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Igor A. Popov

Dr. Popov has left our group and is now working for Alcatel in Antwerp

April, 3, 1968 -

Major field of scientific interest is Physics of Non-Crystalline Semiconductors. From my personal point of view: Progress in thin film electronics is often goes through the device, design while gain in device performance based on better-for-the-given-purpose thin films is in many cases underestimated.

Non-crystalline materials suggest extreme freedom in material engineering, controlling the properties of the thin films through structure, without altering chemical composition. As an example:

• a-C – structure control on the close order level;
• a-Se – structure control on the medium order level;
• a-Si – structure control on the defect subsystem level (electro-optical properties only) – or, as shown in the latest works of Prof. Mashin, – structure control on the c l o s e order level.

Such power should be used, not ignored.

Considering all the above it is not a big surprise that the main field of my the research interest is:

Enhancement of the thin-film performance based on structural properties of non-crystalline materials.

Education:

Ph.D. in Applied Electronics from University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium. The public defence was on 19/2/2001.

”a-SiN:H X-ray sensor array”: Thesis dealing with the development of “all a-Si” cost effective 2D X-ray sensor array using the a-SiN:H TFD in avalanche multiplication mode for digital radiography and non-destructive testing. Introductory part could be found here ( .pdf file)

Candidate of Science (PhD) in Physics of Semiconductors and Dielectrics from Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Technical University), Moscow, Russia, 1993.

“Metastable electronic states in a-Si:H thin films and their influence on TFT performance”. Thesis dealing with methods of control of density of localised states distribution in a-Si:H in-situ and after deposition and how solving this “purely academic” problem allowed to boost up a-Si:H TFT’s performance in AM LCD. In Russian, papers in Semiconductors at the end of this page give the basic framework.

Engineer, Electronic engineering, Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Technical University), Moscow, Russia, 1991.

Work Experience:

1991: R&D Project Engineer, Department of Microelectronics and Semiconductor Devices, Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Technical University), Moscow, Russia. Field: Technology and application of a-Si:H, CdSe/CdTe thin films in solar cells; a-Si:H Thin Film Transistors.

1992 - 1994: Consultant Research Institute of Molecular Electronics, Moscow, Russia. Field: Tech-nology of a-Si:H Thin-Film Transistors in AM arrays, optimisation of a-Si:H thin films - improvement of device performance on the base of the structural properties of the material.

1993 - 1994: Assistant professor, Department of Microelectronics and Semiconductor Devices, Moscow Power Engineering Institute (Technical University), Moscow, Russia. Field: Courses of “Physics of semiconductors”, “Physics of semiconductor devices”.

1994 - 2000: Research fellow, ELIS-TFCG/IMEC, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium.

Field:

• a-SiN:H Thin-Film Diode matrixes for LCD,
• a-SiN:H TFD x-ray sensor arrays,
• PECVD of thin SiO_xN_y:H films: from SiO₂ to Si₃N₄ – tailoring film’s properties to the application needs, from gate dielectric to passivation or etch masks.
• Optical interconnection (on board, back-plane board) with organic-inorganic polymers (example:ORMOCERS) or with help of fiber-in-board.

Professional Affiliations:

Materials Research Society

Among the other things I like to use in my work these are the favorite:

• Taguchi's System of Experiment Design (SED) - great and very effective tool when it comes to technology experiments; tailoring the material properties to the needs of application;
• Taboo search - well, we all want to find real answers for real life problems, and we want it fast. Taboo does it - especially while working on SED data. Here is "philosophy" behind making SED and Taboo work together.
• BASIC family - no, I am not into professional programming :)
• Cadence - in this line of work there are a lot of test vehicles.

Some useless info, but somehow I'd want to mention it - check out Marquis Who'sWho in the World

Over 30 scientific publications + 2 patents (RF)

Selected Publications:

I.A.Popov, L.D. Nazarova, Predicting the stability of the characteristics of thin-film transistors on the basis of fundamental characteristics of a-Si:H films, Semiconductors 28 (6) June 1994 pp 564-566

I.A.Popov , A. Van Calster, J. Lernout, Stable a-SiN:H TFD for use in X-ray environment, Proc. AsiaDisplay'95, Hamamatsu, Japan, 1995, pp. 297-300

I.A.Popov, Structural modification of films of amorphous hydrogenated silicon using ultraviolet radiation, Semiconductors 30 (3) March 1996 pp 258-261

I.A.Popov, A. Van Calster, BP Tchernorotov, Production of stable a-SiN:H TFD for use in x-ray image sensor, Proc. Int. Sem. Noise and degradation processes in semiconductor devices, Moscow, Russia, 1996, pp. 314 - 320

I.A.Popov, A. Van Calster, H. De Smet, E. Boesman, F.Callens, 2D direct X-ray sensor array on the base of a-SiN:H thin films; Proc. EuroDisplay'96, Birmingham, England, 1996, pp.431-433

I.A.Popov, G. Van Doorselaer, A. Van Calster, H. De Smet, F. Callens, E.Boesman, Prototype of 2D direct X-ray a-SIN:H sensor array; Proc. SPIE Solid State Sensor Arrays: Development and Applications II, V3301, 1998, pp.126 - 130

I.A.Popov, G. Van Doorselaer, A. Van Calster, H. De Smet, F. Callens, E.Boesman, a-SiN:H TFD sensor array for digital radiography, Proc. ICPS (International congress on digital radiography) Antwerp, Belgium, 1998, pp. 315 - 319.

I.A.Popov, G. Van Doorselaer, A. Van Calster, H. De Smet, F. Callens, E.Boesman, Material aspects of a-SiN:H based 2D direct X-ray sensor ar-ray; Proc. MRS Amorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon Technology, V. 507, 1998, pp.231 - 236.

I.A.Popov, G. Van Doorselaer, A. Van Calster, H. De Smet, F. Callens, E.Boesman, a-SiN:H thin films for x-ray sensor array, Proc. Int. Sem. Noise and degradation processes in semiconductor devices, Moscow, Russia, 1999, pp. 123 - 129

I.A. Popov, G. Van Doorselaer, A. Van Calster, H. De Smet, J. De Baets, F. Callens, E. Boesman a-SiN:H thin film diode for digital radiography, to be published in MRS 2000 proceedings on Amorphous and microcristalline semiconductors.

I.A. Popov, A. Van Calster, J. De Baets, H. De Pauw, Implementation Of The System Of Experiment Design And Taboo Search Into SiON Thin Film Technology, III SIAM conference on Mathematical aspects of material science, 2000.

	Dr. ir. Igor Popov Now working for Alcatel Antwerp
ELINTEC-TFCG Technologiepark 914 B-9052 Gent, Belgium	ex-coworker