This summer I spent 6 weeks at Boston University through their Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) program. I was selected to conduct research at a physics lab through their internship track. Specifically, I researched at an x-ray diffraction lab under the supervision of Professor Karl Ludwig.

Research

While the lab I researched in is an x-ray diffraction lab, I specifically worked on correlating stress development and nanopattern formation of Silicon under low-energy ion bombardment.

Nanopattern formation can occur as a result of ion beam sputtering (IBS) which is a process where a beam of ions is used to bombard a target sample. I was researching whether stress from IBS correlates to nanopattern formation. Previous experiments have confirmed nanopattern formation under room-temperature IBS and shown that the surface of the crystalline sample is amorphized. My research focused on analyzing this phenomenon using an experimental arrangement of demonstrated purity. Throughout the summer we set up a vacuum chamber with a Multi-Beam Optical Stress Sensor (MOSS) system. Below is a picture of the actual chamber as well as a simplified rendering.

The MOSS system measures the change in spacing between reflected laser beams. Since these beams were parallel at incidence, the change in distance between their reflections can be attributed to material curvature. This allows us to calculate Mean Differential Spacing (MDS), which, in combination with Stoney’s equation, gives us the material stress.

After bombardment, post-facto Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS) techniques were used to analyze surface morphology and determine possible patterning.

Excursions and Activities

Outside of the lab, the RISE program also included various fun activities and excursions such as Red Sox Games, the New England Aquarium, Assembly Row, Newbury Street, and a farewell dance.

Poster Symposium

Finally, on the last day of RISE was the poster symposium. There, everyone from both the RISE internship and practicum tracks presented what they have been working on during the summer. For internship students who have been working in a lab, this meant creating a poster summarizing their research and findings.

I had an amazing experience at BU this summer, and am truly grateful for the opportunities I had and knowledge I gained through the RISE program and my lab group!