2025 DEVCOM ARL Summer Student Experience: Laser Spectroscopy of Ultra-Wide and Wide Bandgap Semiconductors

Research Project

New ultra-wide and wide bandgap (U/WBG) semiconductor materials are important to making advances in power and RF electronics, and ultraviolet (UV) opto-electronics. This project applies laser spectroscopy techniques, including photoluminescence and time-correlated single photon counting, to understanding electron-hole dynamics in these new materials. This understanding is used to provide feedback to team members so they can grow better materials and design improved devices including transistors, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and laser.

Advisor Name: LeighAnn Larkin

Advisor Email: leighann.s.larkin.civ@army.mil

About Electromagnetic Spectrum Sciences (EMSS) 

Novel approaches to sensing and operating across the entire electromagnetic (EM) environment; counter-sensing across the EM spectrum; protection from EM effects; emerging concepts for RF, radars, and electronic warfare (EW).

About the ARL-RAP Summer Student Experience (SSE)

The DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Research Associateship Program (RAP) Summer Student Experience (SSE) is an educational program that allows undergraduate through PhD students and recent bachelor’s and master's degree graduates to participate in a paid research experience at a Department of Defense laboratory over the summer break.  Participants are paired with scientists and engineers at ARL who are helping to shape and execute the Army's program for meeting the challenge of developing technologies that will support Army forces future operational needs.  As a participant in the ARL-RAP SSE, you will be part of high priority research efforts that are broadly supported by 11 research competencies.  While ARL has identified several specific research topics, the opportunity for general research may also exist under each competency. 

About DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Research Associateship Program (RAP)

The Army Research Laboratory Research Associateship Program (ARL-RAP) is designed to significantly increase the involvement of creative and highly trained scientists and engineers from academia and industry in scientific and technical areas of interest and relevance to the Army. Scientists and Engineers at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) help shape and execute the Army's program for meeting the challenge of developing technologies that will support Army forces in meeting future operational needs by pursuing scientific research and technological developments in diverse fields such as: applied mathematics, atmospheric characterization, simulation and human modeling, digital/optical signal processing, nanotechnology, material science and technology, multifunctional technology, combustion processes, propulsion and flight physics, communication and networking, and computational and information sciences. 

About Army Research Directorate (ARD)

ARL’s Army Research Directorate (ARD) focuses on exploiting concept development, discovery, technology development, and transition of the most promising disruptive science and technology to deliver to the Army fundamentally advantageous science-based capabilities through ARL's 11 research competencies. This intramural research directorate also manages the laboratory’s essential research programs, which are flagship research efforts focused on delivering defined outcomes.