Bruce Gnade
Professor Emeritus in MSE
gnade@utdallas.edu
Phone: 972-883-6636
Office: AD 3.208
Mailstop: AD15
800 West Campbell Rd.
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Education
BA, Chemistry, St. Louis University, 1976
PhD, Nuclear Chemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1982
Overview
Flexible electronics: our main interest for organic electronics is to develop processes and designs that are compatible with low temperature, flexible substrates. Because the processes are low temperature and do not require a crystalline substrate, we can integrate many functions on the same substrate by building vertical devices. An example of our work in flexible CMOS is when we fabricate amorphous silicon NMOS transistors at Arizona State University, and then we fabricate pentacene PMOS transistors on top of the NMOS devices to build CMOS circuits. We are working on organic light-emitting diodes based on small phosphorescent molecules made by our colleagues at the University of North Texas as well as nonvolatile memory and high-density capacitors based on the ferroelectric polymer PVDF.
Energy harvesting: we have several projects related to energy harvesting. We are making thin-film ferroelectric cantilevers based on PZT to harvest vibrational energy for remote sensors. We are also working to improve the understanding of ohmic contacts to II-VI thermoelectric materials for improved efficiency for thermoelectric power generation.
Biological materials: we are working with a group of surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center to develop novel nanocomposite paramagnetic particles that will selectively adhere to the calcium oxalate crystalline structure of a kidney stone fragment, such that introduction of a magnetized instrument will permit attraction of dispersed stone fragments into a favorable location for removal. The ability to attract and move these fragments into an easily accessible area of the collecting system could facilitate endoscopic stone surgery as well as diminish costs by reducing time and obviating the need for secondary procedures.
Research Interests
- Flexible electronics
- Energy harvesting
- Biological materials