We are interested in fundamental transport studies and device research towards more efficient electronics for computation, memory and energy conversion. We fabricate our devices at IBM Watson Research Center through collaborative joint study agreements or at National Nanofabrication User Facilities (Cornell or Harvard) and perform characterization and modeling of materials and devices in our lab. Please find below a brief description of current projects and see our publications for more details.

Phase-change memory

Characterization and modeling of materials and devices for phase-change memories, with a focus on device-level measurements of material properties, and design and modeling of new phase-change elements and access devices.

Thermoelectric transport under large temperature gradients

Thermal gradients > 1 K/nm are obtained in micro and nano-structures that are self-heated to sufficiently high temperatures (such as the silicon structures we are using to study crystallization by self-heating, or phase-change memory devices). Significant thermoelectric effects arise that result in highly asymmetric temperature profiles depending on the electrical current direction. We are studying how these differ from thermoelectric effects under small gradients and how they affect operation of devices and may be utilized for improved devices.

Silicon crystallization by self-heating for large area electronics

We are investigating the possibility of achieving high-quality single crystal silicon by self-heating of patterned nanocrystalline micro or nanostructures on which high performance transistors can be built. Experimental and modeling studies of percolation transport during self-heating of the nanocrystalline silicon structures (which also apply to polycrystalline GeSbTe for phase-change memory devices).

Multi-gate silicon transistors for low power applications

Multi-gate, ultra-narrow bulk silicon transistors are investigated for very low leakage current and for studies of carrier mobility in very narrow channels. Devices are being fabricated at IBM and Synopsis Sentaurus tools are used for process and device simulations.

Light emission from zinc oxide nanorods

We have observed very intense white and blue light emission from films of ZnO nanorods under sufficient electrical bias. We are studying the optoelectronic properties of this material for potential lighting applications. Collaborative project with Alex Agrios (Environmental Engineering).

Solid-liquid phase change oscillators

We have observed large amplitude, 0.8~10 MHz self-sustained oscillations in silicon microwires due to repeated melting and re-solidification when the wires are biased through a suitable parallel capacitor and load resistor combination. We are investigating this device concept for GHz oscillators by appropriate scaling to smaller dimensions.

Instrument development

We have developed setups for high temperature characterization of electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient and Hall mobility of thin films. Currently, the maximum temperature is ~ 800 C (for resistivity and Seebeck, ~ 500 C for mobility).