UC Spark

Dr Martin Ward Allen

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Phone: +64 3 364 2987 ext. 7051
 Office: Electrical & Computer Eng A511

Fields of Research

  • The physical properties and device applications of metal oxide semiconductors
  • The engineering of zinc oxide based transparent transistors for optical displays
  • Visible-blind ultraviolet photodetectors for monitoring human UV exposure
  • Public health research & education programmes in the prevention of skin cancer
  • The role of UV exposure in maintaining healthy vitamin D levels
  • Spontaneous polarization effects in semiconductors

Researcher Summary

Physical properties and device applications of metal oxide semiconductors (in particular the semiconducting oxides of zinc, magnesium, tin, indium, gallium, and their alloys). Transparent thin film transistors for high speed pixel switching in optical displays. UVB photodetectors for monitoring personal UV exposures for the prevention of skin cancer and vitamin D deficiency.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Future Research

  • Polarization doping of metal oxide semiconductors
  • Solid state UV spectral radiometers

Key Methodologies

  • X-ray photoemission spectroscopy
  • Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy
  • Pulsed Laser Deposition
  • Molecular Beam Epitaxy
  • Photoluminescence
  • Nanofabrication
  • Schottky contact fabrication

Research Service

  • Senior Ph.D. Supervisior for S. Elzwawi, Ph.D. Thesis Topic: ‘Metal Oxide Thin Film Transistors’ (2011-present)
  • Senior Ph.D. Supervisor for R. Heinhold, Ph.D. Thesis Topic: ‘Metal Oxide Surfaces and Interfaces’ (2010-present)
  • Senior Ph.D. Supervisior for D. Kim, Ph.D. Thesis Topic: ‘ZnO and ZnMgO based Schottky devices’ (2009-present)

Publications


Journal Article
  • Yang, Y.S., Schleputz, C.M., Bellucci, F., Allen, M.W., Durbin, S.M. and Clarke, R. (2013) Structural investigation of ZnO O-polar (000(1)over-bar) surfaces and Schottky interfaces. Surface Science 610: 22-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.susc.2012.12.018.
  • Cargill, J., Lucas, R.M., Gies, P., King, K., Swaminathan, A., Allen, M.W. and Banks, E. (2013) Validation of brief questionnaire measures of sun exposure and skin pigmentation against detailed and objective measures including vitamin D status. Photochemistry and Photobiology 89(1): 219-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-1097.2012.01221.x.
  • Seckmeyer, G., Klingebiel, M., Riechelmann, S., Lohse, I., McKenzie, R.L., Liley, J.B., Allen, M.W., Siani, A-M. and Casale, G.R. (2012) A critical assessment of two types of personal UV dosimeters. Photochemistry and Photobiology 88(1): 215-222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-1097.2011.01018.x.
  • Sultan, S.M., Sun, K., Clark, O.D., Masaud, T.B., Fang, Q., Gunn, R., Partridge, J., Allen, M.W., Ashburn, P. and Chong, H.M.H. (2012) Electrical Characteristics of Top-Down ZnO Nanowire Transistors Using Remote Plasma ALD. IEEE Electron Device Letters 33(2): 203-205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/LED.2011.2174607.
  • Heinhold, R., Kim, H-S., Schmidt, F., von Wenckstern, H., Grundmann, M., Mendelsberg, R.J., Reeves, R.J., Durbin, S.M. and Allen, M.W. (2012) Optical and defect properties of hydrothermal ZnO with low lithium contamination. Applied Physics Letters 101(6): 062105, 5pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4739515.
  • Elzwawi, S., Kim, H-S., Lynam, M., Mayes, E.L.H., McCulloch, D.G., Allen, M.W. and Partridge, J.G. (2012) Stable n-channel metal-semiconductor field effect transistors on ZnO films deposited using a filtered cathodic vacuum arc. Applied Physics Letters 101: 243508. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4769899.
  • Schlepütz, C.M., Yang, Y., Husseini, N.S., Heinhold, R., Kim, H-S., Allen, M.W., Durbin, S.M. and Clarke, R. (2012) The presence of a (1 × 1) oxygen overlayer on ZnO(0001) surfaces and at Schottky interfaces. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 24(9): 095007, 5pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/24/9/095007.
  • Mendelsberg, R.J., Allen, M.W., Durbin, S.M. and Reeves, R.J. (2011) Photoluminescence and the exciton-phonon coupling in hydrothermally grown ZnO. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 83(20): 205202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.205202.
  • Allen, M.W., Zemlyanov, D.Y., Waterhouse, G.I.N., Metson, J.B., Veal, T.D., McConville C.F., Durbin. and S.M. (2011) Polarity effects in the x-ray photoemission of ZnO and other wurtzite semiconductors. Applied Physics Letters 98(10): 101906 (3 pages). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3562308.
  • Allen, M.W., Swartz, C.H., Myers, T.H., Veal, T.D., McConville, C.F. and Durbin, S.M. (2010) Bulk transport measurements in ZnO: The effect of surface electron layers. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 81(7): 075211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.81.075211.
  • Sarpatwari, K., Awadelkarim, O.O., Allen, M.W., Durbin, S.M. and Mohney, S.E. (2009) Extracting the Richardson constant: IrOx/n-ZnO Schottky diodes. Applied Physics Letters 94(24): 3pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3156031.
  • Allen, M.W., Mendlesberg, R.J., Reeves, R.J. and Durbin, S.M. (2009) Oxidized noble metal Schottky contacts to n-type ZnO. Applied Physics Letters 94(10): 3pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3089871.
  • Allen, M.W., Weng, X., Redwing, J.M., Sarpatwari, K., Mohney, S.E., von Wenckstern, H., Grundmann, M. and Durbin, S.M. (2009) Temperature-Dependent Properties of Nearly Ideal ZnO Schottky Diodes. IEEE Transactions On Electron Devices 56(9): 2160-2164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TED.2009.2026393.
  • von Wenckstern, H., Schmidt, H., Grundmann, M., Allen, M.W., Miller, P., Reeves, R.J. and Durbin, S.M. (2007) Defects in hydrothermally grown bulk ZnO. Applied Physics Letters 91: 022913. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2757097.
  • Allen, M.W., Miller, P., Reeves, R.J. and Durbin, S.M. (2007) Influence of spontaneous polarization on the electrical and optical properties of bulk, single crystal ZnO. Applied Physics Letters 90(6): 062104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2450642.
  • Allen, M.W., Alkaisi, M.M. and Durbin, S.M. (2006) Metal Schottky diodes on Zn-polar and O-polar bulk ZnO. Applied Physics Letters 89(10): 103520-1-103520-3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2346137.
Conference Contribution - Paper in published proceedings
  • Elzwawi, S., Kim, H-S., Heinhold, R., Lynam, M., Turner, G., Partridge, J.G., McCulloch, D.G., Reeves, R.J. and Allen, M.W. (2012) Device quality ZnO grown using a Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc. Nelson, New Zealand: 26th International Conference on Defects in Semiconductors (ICDS 26), 17-22 Jul 2011. In Physica B: Condensed Matter 407(15) 2903-2906. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2011.08.074.
  • Mayes, E.L.H., Partridge, J.G., Field, M.R., McCulloch, D.G., Durbin, S.M., Kim, H-S. and Allen, M.W. (2012) The interface structure of high performance ZnO Schottky diodes. Nelson, New Zealand: 26th International Conference on Defects in Semiconductors (ICDS 26), 17-22 Jul 2011. In Physica B: Condensed Matter 407(15) 2867-2870. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2011.08.032.
  • Partridge, J.G., Kim, D., Heinhold, R., Field, M.R., Durbin, S.M., Reeves, R.J. and Allen, M.W. (2011) Characterisation and device applications of ZnxMg1-xO films grown by pulsed laser deposition. Canberra, ACT, Australia: 2010 Conference on Optoelectronic and Microelectronic Materials and Devices, COMMAD 2010, 12-15 Dec 2010. In IEEE Xplore 2pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/COMMAD.2010.5699790.
  • Sultan, S.M., Sun, K., Partridge, J., Allen, M., Ashburn, P. and Chong H.M.H. (2011) Fabrication of ZnO nanowire device using top-down approach. Cork, Ireland: 12th International Conference on Ultimate Integration on Silicon (ULIS 2011), 14-16 Mar 2011. In IEEE Xplore 3pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ULIS.2011.5757956.
  • Allen, M.W., von Wenckstern, H., Grundmann, M., King, P.D.C., Hatfield, S.A., Jefferson, P.H., King, P., Veal, T., McConville, C. and Durbin S. (2008) Mechanisms in the formation of high quality Schottky contacts to n-type ZnO. Boston, MA, USA: 2007 MRS Fall Meeting, Symposium L - Zinc Oxide and Related Materials, 26-30 Nov 2007. In Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings 1035 L10-06, 6pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/PROC-1035-L10-06.
  • Allen, M.W., Miller, P., Metson, J.B., Reeves, R.J., Alkaisi, M.M. and Durbin S.M. (2007) Schottky contact behaviour as a function of metal and ZnO surface polarity. Boston, MA, USA: 2006 MRS Fall Meeting, Symposium K - Zinc Oxide and Related Materials, 27-30 Nov 2006. In Material Research Society Symposium Proceedings 957 K09-03, 6pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/PROC-0957-K09-03.
  • Durbin, S.M., Lee, W.C.T., Allen, M., Miller, P. and Reeves, R.J. (2006) Role of active oxygen species on growth of ZnO using RF-PAMB. Boston, MA, USA: 2005 MRS Fall Meeting, Symposium EE - Progress in Semiconductor Materials V-Novel Materials and Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications, 28 Nov-1 Dec 2005. In Material Research Society Symposium Proceedings 891 EE08-04, 6pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/PROC-0891-EE08-04.