The goal of this research is to determine parameters that could influence fabrication of silicon nano-tips in submicron films irradiated by eximer laser. In general, the purpose of experimental and theoretical research in this particular field is to deliver reliable techniques to create structures of nano-tips that could be used as emitters for field-emission based devices such as high definition displays. This research requires modern high performance computing because of the complexity of the problem. One needs to simulate two or three dimensional (depending on symmetry) and time dependent physical processes with complicated boundary conditions.

If successful, the outcome of this research might be relevant to the future of computing, since Si nano-tips that are fu rther decreased in radius and increased in height could be used as micro wires in future generations of computers, including quantum computers.