An Example of a Collaborative Research/Educational Program

SOUKUP, Rodney¹ & SOUKUP, Ladislav²

¹ Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0511, U.S.A., rsoukup@unl.edu, http://www.engr.unl.edu/ee
² Division of Optics, Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague 8 Czech Republic, soukup@fzu.cz, http://www.cas.cz/en/pdf/FZU.PDF

Abstract: Personnel in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and the Division of Optics, Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic have had a close working relationship since 1990. Although it sounds as if there is very little in common between the two groups, the contrary is true. Common areas of research between the two groups are in such areas as ellipsometry, thin films of a variety of types for a variety of purposes, and, most recently, the study of rf supersonic plasma discharges.

The collaborative effort is now at a high plateau, a recent Ph.D. graduate of Charles University and an employee of the Czech Academy is working as the Robert M. Stephens Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Nebraska.

Keywords: collaboration, exchange, research, plasma

1 Initiation

In 1990 I, Dr. R. J. Soukup, planned to attend the Frontiers in Education Conference in Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. Shortly before departing for Europe, one of the faculty members in in the Department of Electrical Engineering presented me with a reprint request which he had received from Czechoslovakia. The reason it was brought to my attention was that the request came from Dr. L. Soukup of the Academy of Sciences. Since I had planned to extend my stay and visit Prague, I wrote to him and asked him if we could meet. Both he and another colleague of mine at Charles University asked me to present a talk on my research and I agreed to do so.

We did meet at the Czech-Austrian border and spent a few days in southern Bohemia where my ancestors originated. We then went to Prague where I visited their laboratories and Charles University. The seminar, actually two talks, was presented at the Academy of Sciences and was a joint venture between them and Charles University. Upon departure we agreed to attempt to find a common bond, other than our surnames, which we could use to further the research interests of both our organizations.

During the following academic year we stayed in contact. I was asked to return to Prague to present another talk at the Academy, it was another joint venture between Charles University and the Institute. In addition, an engineer on the staff of the Institute of Physics at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Petr Siroky, joined the staff of the department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Nebraska for a month. The collaborative effort was short lived, but did result in a conference paper co-authored by a faculty member, Paul Snyder and Dr. Siroky¹. Although that interaction did not continue, the relationship between the staff at the Academy of Sciences and the Department of Electrical Engineering continued at a low level.

2 Continuation

The collaboration continued with a visit by L. Soukup to the University of Nebraska where he presented a seminar in 1993. In 1994, R. J. Soukup went to Prague to deliver another seminar and on to Olomouc to present still another seminar at Palacky University. These seminars were interesting and kept the contacts, but did not lead to any great collaborative relationship. Starting in 1994, papers authored by scientists at the Czech Academy of Sciences were published with some input from R. J. Soukup^2,3,5. A more educational paper coauthored by L. Soukup and R. J. Soukup was presented at the American Society for Engineering Education that summer, and subsequently was published in the proceedings⁴, describing the relationship between the two laboratories.

In 1995 several things happened which brought the relationship much closer than it had been. R. J. Soukup was invited to present a paper⁶ at the International Conference on Advanced Materials and Technologies in Plzen, Czech Republic. Some time was also spent in Prague at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The potential collaborative work was discussed further at that time. However, it was not until later that summer that an agreement on the specific collaborative research was secured. The event that settled the agreement was another visit by L. Soukup to the University of Nebraska. Discussions among the two Soukups and Professor N. J. Ianno led to the agreement that the collaborative research would be centered on the deposition of Si and Si/Ge thin films by means of the supersonic plasma jet with a goal of the fabrication of inexpensive and efficient solar cells.

3 Securing the Collaboration

Ideas of how to proceed with the research were discussed among the faculty of the University and the staff at the Academy. In 1996 Professors Ianno and Soukup visited Prague to learn how to use the deposition techniques developed at the Academy. This trip was fruitful in that a design for a “nozzle” holder was developed and a Si nozzle returned to Lincoln, NE with the professors. Since no funding of any large amount was available for this research, a search for an appropriate vacuum system among the laboratories at the University of Nebraska was undertaken. A suitable, ultra high vacuum system, was found, but it needed some modification. The lack of funds caused another delay.

It was not until the spring of 1998 that funds became available to modify the vacuum system and purchase all the peripherals needed to carry out the research. Although Ianno and Soukup understood much about the deposition fundamentals it was felt that more instruction was needed to initiate the research. At this time it was decided that it would be necessary to have someone spend a summer in Prague to learn the details.

An announcement of the position was made and an undergraduate student with a Czech surname, Chris Hruby, applied for and accepted the position. Professor Soukup and Chris arrived in Prague in early June of 1998. This was looked at as an educational experience for Chris to learn about the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, the plasma jet system, the Czech culture, and Prague. Although he did not partake of any formal educational activities while in Prague, he definitely added to his educational background and resume by spending the summer of 1998 in Prague. He feels that it was a very worthwhile experience and would do it again if the opportunity arose.

Upon his return to Lincoln, Chris joined the laboratory for the fabrication of thin semiconducting films. With his help, the system was assembled so that thin Si and Si/Ge films could be fabricated. No films were made until Zdenek Hubicka arrived in January of 1999 to begin the Robert M. Stephens Postdoctoral fellowship. Since his arrival the system has been improved and tested and the first Si films have been deposited, some at a very high rate. Of course, this experience is a valuable educational experience for Zdenek and his wife, Helena. They have already sampled a great deal midwestern USA life, outside of Lincoln. In addition, she is a volunteer in the Department of Modern Languages at the University of Nebraska where she assists in Slavic languages.

4 Conclusion

Although much of the educational aspect of this collaboration is not engineering in nature and is mainly research oriented, several students are involved. In addition to Chris, there are other students in the thin semiconducting film laboratory who are learning from this project. The educational aspects are not yet widespread, but a considerable amount of material from this project will be incorporated into the course on solar cells, ELEC 978 when it is next taught at the University of Nebraska. It is scheduled for the fall of 1999. In general, the educational aspect of this project will be long term for students in the laboratory and in the classroom in future years.

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