Understanding the structure and unusual properties of ion implanted amorphous germanium

The overarching aim of this project is to explore and understand the structure and unusual properties of amorphous germanium. One point of significance is that germanium has risen to prominence recently as a result of the technological enhancements it can provide to silicon for fast electronic and photonic applications. However, the amorphous form of germanium and its unexpected properties are little understood in comparison with silicon and a second and more important motivation is to set the framework for vastly improved understanding of its structure and properties so that its undesirable properties can be avoided and attractive properties exploited for new applications.