Nanoelectronics Researcher Receives AFOSR Grant

Eui-Hyeok Yang, PhD, has received a three-year grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) under the Physics and Electronics Directorate for nanoelectronics research based on carbon nanotube (CNT) quantum dots. The specific amount of the grant was not disclosed. Yang, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., will serve as the principle investigator on the project, titled "Ultra-High-Speed Single Electron Memory Devices Based on Carbon Nanotube Quantum Dots." Yang and the research team will exploit novel in-plane CNT structures and investigate their quantized energy properties for use in future high-speed, low-power electronics. “New analog and digital electronic devices based on single-electron behavior are considered strong candidates to replace silicon transistors in future ultradense, low-power, high-speed electronics," Yang said. "Carbon nanotubes possess enormous potential to facilitate superior single electron transport functionality due to unique properties such as high electron charging energy, short electron traversal time and high thermal conductivity. Despite the promise of vastly superior performance of CNT structures, several fundamental issues in the fabrication and characterization need to be researched and resolved for single-electron memory applications.” His project team consists of two other Stevens faculty members, professor Frank Fisher of Mechanical Engineering and Stefan Strauf, assistant professor in the Physics and Engineering Physics department. Dan Choi, a professor at the University of Idaho, will also participate.