Morehead RF Micro Characterization Lab
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:44AM 
The RF/micro characterization lab at the Morehead State University Space Science Center is developed to meet the needs of measurement and characterization from DC up to 40 GHz on electronic and MEMS devices as well as their related materials. Meanwhile, the lab serves as an instructional role to nurture students experimental skills and promote efficient teaching and learning in various existing courses. The instruments in this lab are deliberately acquired to provide the complete capability for conducting the reliability testing on RF MEMS switches; the device characterization on diodes, transistors and solar cells; and the non-destructive I-V and C-V measurements on dielectric and high-k metal oxide films. The entire lab room can be switched to the yellow light condition for performing photolithographic processes.
Currently active projects include:
1. p-type ohmic contact for heterojunction bipolar transistors
This research is to develop an optimized ohmic contact on a thin p-type base of AlGaAs/GaAs and InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs).
2. Reliability of RF MEMS switches
Various novel contact structures are being investigated for more reliable MEMS switches. A second mechanical spring approach is also being evaluated in improving the reliability of MEMS switches.
3. Photovoltaic decay of thin-film CdTe solar cells
This is an on-going research on the photovoltaic decay behavior of CdTe/CdS thin-film solar cells. The goal is to improve the fundamental understanding of CdTe devices and thus lead to even further advances in cost per watt for CdTe/CdS thin-film solar cells.
4. High-dielectric constant metal oxide materials
This research project is to develop high-dielectric constant metal oxide materials as replacements for the conventional gate oxide, SiO2, used in MOSFET technology.
The RF/micro characterization lab is still under construction, and lab activities are being developed. The following existing courses use this lab:
ITEC 242 Communications Electronic Circuits
ITEC 342 Electronic Devices and Circuits
ITEC 445 Computer electronics
PHYS 211 Circuits
PHYS 361 Fundamentals of Electronics
ITEC 355/ITEC 655 (graduate) VLSI Design
ITEC/SSE 341 Solid State Devices
Official Website: http://ssc.moreheadstate.edu/
For more information please contact:
Qingzhou Xu