the field of engineering, science, and technology with societal impacts.  
 
His research interests are in the areas of crystal growth, semiconductors, and nanotechnology. He has co-authored over 150 research papers, five book chapters, and inventor of 21 issued U.S. patents. Dutta’s crystal efforts over three decades have led to the successful development of ternary III-V semiconductor bulk crystals for electro-optic applications. Currently he is leading a NASA funded microgravity crystal growth and In-Space manufacturing project. 
 
Dutta is also an entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in laboratory to market ventures. He has engaged in a wide gamut of TRL-1 through TRL-9 technology and product development activities with applications in the oil and gas, aerospace, defense, lighting and display, and healthcare industries. He is the co-founder of three start-up companies.