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Title
Professor
Interim Vice President for Research
Education
D.Phil, Oxford University, 1969
B.Sc., where, when?
Previous Experience
This section is under construction!
Dr. Summers joined UMBC in 1988, having previously performed
Postdoctoral work at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
anywhere else?
Dr. Summers served as the Chair of the Physics Dept 19??- 2005.
In the summer of 2005 Dr. Summers became the Dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at UMBC, and in
2008 became the Interim Vice President for
Research at UMBC.
Professional Interests
Efficient operation of electronic devices depends on the controlled
inclusion of dopant atoms, and on the elimination of unwanted impurities
and structural defects in the constituent semiconductors. Semiconductor
devices used in earth satellites, however, are subjected to irradiation by
particles in the Van Allen belts, which degrade their performance by
introducing radiation-induced defects. Understanding the properties of
radiation-induced defects in semiconductors is therefore essential in
optimizimg the survivability of space electronics as well as being an
interesting part of materials research.
Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) is a powerful tool for studying
defect properties in semiconductor junctions such as those found in solar
cells and other devices, and can be used to measure defect introduction
rates, annealing kinetics, and other important properties. When used with
other techniques such as the Hall effect, DLTS can give detailed
information about the effect of defects on the electrical properties of
semiconductors.
Recent research has concentrated on the properties of radiation-induced
defects in III-V semiconductors such as InP, GaAs, and combinations of
these materials which are important in photonic devices and space
photovoltaic systems. The research is performed in collaboration with
workers at several outside institutions including the Naval Research
Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and industrial
research laboratories.
Selected Publications
“Radiation Response and Injection Annealing of p+n InGaP Solar Cells,” R.J. Walters, M.A. Xapsos, H.L. Cotal, S.R. Messenger, G.P. Summers, P.R. Sharps and M.L. Timmons, 1998, Solid State Electronics .
“The Probability of Large Solar Proton Events and their Effect of the Efficiency of GaAs Solar Cells,”
M.A. Zapsos, S.R. Messenger, R.J. Walters, G.P. Summers and E.A. Burke,
1998, Progress in Photovoltaics, 5.
More to be added...
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Research@UMBC