Solid State Electronics and Photonics

Engineering Departments Earn Ohio State Good-to-Great Grants

Andrea Serrani Earns IEEE Control Systems Distinguished Member Award

Ohio State ECE Joins Department of Defense $238M CHIPS and Science Act Award

Ohio State ECE Leaps Six Points in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges issue
Link List
Freeform Text
What is SSEP?
Solid State Electronics and Photonics (SSEP) is a subcategory of Electrical Engineering that focuses on research and development of component level electronic and optoelectronic devices. This includes theoretical modeling and device simulations, epitaxial growth and synthesis, material characterization including microscopy, structural, optical and electrical characterization, device fabrication, micro and nanolithography, electro-optic test and measurement, and multiphysics analysis. Using this process, we make diodes, transistors, solar cells, lasers, light emitting diodes, photodetectors etc. Our coursework and research focus provides a comprehensive training on the theory, modeling, characterization, fabrication, analysis, and application of semiconductor devices. The SSEP faculty, staff, and students are a collaborative team with varied experiences and expertise committed to both education and research.
Our specific research focuses fall into three major areas:
- Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Electronics
- Photonic and Optoelectronic Devices from UV to Infrared
- Material science and device physics using micro/nano-technology
Our graduates are employees of many fortune 500 companies including Intel, Texas Instruments, and Apple. They help companies produce better CPUs, GPUs, RAM, displays, and analog circuits.
Faculty
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Freeform Text
Faculty Research Labs & Shared Facilities
Center for Emergent Materials (CEM) - Electronic Materials and Nanostructures
The Center for Emergent Materials researches topics including emerging optoelectronics with ZnO, wide bandgap power electronics, complex oxide electronics, field effect transistor biosensors, solar cell interfaces, and depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. This group is led by Dr. Leonard J. Brillson.
Electron Device Laboratory
We are working on making the next generation of III-Nitride electronic devices for applications related to communications, energy-efficient power electronics, and extreme-environment logic. We have a range of projects that focus on realizing high-performance GaN devices by harnessing unique transport, heterostructure, and polarization phenomena in these materials. Ongoing projects include ultra-wide band gap high composition AlGaN-channel devices for high-frequency applications, graded channel devices for microwave linearity, vertical high voltage GaN-based PN diodes, GaN-based logic, and Gallium Nitride HEMTs for power switching applications. This group is led by Dr. Siddarth Rajan.
Electronic Material and Devices Laboratory (EMDL)
The Electronic Materials and Devices Laboratory (EMDL) is comprised of students and senior researchers with diverse backgrounds which allows for vertical integration of research in electronic materials, nanostructures, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, electronics, device fabrication, and integrated systems. This group is led by Dr. Steven A. Ringel.
Electronic Materials and Nanostructures Laboratory
The Electronic Materials and Nanostructures Laboratory (EMNLAB) is a group within the physical electronics branch of Electrical Engineering at The Ohio State University. The group focuses on using a wide array of analysis, processing, and growth techniques to investigate the surface, interface, and ultrathin film properties of semiconductors. The group is led by Dr. Leonard Brillson.
The Grassman Group
Our research focuses on the development, production, and characterization of novel materials and combinations of materials for electronic and photonic applications. Of particular focus is the area of photovoltaics, as well as other clean energy technologies. This group is led by Dr. Tyler Grassman.
High Speed Devices and Circuits Lab
The theme of our research is to design, fabricate, characterize, and model electronic devices (diodes, transistors, sensors, supercapacitors, drug delivery devices etc.) around electronic materials (III-V compound semiconductors, nitride semiconductors, perovskites, dielectrics, graphene, polymers etc.) for various applications including high frequency electronics, high power electronics, energy storage, biosensors, gene/drug delivery, and neuromorphic computing. This group is led by Dr. Wu Lu.
Krishna Infrared Detector (KIND) Laboratory
Our group is paving the way for a fourth generation of infrared imaging systems and applications. These imagers will advance the state-of-the-art in multiple dimensions: high operating temperature (HOT), large format (4K ✕ 4K), distinguishing multiple wavelengths simultaneously (multispectral), and using manufacturing processes that can be scaled to reduce cost and improve quality. The culmination of these improvements is an infrared sensor/imager that behaves more like the human eye: able to capture a wide variety of spatial and color information, adjust on-the-fly based on the environment, and provide actionable information directly. This group is led by Dr. Sanjay Krishna.
The Myers Group
We design materials for converting different forms of energy (optical, electronic, thermal) into functions (sensing, energy harvesting, information technology). By using atomic layer-by-layer epitaxial synthesis (plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy) we can engineer the compositional profiles within heterostructures of different materials (wide band gap semiconductor alloys, magnetic superlattices) with exquisite crystalline quality. Using spatially-resolved optical spectroscopy, we measure the optical properties (photoluminescence, absorption) as a function of temperature (down to 5 K). Making use of ultrafast (~140 femto-second) laser pulses, we carry out pump-probe measurements with ~1 pico-second resolution to map out the time scale of electronic excitations, as well as magnetic and spin dynamics. This group is led by Dr. Roberto Myers.
Nanoelectronics and Optoelectronics Laboratory (NOEL)
The Nanoelectronics and Optoelectronics Lab (NOEL) pushes the envelope in next-generation novel semiconductor devices by advancing new quantum tunneling bases devices. For instance, continued scaling of CMOS transistors has increased their performance, but not lowered their operational voltage significantly. Indeed, power consumption issues challenge their efficacy in high-traffic mobile platforms, leading to reduced processor speeds to mitigate the constraints of batteries. But, quantum functional circuits employing negative differential resistance (NDR) elements offers a new paradigm of computing that dramatically drops chip voltages to below 0.5 volt. Tunnel diodes are NDR devices that can meet this demand. And thin vertical devices using III-nitrides have been met with a myriad of materials science challenges, but mastering this family opens new vistas of novel vertical nitride devices using thin heterobarriers. This group is led by Dr. Paul Berger.
Non-Linear RF Laboratory
OSU acquired a large signal network analyzer (LSNA) for the vectorial characterization of the non-linear response of RF systems to periodic signals. The LSNA has the unique ability to measure both the phase and amplitude of periodic RF signals of the fundamentals and harmonics up to 50 GHz (our setup is presently being upgraded to work up 40 GHz). The RF signals can be modulated or pulsed. This LSNA equipment offers unique opportunities for the system identification of non-linear RF systems and the experimental verification of non-linear RF models. Current applications being pursued at OSU include (1) the characterization of traps in GaN HEMTs and materials, (2) the development of accurate device and behavioral models of transistors and power-amplifiers, (3) the interactive design of power amplifiers & oscillators using the real-time active loadpull concept and (4) the linearization of broadband RF power amplifiers. The LSNA acquired has also been specially configured to allow for the characterization of pulsed-RF and UWB systems. This group is led by Dr. Patrick Roblin.
Optics and Photonics Research Lab (OPREL)
We are a multidisciplinary research group working on III-V compound semiconductor technology for materials and devices and molecular beam epitaxial growth and characterization of thin films and nanoscale materials as well as the associated optoelectronic devices. Our research spans the areas of photonic integrated circuits, nanophotonic, semiconductor diode lasers, micro- and nanocavity light sources, and quantum photonics. This group is led by Dr. Shamsul Arafin.
Organic and Printed Flexible Electronics Laboratory (OPFEL)
The ambition of this international collaboration is to deliver the technology to enable a paradigm shift for IoT and medical wearables. Advances in energy harvesting and storage will improve the ability to harvest energy from a variety of sources such as light, radio waves, and motion and store it in printed supercapacitors that are non-toxic and unproblematic at end of life. The exploitation of tunneling devices and novel devices combining atomic layer deposition (ALD) and printing will make possible a new generation of low-power and high-speed circuits for power management, data storage, computation, and wireless communication. As a result, this team will open the path to a true Internet of Things that will cost very little, be placeable anywhere, and deserve the description "environmentally friendly". These objects will be energy autonomous, battery free, be able to sense, process and analyze environmental, body and other information, and transfer it by acceptable wireless protocols to networks of the user’s choice. Because they will be manufactured by low temperature, low cost mass manufacturing processes, they will be ultra-low cost, and able to be put on thin, flexible carriers that make them able to be truly put anywhere. This group is led by Dr. Paul Berger.
SIC Power Devices Reliability Lab
The SIC Power Devices Reliability Lab focuses on researching extending the operating capabilities of high voltage SiC devices, implementation of WBG devices in circuits, circuit topology, system integration as well as SiC devices, and improving SiC wafers and processing for lower costs and higher reliability. This group is led by Dr. Anant Agarwal.
Zhao Laboratory
Our research focuses on the investigation of the growth and physics of WBG and UWBG semiconductor electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices, metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of III-nitride and II-IV-nitride semiconductor thin films and devices, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) of Gallium Oxide thin films, the physics of low-dimensional semiconductor nano-materials/devices, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of novel nanomaterials, and device design/fabrication of novel devices with new functionality. The OSU MOCVD wide band gap (WBG) and ultra wide band gap (UWBG) Semiconductors, Electronics, Optoelectronics, and Energy Laboratory is led by Dr. Hongping Zhao.
Courses

ECE ####: Class Name | Semesters Offered | Credits | Lab/Lecture |
---|---|---|---|
ECE 3030: Semiconductor Electronic Devices | Autumn/Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5031: Semiconductor Process Technology | Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5033: Surfaces and Interfaces of Electronic Materials | Spring; Odd Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5037: Solid State Microelectronics Laboratory | Autumn; All Years | 4 | Lab & Lecture |
ECE 5078: Empowering the Entrepreneurial Engineer | Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5131: Lasers | Spring; Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5132: Photonics | Autumn; Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5234: Si & Widebandgap Power Devices | Autumn; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5237: Photovoltaics Laboratory | Spring; All Years | 4 | Lab & Lecture |
ECE 5530: Fundamentals of Semiconductors for Microelectronics and Photonics | Autumn; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5832: Photovoltaics and Energy Conversion | Autumn; Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 5833: Organic Conducting Devices | Spring; Odd Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6030: MEMS Design | Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6194.10: Advanced Lasers | Spring; Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6234: Design and Process Integration for Wide Bandgap Power Devices | Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6531: Fundamentals of Semiconductor Devices | Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6532: Nanofabrication and Nanoscale Devices | Spring; Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6533: Infrared Detectors and Systems | Autumn, Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 6535: Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices | Spring; All Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 7032: Physical Electronics of Advanced Semiconductor Devices | Spring; Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
ECE 7531: Epitaxial Heterostructures | Autumn & Spring; Odd Years | 2 | Lecture |
ECE 7831: Microwave Semiconductor Devices | Autumn, Even Years | 3 | Lecture |
For more information on all Electrical Engineering courses please refer to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department page.
Events
SSEP Seminar: Computational studies of ultrawide band gap semiconductors: Ga2O3 and LiGaO2
Title: Computational studies of ultrawide band gap semiconductors: Ga2O3 and LiGaO2
Speaker: Prof. Walter Lambrecht, Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University
Date: Friday November 13, 2020
Time talk: 12 pm (noon) – 1 pm
Gathering: 2 pm – 3 pm
Location: Zoom
Abstract: Ga2O3 in the beta structure is now widely studied as an ultrawide band gap semiconductor. I will present our results on modeling electron paramagnetic resonance spectra in β-Ga2O3. Two EPR spectra are related to Ga vacancies, one occurs only after optical or X-ray excitation. Calculations of the hyperfine and g-tensors help to identify which signal corresponds to which vacancy structure. I will also discuss the EPR spectra of Mg and Zn dopants in Ga2O3. Most of the talk, however, will be about introducing two potential new ultrawide gap semiconductors, LiGaO2 and NaGaO2. LiGaO2, has been studied in the past as ceramic and piezoelectric material but we recently showed it should be possible to n-type dope it with Si or Ge. I will present results on the native defects and various dopants in LiGaO2 as well as a study of the EPR parameters of the Li and Ga vacancies, which have already been measured. I will also present GW band structure calculations, showing that LiGaO2 and NaGaO2 both have a wurtzite derived structure with gaps larger than 5.5 eV but have nonetheless interesting differences in the valence band maximum splitting which result in anisotropic absorption onsets. Finally, I will also discuss alternative structures of these materials, which occur at high pressure.
Biography: Walter Lambrecht did his PhD in Physics at Ghent University in Belgium in 1980. After a visiting professorship in Bahía Blanca, Argentina (1982-84) and a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart (1984-1987), he joined Case Western Reserve University as a researcher and became a faculty member there in 1996. He is a Fellow of the APS (2002) and was awarded the Faculty Distinguished Research Award of CWRU in 2018. He works on electronic structure of a broad range of materials.
Gathering: We know that it is hard to build your own network and discuss about research with experts around the world during a global pandemic. Hence, we want to give you the possibility to schedule your own coffee break discussion with our guests. Please, reach out to me (fiedler.44@osu.edu) to plan your private session of about 10-15 min. You can use this time to ask more questions or present your work, and hopefully new collaborations can arise from this.
To view the recording, click here:
62nd Electronic Materials Conference Coming to Ohio State
The Electronic Materials Conference (EMC) is the premier annual forum on the preparation, characterization and use of electronic materials. The 2020 Conference will be held June 24-26 at The Ohio State University, immediately following the Device Research Conference.
EMC will feature a plenary session, parallel topical sessions, a poster session and an industrial exhibition. Mark your calendar today, and plan to attend!
78th Device Research Conference coming to Ohio State
For over seven decades, the Device Research Conference (DRC) has brought together leading scientists, researchers and students to share their latest discoveries in device science, technology and modeling. Notably, many of the first public disclosures of key device technologies were made at the DRC. This year marks the 78th anniversary of the DRC—the longest running device research meeting in the world. As we commemorate this meeting, the high-caliber technical sessions will be highlighted by plenary talks and invited talks by international research pioneers and leaders behind modern electronic technology.
The 2020 Conference will be held June 21-24 at The Ohio State University, and will feature:
Informative, timely short courses in rapidly developing fields
Oral and poster presentations on electronic/photonic device experiments and simulations
Plenary and invited presentations given by worldwide leaders
A university setting which encourages open technical discussion of recent advances
A dinner reception followed by a lively evening “rump” session
Strong student participation, including student travel support and Student Paper Awards
The deadline to submit an abstract is March 1, 2020.
For more information, please visit https://www.mrs.org/drc-2020/02-drc-call-for-papers .
To add an event, email ece-ssep@lists.osu.edu.