Computational and Physical Electronics

Members in Computational Electronics employ advanced computational methods to model electronic and thermal transport, quantum and optical processes in nanostructures, and to construct simulations of nanoscale material and device behavior. The group members make extensive use of physical theory and computing resources in their modeling work.

Research in Physical Electronics covers the realm from evolutionary advances in electronics and optoelectronics to revolutionary advances based on atomic-scale fabrication. Nanotechnology has permeated much of the work in this area; from the incorporation of quantum dots in semiconductor heterostructures to the use of promising new carbon nanotechnologies based on carbon nanotubes and graphene. Backing the experimental work is a strong simulation effort in which multiscale tools have been developed to enable simulations from atoms to devices.

Research

Nano-Electrolytics through Artificial Membrane Nanopores

Computational Electronics research shows that the use of p-n semiconductor membranes for bio-molecule detection and manipulation provides enhanced tunability of the electrolyte double layer in nanopores, and improves the membrane functionality in terms of ionic filtering and ionic current rectification.

Nanofabrication In Physical Electronics

Electron beam and novel scanning tunneling microscope- based methods have been developed for fabrication down to single atom precision. Novel CVD processes have been created for micro- and nanoscale applications. A spin-off of the STM work has resulted in deuterium processing being adapted by industry to dramatically reduce hotcarrier degradation effects in CMOS and flash memory technologies.

Nanophotonic and Nanoelectronic Materials

This research area is focused on innovative science associated with synthesizing such extraordinary combinations of materials. This work also encompasses thin films for energy applications such as solar cells, non-volatile data storage, and fundamental measurements of optical, thermal and electrical properties.

Thermoelectronics of Carbon-based Materials

Computational Electronics has demonstrated that metallic carbon nanotubes, new nanoscale materials with unusual electrical, mechanical and thermal properties, exhibit vanishing thermoelectric power due to the electron-hole symmetry, while they satisfy a restricted form of the Wiedemann-Franz law in the linear current regime, in agreement with experiments.