Alan Campion

campion@mail.utexas.edu
Physical Chemistry
University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Faculty
Dow Chemical Company Endowed Professorship in Chemistry
Alan Campion

Contact Information

Office
WEL 3.114
Office Phone
471-3012
Lab Phone
471-1618
Fax
471-8696

Research Group

Campion Group

Education

BA, New College - Florida (1972);   C.Phil., UCLA (1976);   PhD, UCLA (1976)

Awards

Coblentz Memorial Prize in Molecular Spectroscopy (1999);   Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (1999);   Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar (1999);   Jean Holloway Award for Excellence in Teaching (1999)

Surface physics and chemistry

I am interested in a wide variety of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at solid surfaces or at interfaces. These processes are intellectually interesting because of dimensionality, challenging because of the small numbers of molecules involved and relevant to a number of important technologies such as heterogeneous catalysis and microelectronics. We approach these problems using a sophisticated array of modern surface spectroscopies, including surface Raman spectroscopy, which was pioneered in our laboratory. Our current research can be divided into two general areas: the surface chemistry of the polymer/metal interface and mechanistic studies of chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer epitaxy.

Polymer/metal interfaces

The polymer work relies upon the ability of surface Raman spectroscopy to probe surfaces both in ultrahigh vacuum, and under "real-world" conditions. We have elucidated the surface chemistry of monomers for polyimide, a technologically important polymer, and are extending these studies to probe general features of the polymer/metal interface.

Atomic layer epitaxy

We are studying the physical and chemical mechanisms that underlie chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer epitaxy, important processes for the deposition of thin films of electronic materials. In particular, we have focused upon how remote plasmas can assist the low temperature growth of epitaxial layers and how novel precursor molecules can produce the self-terminating layers necessary for atomic layer epitaxy . The long range goal of these studies is to provide a sound scientific basis for the development of future semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Representative Publications

  • "untitled" Surface Science Letters 304 (1994): L407-L412.

  • "untitled" Surface Science 259 (1991): 207-214.