Dr. R. R. LaPierre

Associate Professor
Department of Engineering Physics

McMaster University
1280 Main Street West, Hamilton
Ontario, Canada  L8S 4L7

office: JHE/A324
email: lapierr@mcmaster.ca
voice:  (905) 525-9140 x 27764
fax:    (905) 527-8409

B.Sc. (Dalhousie), M. Eng. (McMaster), Ph.D. (McMaster), P. Eng

Research Interests

Research Website: http://epic.mcmaster.ca/~lapierre/index.htm
Our current work principally focuses on the growth and characterization of semiconductor materials, and their application in solar cells (photovoltaics), photodetectors, light sources, sensors, quantum information processing, and other optoelectronic devices.  Recently, our focus has been on the growth, characterization, and device applications of semiconductor nanowires.  We have a large effort to develop third generation solar cells. 

 

Selected Publications

2012:

K. Chen, J.-J. He, M. Li and R.R. LaPierre, Fabrication of GaAs nanowires by colloidal lithography and dry etching, Chinese Phys. Lett. 29 (2012) 036105.

A.C.E Chia, M. Tirado, Y. Li, S. Zhao, Z. Mi, D. Comedi and R.R. LaPierre, Electrical transport and optical model of GaAs-AlInP core-shell nanowires, J. Appl. Phys. (accepted for publication, March 29, 2012).

N.C. Vega, R. Wallar, J. Caram, G. Grinblat, M. Tirado, R.R. LaPierre and D. Comedi, ZnO nanowires co-growth on SiO2 and C by vapour advection and Au-catalyzed deposition, Nanotech. (submitted, 2012).

J.P. Boulanger and R.R. LaPierre, Patterned gold-assisted growth of GaP nanowires on Si, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 27 (2012) 035002.

C.M. Haapamaki and R.R. LaPierre, Facilitating growth of InAs-InP core-shell nanowires through the introduction of Al, J. Cryst. Growth 345 (2012) 11.

 

2011:

C.M. Haapamaki and R.R. LaPierre, Molecular beam epitaxy growth mechanisms in InAs/InP nanowire heterostructures, Nanotechnology 22 (2011) 335602.

J.P. Boulanger and R.R. LaPierre, Polytype formation in GaAs/GaP axial nanowire heterostructures, J. Cryst. Growth 332 (2011) 21.

R.R. LaPierre, Theoretical conversion efficiency of a two-junction nanowire on Si solar cell, J. Appl. Phys. 110 (2011) 014310.

Y.A. Pusep, A. Gold, M.C. Mamani, M. Godoy, Y.G. Gobato and R.R. LaPierre, Electron and hole scattering in short-period InGaAs/InP superlattices, J. Appl. Phys. (accepted for publication, 2011).

A.C.E. Chia and R.R. LaPierre, Contact planarization of ensemble nanowires, Nanotechnology 22 (2011) 245304.

N. Tajik, Z. Peng, P. Kuyanov and R.R. LaPierre, Sulfur passivation and contact methods in GaAs nanowire solar cells, Nanotechnology 22 (2011) 225402.

R.R. LaPierre, Numerical model of current-voltage characteristics and efficiency of GaAs nanowire solar cells, J. Appl. Phys. 109 (2011) 034311.

P. K. Mohseni, G. Lawson, A. Adronov, and R. R. LaPierre, Hybrid GaAs nanowire-carbon nanotube flexible photovoltaics , IEEE JSTQE 17 (2011) 1070.

 

2010:

V. Jarvis, J.F. Britten, R.R. LaPierre, Texture analysis of GaAs nanowires, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 26 (2011) 025014.

J. Baugh, J.S. Fung, J. Mracek, and R.R. LaPierre, Building a spin quantum bit register using semiconductor nanowires, Nanotechnology 21 (2010) 134018.

H. A. Budz, M. Ali, Y. Li, R. R. LaPierre, A hybrid aptamer-GaAs optical biosensor, J. Appl. Phys. 107 (2010) 104702.

A. Fakhr, Y.M. Haddara and R.R. LaPierre, Dependence of InGaP nanowire morphology and structure on molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions, Nanotechnology 21 (2010) 165601.

Y.A.Pusep, P.K. Mohseni, R.R. LaPierre, A.K.Bakarov, and A.I.Toropov, A study of disorder effects in random (AlxGa1-xAs)n(AlyGa1-yAs)m superlattices embedded in a wide parabolic potential, Appl. Phys. Lett. 96 (2010) 113106.

J. Caram, C. Sandoval, M. Tirado, D. Comedi, J. Czaban, and R. R. LaPierre, Electrical characteristics of core-shell p-n GaAs nanowire structures with Te as the n-dopant, Nanotechnology 21 (2010) 134007.

E. De Jong, R.R. LaPierre, and J. Z. Wen, Detailed modeling of the epitaxial growth of GaAs nanowires, Nanotechnology 21 (2010) 045602.

M. Tirado, D. Comedi, and R.R. LaPierre, Impedance spectroscopy characterization of GaAs nanowire bundles grown by metal-catalyzed molecular beam epitaxy, J. Alloys and Compounds 495 (2010) 443–445.

D. Comedi, M. Tirado, C. Zapata, S. P. Heluani, M. Villafuerte, P. Mohseni, and R.R. LaPierre, Randomly oriented ZnO nanowires grown on amorphous SiO2 by metal-catalyzed thermal evaporation, J. Alloys and Compounds 495 (2010) 439–442.

 

2009:

P.K. Mohseni, A.D.Rodrigues, J.C.Galzerani, Y.A. Pusep, and R.R. LaPierre, Structural and optical analysis of GaAsP/GaP core-shell nanowires, J. Appl. Phys. 106 (2009) 124306.

H. Bi and R.R. LaPierre, GaAs nanowire/P3HT hybrid photovoltaic device, Nanotechnology 20 (2009) 465205.

M.C. Plante and R.R. LaPierre, Analytical description of the metal-assisted growth of III–V nanowires: axial and radial growths, J. Appl. Phys. 105 (2009) 114304.

H.A. Budz, M.C. Biesinger and R.R. LaPierre, Passivation of GaAs by octadecanethiol self-assembled monolayers deposited from liquid and vapor phases, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 27 (2009) 637 .

S. C. Ghosh, P. Kruse, and R. R. LaPierre, Effect of GaAs (100) surface preparation on growth of nanowires, Nanotechnology 20 (2009) 115602.

J.A. Czaban, D.A. Thompson, and R.R. LaPierre, GaAs core-shell nanowires for photovoltaic applications, Nano Lett. 9 (2009) 148.

P.K. Mohseni and R.R. LaPierre, A growth interruption technique for stacking fault-free nanowire superlattices, Nanotechnology 20 (2009) 025610.

 

2008:

Y.A. Pusep, G.C. Gozzo, and R.R. LaPierre, Interface roughness in short-period InGaAs/InP superlattices, Appl. Phys. Lett. 93 (2008) 242104.

P.K. Mohseni, G. Lawson, C. Couteau, G. Weihs, A. Adronov and R.R. LaPierre, Growth and characterization of GaAs nanowires on carbon nanotube composite films: towards flexible nano-devices, Nano Lett. 8 (2008) 4075.

M.C. Plante and R.R. LaPierre, Control of GaAs nanowire morphology and crystal structure, Nanotechnology 19 (2008) 495603.

H.A. Budz and R.R. LaPierre, Properties of octadecanethiol self-assembled monolayers deposited on GaAs from liquid and vapor phases, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 26 (2008) 1425.

C. Chen, N. Braidy, C. Couteau, C. Fradin, G. Weihs, and R.R. LaPierre, Multiple quantum well AlGaAs nanowires, Nano Lett. 8 (2008) 495-499.

M.C. Plante and R.R. LaPierre, Au-assisted growth of GaAs nanowires by gas source molecular beam epitaxy: tapering, sidewall faceting and crystal structure, J. Cryst. Growth 310 (2008) 356-363.

 

2007:

P.K. Mohseni, C. Maunders, G.A. Botton, and R.R. LaPierre, GaP/GaAsP/GaP core-multishell nanowire heterostructures on (111) silicon, Nanotechnology 18 (2007) 445304.

C. Chen, S. Shehata, C. Fradin, C.  Couteau, G. Weihs, and R.R. LaPierre, Self-directed growth of AlGaAs core-shell nanowires for visible light applications, Nano Lett. 7 (2007) 2584.

D.M. Cornet and R.R. LaPierre, InGaAs/InP core-shell and axial heterostructure nanowires, Nanotechnology 18 (2007) 385305.

S.C. Ghosh, M.C. Biesinger, R.R. LaPierre, and P. Kruse, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of the formation of catalytic Au nanoparticles on ultraviolet-ozone oxidized GaAs(100) substrates, J. Appl. Phys. 101 (2007) 114322.

S.C. Ghosh, M.C. Biesinger, R.R. LaPierre, and P. Kruse, The role of proximity caps during the annealing of ultraviolet-ozone oxidized GaAs, J. Appl. Phys. 101 (2007) 114321.

D.M. Cornet, V.G.M. Mazzetti, and R.R. LaPierre, Onset of stacking faults in InP grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy, Appl. Phys. Lett. 90 (2007) 013116.

 

2006:

C. Chen, M.C. Plante, C. Fradin, and R.R. LaPierre, Layer-by-layer and step-flow growth mechanisms in GaAsP/GaP nanowire heterostructures, J. Mater. Res. 21 (2006) 2801-2809.

M.C. Plante, J. Garrett, S.C. Ghosh, P. Kruse, H. Schriemer, T. Hall, and R. R. LaPierre, The formation of supported monodisperse Au nanoparticles by uv/ozone oxidation process, Appl. Surf. Sci. 253 (2006) 2348-2354.

D.M. Cornet, R.R. LaPierre, D. Comedi, and Y.A. Pusep, High resolution x-ray diffraction analysis of InGaAs/InP superlattices, J. Appl. Phys. 100 (2006) 043518.

Y.A. Pusep, A.G. Rodrigues, J.C. Galzerani, D. Comedi, and R.R. LaPierre, Evidence of the miniband formation in InGaAs/InP superlattices, Brazilian J. Physics 36 (2006) 905.

Y.A. Pusep, A.G. Rodrigues, J.C. Galzerani, D.M. Cornet, D. Comedi, and R.R. LaPierre, Miniband effect on optical vibrations in short-period InGaAs/InP superlattices, Phys. Rev. B 73 (2006) 235344.

M.C. Plante and R.R. LaPierre, Growth mechanisms of GaAs nanowires by gas source molecular beam epitaxy, J. Cryst. Growth 286 (2006) 394-399.