As part of Berkeley's COINS (Center Of Integrated Nano-mechnical Structures) I had the opportunity to participate in research in an experimental physics, condensed matter, group, under Michael Crommie, Phd. This research has promising application in photovoltaics. More specifically my project involved analyzing organic molecules to determine their potential in semiconductors for the purpose of increasing solar cell efficiency. The machine I operated is called a Variable Temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscope, which employs principles of electron tunneling to create a topographical map and analyze electronic spectra at atomic resolution. I spent most of my time searching across the surface of AU(111) for features of various organic molecules as small as 5-10 nanometers in size.  Throughout this process I became intimately familiar in operating the VT-STM, and developed skills in sputtering, annealing, operating tools in a vacuum, analyzing mass spectrometer readings, constructing a Knudsen cell evaporator, and precision controlling the various parameters of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope. In addition, I had the opportunity to participate in the initial stages of building a new STM.



Download the full poster presentation and paper here.