Eric A. DeCuir, Jr.

 

Contact Information:

Eric A. DeCuir Jr.
3217 Bell Engineering Center-Rm 3146
Fayetteville, AR. 72701
Email: edecuir@uark.edu
Phone: (479) 575-5444

Website: www.ericdecuirjr.com

 

 

 

Education:

• B.S. Electrical Engineering - Telecommunications: University of Louisiana at Lafayette (December 2002)

• M.S. Microelectronics and Photonics: University of Arkansas (May 2005)

• Ph.D. Microelectronics and Photonics: University of Arkansas (In Progress)

 

Experience:

Fall 2003–Present: Research Assistant: Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR.

Summer 2004–Summer 2006: NSF IGERT Fellow: Univ. of Arkansas: Fayetteville, AR.

Fall 2003–Spring 2004: NSF GK-12 Fellow: Univ. of Arkansas: Fayetteville, AR.

Fall 2002–Spring 2003: Peer Counselor Tutor: Univ. of Louisiana at Lafayette: Lafayette, LA

 

Current Research:

This research on the growth and characterization of III-Nitride materials has and continues to be both challenging and fascinating for our research group here at the University of Arkansas. Currently, this research has explored the growth, optical, and electrical properties of Gallium Nitride (GaN)/ Aluminum Gallium Nitride (AlGaN) multiple quantum well (MQW) structures, particularly for their future application in near-infrared detectors. The growth of these structures was achieved through the use Plasma Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy (PAMBE). During the growth, well and contact regions were doped with Silicon (10¹⁸ cm^-3) to provide carriers for absorption and for the formation of ohmic contacts, respectively. Observation of Interssuband transitions (ISTs) spanning the spectral range of 1.35-2.90 microns has been achieved using an optical absorption technique which involves the use multi-pass waveguide geometries. The observation of these transitions has given insight into the electronic transitions of bound states which is further supported by calculations utilizing a propagation matrix method. Through the use of Electrochemical Capacitance Voltage (ECV) measurements, verification of the activated Si dopants in wells and contact regions has been obtained. Additionally, ECV measurements have enabled the extrapolation of the Fermi energy in relation to the bound energy levels in these structures. Pending studies are to include successful device fabrication and observation of photocurrent in structures yielding absorption.

Goals:

Current plans are to continue research on the growth and characterization of Nitride-based structures, possibly extending into quantum dots and quantum cascade laser studies. Immediate goals involve the successful design and fabrication of a near-infrared detector giving a peak spectral response at 1.55 micron. Other interests outside the scope of this research include RF communications, alternative fuel vehicles, running, and cycling.

 

Publications and Contributions:

• E.A. DeCuir, Jr., Emil Fred, B.S. Passmore, A. Muddasani, M.O. Manasreh, M. Ware, G. J. Salamo, J. Xie, H. Morkoc., Near-infrared wavelength intersubband transitions in GaN/AlN short period superlattices., Appl. Phys. Lett, (2006). Accepted for Publication.

• B.L Liang, Zh. M. Wang, Yu. I Mazur, G.J. Salamo, E.A. DeCuir, Jr., M.O. Manasreh. Correlation between surface and buried InAs quantum dots. Appl. Phys. Lett. 89 043125 (2006).

• E.A. DeCuir, Jr., Y.C. Chua, B.S. Passmore, J. Liang,, M.O. Manasreh, J. Xie, H. Morkoc, A. Asghar, I.T. Ferguson, and A. Payne, Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 829, B2.29 (2005).

• Y.C. Chua, E. A. DeCuir, Jr., M. O. Manasreh, B. D. Weaver, Intersubband transitions in proton irradiated InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum dots, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87 091905 (2005).

• Y.C. Chua, J. Liang, B.S. Passmore, E.A. DeCuir, Jr., M.O. Manasreh, Z. Wang, and G.J. Salamo, Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 829, B1.4 (2005).

• Y.C. Chua, E. A. DeCuir Jr., B.S. Passmore, K. H. Sharif, M. O. Manasreh, Z. Wang, and G. J. Salamo, Tuning In 0.3Ga 0.7As/GaAs multiple quantum dots for long-wavelength infrared detectors, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85 1003 (2004).