Electronic Materials Synthesis and Plasma Processing Lab

Ju Hyeon Choi, Ph.D.

Multi-ferroic material synthesis and characterization   

Investigate and optimize the composition, microstructure, morphology, and fabrication of intrinsic and engineered multiferroics for spin-field-effect transistor and advanced memory devices.

Currently: Korea Photonics Technology Institute

Vladan Jankovic

Core-shell nanostructures for plasmonics  

Study gold|rare earth oxide core|shell nanostructures as a potential upconverting (UC) material for solar energy applications. One strategy is to control the spatial distribution of the RE ions while the other is to couple the UC of RE-oxides with plasmonic modes of metal nano-structures.

James Dorman

Multifunctional Metal Oxide Nanostructures   

Metal oxides constitute a versatile class of functional materials ranging from metals to semiconductors and insulators, thus have numerous applications in various technologically advanced fields including microelectronics, optoelectronics, photonics, spintronics, and sensors. Their material property and device functionality can be tailored by controlling their composition, microstructure, and surface functionalization, especially when they are synthesized as nanostructures. 

Ya-Chuan (Sandy) Perng

Engineering Epitaxial Metal Oxides on Wide Bandgap Semiconductors
An atomic layer deposition process is developed to engineer metal oxide thin films on wide band gap semiconductors for power electronics application.  The composition and microstructures of these heterojunctions are investigated, experimentally and theoretically, to elucidate their effects on the device¡¯s electrical performance. 

Nathan Marchack

Plasma Patterning of Complex Materials

Study the gas-phase and surface reactions during a high density plasma etching of metal/metal oxide/semiconductor thin film stacks thought the use of various gas-phase diagnostics (laser interferometry, OES, QMS, IR, Langmuir probe) and surface analysis (IR, XPS, ellipsometry).

Calvin Pham

Atomic layer deposition of complex metal oxides

Assess the effect of composition and spatial distribution of elements in the multiferroics on their magnetoelectricity, thereby enabling a rational design of an optimal material.  Use atomic layer deposition to realize highly conformality synthetic multi-ferroic materials at low temperatures to form strongly coupled interfaces needed to achieve magnetoelectricity. 

Jea (Jay) Cho

Ultra-thin ion conductive films as solid electrolytes for energy storage  

Utilize atomic layer deposition to control the composition, microstructure, morphology, and fabrication of ultra-thin solid electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cell and Li-ion battery, especially in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based micro-power systems.  Assess the improvement in power density per foot print by using conformal ALD coatings to realize the high density integration in 3-D device structures.

Han Chueh

Density functional theory study of complex metal oxides 

Perform theoretical calculations using density functional theory to predict the atomic level properties of simple and complex metal oxide materials, especially the electronic and magnetic properties of metal oxides.

Diana Chien

Jack Chen

Kristen Fernhoff

Comparison of intrinsic and engineered multi-ferroic materials 

Literature review on thin film multi-ferroic materials.  Study BFO thin films deposited by ALD and characterize the magnetoelectric effect. 

Ashley Armenta

Characterization of the Electronic and Electrical Properties of Metal Oxides

Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena, CA

Katia Ameri  (High School Intern)

Marlborough School, Los Angeles, Ca

Electrochemistry Study for Micro-Lithium Ion Batteries

Currently: Stanford University

Brett Berens (undergraduate)

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of Plasma Etched Metal Oxides and
Device Testing

Tara Chang (High School Intern)

Simulation of a Cylindrical Ion Trap as a Micro-Chemical Analyzer

Marlborough High School, Los Angeles, CA.

Currently: MIT

Jongwoo Choi, Ph.D. (postdoctoral researcher)

Spectroscopic Studies of Dielectric/Semiconductor Interfaces

Currently: GE Research, New York

Karen Chu (Masters Student)
 

Electrical Characterization of Carbon-Doped Ta2O5 Films for Embedded DRAM Applications

Currently: Nanomix, Inc., California

Kimberly Cross (Masters Student)
 

Surface Chemistry of Organometallic Precursors

Currently: University of California, Los Angeles

Dolores Cruz (Ph.D Student)

Chemical Microelectromechanical Systems  

Currently: Intel Corporation, California

Carissa Eisler (Undergraduate)

Analysis of Ultra-Thin Films and Interfaces by Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS).

Currently : California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

John Hoang

Sensitizer co-doped Er:Y2O3 Thin Films for Optical Applications

Currently: National Institute of Standards and Technology

Chengche (Jerry) Hsu, Ph.D. (Post Doc)

High Density Plamsa Diagnostics and Simulation

Currently: National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Vladan Jankovic (Masters Student)

FET-based Microchemical Sensors Employing HfO2 and ZrO2

Currently: Northrop Grumman Corporation, California

John Keagy (undergraduate)

Solid State Electronic Device Fabrication

Currently: Graduate Student, UT Austin

Angela Ku (High School Intern)

High Density Plasma Etching Processes

Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena, CA.

Currently: Yale University

Sandy Lao (Masters Student)

Investigation of Plasma Enhanced Deposition of Zirconium Oxide and Hafnium Oxide Thin Films

Currently: Intel Corporation, Arizona

Jingyan (Leo) Li (Masters Student)

Deposition of Functionally Engineered Dielectric Thin Films

Currently: Intel Corporation, New Mexico

Vu Le (Masters Student)

Plasma Reactor Scale Modeling

Currently: Matech Advanced Materials, Westlake Village

Jasmine Lin (undergraduate)

Diagnostic instrumentation on an ECR reactor for thin film deposition

Currently: Process Development Engineer, Novellus Systems, Inc.

You-Sheng (Wilson) Lin, Ph.D. (Ph.D. student)

Synthesis and Integration of High-k Dielectric Materials

Currently: Engineer, UCLA Nanoelectronics Research Facility

Jiurong Liu, Ph.D. (Post-Doc)

Material and Electrical Characterization of Metal Oxides Synthesized by Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

Currently:

Ryan Martin, Ph.D. (Ph.D. Student)

Monica Sawkar-Mathur, Ph.D. (Ph.D. Student)

Yuanbing Mao, Ph.D. (Post-Doc)

Synthesis and Characterization of Metal Oxide Nano-structures

Chris McCormick (undergraduate)

First-Principles Study of Silicon Carbide, a promising wide band gap semiconductor

Currently: Graduate Student, Stanford

Ragesh Puthenkovilakam, Ph.D. (Ph.D. student)

Experimental and Theoretical Studies of High-k Dielectrics on Silicon

Currently: Intel Corporation, Oregon

Desiree Ramirez (Masters Student)

Ion-enhanced Chemical Etching of Metal Oxides in Chlorine Based Plasmas

Currently: Accenture, California

Lin Sha, Ph.D. (Ph.D. student)

Plasma Enhanced Etching of Metal Oxides

Currently: Intel Corporation, Oregon

Yen Ta (Masters Student)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis of halogen etched metal oxide films

Currently: Analog Device, California

Melat Tafesse

Carey Tanner, Ph.D. (Ph.D. Student)

Engineering Compositionally Controlled Crystalline Metal Oxides on Wide Bandgap Semiconductors

Currently: Luna Nanoworks, Virginia

Trinh Tu Van, Ph.D. (Ph.D. Student)

Molecular Beam Simulation of Surface Kinetics

Currently: Intel Corporation, Oregon

Nicky Virdone (High School Intern)

Optical emission analysis of plasma processing

Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena, CA.

Currently: UCLA

Jianjun Wang (Masters Student)

High Density Plasma Enhanced Deposition of Metal Oxides

Currently:

Feng Zhang (Post-Doc)

Atomic Layer Deposition of Ferroelectric Thin Films on Wide Band Gap Semiconductors

Currently: Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Science.

Stephanie Gachot (Masters Student)

Synthesis and Characterization of Metal Silicide Nanoparticles

Currently: Intel Corporation, Arizona

Colleen Loynachan (Summer Intern)

Thin film electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells

Literature review on thin film solid electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell. Study YSZ thin films deposited by ALD and assess the effect of elemental distribution in complex metal oxides on the ionic conductivity of the electrolytes.

Currently: MIT