You are invited to attend our weekly ECE Graduate Seminar.

 

Old Dominion University

College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

 

This lecture will be held in person in Kaufman Hall 224 at 3:00pm.

For more information, contact Dr. Chung Hao Chen at (757) 683-3475 or email cxchen@odu.edu.

 

Friday, September 27th Seminar Topic:

HARNESSING SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING FOR QUANTUM COMPUTING AND ENERGY HARVESTING:  PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF MOORE’S LAW by Dr. Daryoosh Vashaee, Ph.D. Professor at North Carolina State University

Abstract:

Advances in lithography and semiconductor processing have driven the extension of Moore’s Law, enabling the continual scaling of transistors and integration of increasingly complex components on chips. These innovations have not only revolutionized traditional computing but also paved the way for breakthroughs in emerging technologies such as quantum computing and energy harvesting devices. Leveraging these techniques, semiconductor devices are entering new domains of performance and functionality.

In quantum computing, significant progress has been made in developing semiconductor quantum dot (QD) qubits, particularly using materials like Si and Ge. These gate-defined QD spin qubits, fabricated with CMOS-compatible processes, have demonstrated reliable operations at sub-100 mK temperatures. To further enhance scalability and quantum control, 2D hole gas (2DHG) systems in SiGe and GeSn heterostructures are being investigated due to their absence of valley degeneracy and strong spin-orbit coupling. In this seminar, I will discuss the development of devices based on 2DHG in strained Ge quantum wells within GeSn structures, where tensile strain favors light holes, offering a promising platform for next-generation qubits. We will further explore technologies to enable the QD spin qubits operation at higher ambient temperatures.

In parallel, micro-thermoelectric generators (μ-TEGs) are emerging as thermal energy-harvesting solutions for low-power applications, such as body heat-driven sensors and remote IoT devices. While thin film-based μ-TEGs using poly-Si and SiGe have been developed, their voltage output has been insufficient for efficient integration with power management circuits in low-temperature gradient scenarios. This seminar presents a novel μ-TEG design based on MEMS-compatible fabrication of Bi₂Te₃ thin films, overcoming challenges related to thermal budget and high-temperature deposition. Together, these advancements in both qubit technologies and μ-TEGs exemplify the power of semiconductor processing innovations to drive the future of computing and energy harvesting.