Abstract

Developing the ability to control and manipulate defects in semiconductor materials and devices has been of fundamental importance to the semiconductor industry from its inception. In nanoscale devices the presence of a single defect can have a profound influence on device performance. In many semiconductor device applications, including the solar industry, to achieve optimal device performance defect minimization within the bulk and at interfaces is of paramount importance. To achieve the exquisite control required, detailed attention needs to be given to the appropriate combination of theory, characterization and control. Not all defects are detrimental to device performance and in some cases defects can be used as the active element of a device or material. That is particularly true in the case of emerging quantum devices where single defects with desirable optical and electronic properties are being used to develop quantum computing, quantum metrology and spintronic technologies. The Gordon Research Conference on Defects in Semiconductors will focus on the key issues of defect formation, characterization, control and utilization that need to be addressed for continued development in semiconductor and emerging quantum device technologies.