Semiconductor Spectroscopy Lab - 101 EES
Microelectronics
Professor Lenahan and his graduate students are collaborating with
researchers at Intel Corporation, Sharp Laboratories of America, International
SEMATECH, and Applied Materials Corporation in studies of new high dielectric
constant based metal oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET)
systems which will almost certainly dominate the microelectronics technology
of the coming decade. His group is also collaborating with researchers
at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, MD, NASA Glenn Laboratory,
and CREE Corporation in the development of high power and high temperature
electronics based upon silicon carbide. With researchers at Texas Instruments
Research and Development Laboratory in Dallas, TX, Professor Lenahan's
group is working to solve a serious problem in present day integrated
circuitry called the negative bias temperature instability.
In all of this microelectronics related research, magnetic resonance and electrical measurements are utilized to provide a fundamental understanding of the materials physics involved in determining the performance of electronic devices. The work is carried out in collaboration with leaders in technology. This collaboration with leading technologists allows the basic research carried out at Penn State to contribute directly to technology. The microelectronics related work in the laboratory thus fits the department's title; it is, literally, Engineering Science.
Quantum Computing
Professor Lenahan's group is working to develop spin-based quantum computing in collaboration with researchers at the National High Magnetic Fields Laboratory (NHMFL). With NHMFL researchers, the group is utilizing very high magnetic fields, a very sensitive electron spin resonance technique called spin dependent recombination, and Pound-Overhauser double (electron and nuclear) magnetic resonance to develop a universal quantum computing gate.
Nuclear Terrorism
Professor Lenahan's group is also working to develop apparatus
to detect nuclear weapons materials using magnetic resonance techniques
(also Pound-Overhauser double resonance) and acoustics. This work is
carried out in collaboration with Professor Tittmann's group (also
ESM) and researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (Professor
Tittmann is an expert in acoustics; and Livermore is a national center
for nuclear weapons research.)
Professor Lenahan and students have published about 125 papers. The
papers have had some impact on the research community; they have been
cited approximately 2500 times in the scientific and technical literature.
In addition to his academic duties, Professor Lenahan serves as associate
editor of the Journal of Electronic Materials, and also serves on the
organizing committees of the IEEE International Reliability Workshop
and the Electronic Materials Conference.
Professor Lenahan's group is supported by grants and contracts
from Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments, the Semiconductor Research
Corporation, International SEMATECH, the National Science Foundation
through the National High Magnetic Fields Laboratory, NASA Glenn Research
Laboratory, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, and with Prof. Tittmann,
the Department of Energy.