REU PResearch Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Projects

The following faculty and research groups are participating in this program. Each group has one or more projects available for Fellows, described as follows:

Kyeongjae Cho, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering:
Title: Materials by Design
Description: REU Fellow will participate in the research on rational design of device materials using atomic scaling modeling methods which can contribute the accelerated development of the new technology materials based on fundamental understanding on their atomic and electronic scale properties. We have been investigating the BEOL process compatible oxide semiconductors for monolithic 3 dimensional (M3D) integration of functional devices in the intermediate interconnect layers. Fellow will work with doctoral students on using the rational design approach to oxide semiconductors based on DFT calculations, exploring the complex oxide material parameter space and charting possible pathways to develop both p-type and n-type oxide semiconductor candidates for BEOL CMOS applications. The expected task of the Fellow is to use device simulator, Ginestra, to investigate the device performance characteristics of BEOL transistors following the guidance of graduate students

Joseph Friedman, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering:
Title: Neuromorphic and Logical Computing with Emerging Technologies
Description: REU fellows will perform experimental and simulation studies of neuromorphic and logical circuits based on emerging semiconductor device technologies. The experimental efforts will demonstrate the feasibility, performance, and/or efficiency of novel circuit structures that includes multiple interconnected switching devices. The simulation efforts will evaluate the relationships between semiconductor material parameters and device geometries on circuit operation, thereby enabling the design of semiconductor devices that lead to efficient and accurate neuromorphic and logical computing systems. This project will thus provide insight into the full stack of computer system design, from device physics to circuit design and computer architecture.

Julia W. P. Hsu, Professor and Texas Instruments Distinguished Chair in Nanoelectronics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering: Solution-processed Thin-film Optoelectronics
Title: Solution-processed Thin-film Optoelectronics
Description: REU fellows will work closely with graduate students to perform all aspects of fabricating and testing optoelectronic devices. For solar cells, they will learn to prepare the precursor solutions for the light-absorbing material as well as the transport layers. They will then build the solar cells layer-by-layer from the bottom up. They will perform annealing, either using a hot plate or intense pulsed light on each layer to achieve the desired properties. Finally, they will measure and analyze the characteristics of the solar cells. The activities will provide the REU fellows learning opportunities for a wide range of experimental techniques.

Jiyoung Kim, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering:
Title: Atomic Layer Deposition of Hafnium Zirconate for Ferroelectric Memory Applications
Description: REU Fellows will get the opportunity to have a flavor of diversified device fabrication/integration techniques, measurements, and evaluations of capacitive/resistive experimental device structures (thin metal-oxides, nanohole structures, high-ĸ dielectric thin films) along with electrical characterizations for evaluating device reliability and failure studies. Furthermore, the Fellows will participate in performing material characterizations of the investigated thin films and/or substrates for determining film composition, morphology, density, crystallographic orientations, dielectric constant. Understandings on the material properties in conjunction with device’s electrical behavior is crucial for overall enhancement in device design and performance. Fellows will primarily carry out both the electrical and material characterizations of test devices and will be trained on manipulating, plotting, analyzing, and organizing the resulting data. These projects will provide a top-notch experience on a wide range of state-of-the-art fabrication and characterization tools.

Moon J. Kim, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering:
Title: Advanced Microscopy of Novel Electronic Materials for Future Technologies
Description: This project is designed to introduce REU students to the cutting-edge characterization tools and techniques for developing and discovering of new materials. REU students are expected to participate in the characterization of advanced materials and devices by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam (FIB), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As part of their participation, they will be trained for these instruments and are expected to use them to observe various forms of nanostructures, including nanoparticles, nanotubes, and 3-dimensional layered heterostructures. Various sample preparation and imaging techniques will be included as part of the training and hands-on experience. The artistic expression of the scientific images in the form of NanoArt will also be introduced to stimulate their imagination and discover the hidden aesthetic beauty of the nanostructured materials.

Gil Lee, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering:
Title: Carbon Nanotube Forest Growth for Sensors and Energy
Description: REU fellows will participate on the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and spinning of CNT forest. They will characterize the CNT forest and find the best CNT growth condition to make a spinnable CNT forest. The electrical properties of CNT sheets will be characterized.

Jeong Bong (JB) Lee, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering:
Title: Micro sensors and microfluidic devices
Description: REU Fellows will participate either in the design, fabrication/characterization of miniaturized sensors (e.g., pressure, strain), biomedical microdevices, or microfluidic devices. REU Fellows who participate in the design will have training on a Multiphysics computer simulation software COMSOL and design a new set of micro/nano sensors. For those who participate in the fabrication/characterization will directly access our 3D printers and the UT Dallas Clean Room facility to build pre-designed sensors and have hands-on experience on how the fabricated devices are characterized. For those who are interested in circuits will have experience on flexible printed circuit board (PCB) design and building of flexible board of wireless sensing board using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). This project will provide hands-on experiences to the participating students about the design, fabrication and measurement of micro/nano devices utilizing state-of-the-art microfabrication facilities (UT Dallas Clean Room) and computer simulation software (e.g., COMSOL).

Kyle McCall, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering:
Title: Synthesis and Characterization of Emissive Semiconductors
Description: REU Fellows will participate in the synthesis and characterization of semiconductor materials as potential phosphors for solar energy conversion or white-light applications, which are crucial for reducing our energy footprint. Fellows will utilize both solution and solid-state syntheses to compare the effect of preparation on the optical properties of materials, and will gain experience in structural characterization of the prepared compounds. Optical characterization of the emission and absorption properties of the prepared materials will permit Fellows to evaluate the performance of these phosphors. This project introduces cutting-edge materials chemistry techniques, phase determination techniques, and optical characterization tools, giving Fellows a wide range of experience in the materials science of complex semiconductors.

Manuel Quevedo-Lopez, MSE Department Head, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering:
Title: Perovskite Materials for Neutron Detection
Description: REU Fellows in the Quevedo-Lopez group will learn how to synthesize and characterize hybrid perovskites (HPV) as a thin film and as a single crystal. For thin films, we will use both single-step spin-coating and sequential two-step vapor deposition using closed-space sublimation (CSS). MAPbBr3 is going to be initially used as the perovskite material. An important goal of this project is to develop efficient, stable, and lead-free HPV materials to reduce toxicity. These perovskite films can also be used for high-performance sensors for indirect radiation (neutron) detection. The Fellow will leave with a wealth of technical and scientific training. challenging positions in the technological workforce through involvement in every aspect of our research. The combination of hands-on research that includes device design and fabrication, sophisticated digital signal processing, multiscale modeling and simulation, testing and machine learning will enable new young researchers to explore the science and how radiation interacts with matter.

William Vandenberge , Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering:
Title: First-Principles Simulation of Novel Materials
Description: REU Fellows will perform first principles calculations of currently unexplored two-dimensional materials. The students will use the Vienna ab Initio Simulation Package (VASP) to calculate the formation energy of novel materials, will determine the phonon energies using density-functional perturbation theory as well as the optical and ionic contribution to the dielectric constant in these new materials. The REU students will work with other Vandenberghe group members who perform more advanced calculations like determining the Curie temperature or the mobility using in-house Monte Carlo codes. The REU students will also learn about Technology Computer Aided Design using commercial drift-diffusion code and will receive an introduction to the open-source plane-wave quantum transport PETRA code developed in the Vandenberghe group.

Chadwin D. Young, Associate Professor of Materials Science & Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering:
Title: Electrical Characterization and Reliability Investigation of Novel Materials and Electron Devices
Description:REU Fellows will participate in the implementation and execution of measurements to assess the performance and reliability of high-k gate dielectrics in Zn-based thin-film transistors (TFTs), two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) dual gate transistors, and Ga2O3 capacitors to investigate the electrically active material defects responsible for any device instability. Determining the root cause of any instability in performance and/or device reliability, be it in the dielectric or semiconductor material, is critical to resolving the issue and improving device design. The technologies that arise from these test devices will be implemented in future microprocessors, memory, and other applications. Fellows will primarily perform time-resolved electrical testing of novel devices based on high-k dielectrics deposited on these non-silicon technologies and will be trained to analyze the resulting data. This project will provide a broad introduction to understanding the influence of material choice and subsequent device processing on performance and reliability, as well as experience with a range of electrical characterization tools.

Rashaunda Henderson, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering :
Title: RF Characterization and Modeling of Novel Materials and Electron Devices
Description:The REU Fellow will use electrical engineering skills to characterize the radio frequency (RF) dielectric properties of packaging materials used in antenna-in-package research and development. The materials will be incorporated in ring resonators that the student will design and build. The REU Fellow will also be involved in the measurements and modeling of RF switches designed with new materials in collaboration with Prof. Chadwin Young’s REU Fellow. The student will leave the REU experience with skills in vector network analyzer calibration, device probing, figure of merit estimation and modeling using electromagnetic simulation tools.