A.A. Balandin
Graduate Study in Materials Science and Engineering
Join us in the Next Technology Revolution
Alexander A. Balandin
Chair, Materials Science and EngineeringProfessor, Electrical Engineering
University of California – Riverside
September 2010
A.A. Balandin
Definitions
Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) is concerned with the study of the structure, properties and applications of materials.
MS&E program aims to provide fundamental knowledge of materials with the objective of predicting, modifying and tailoring the properties of materials to achieve enhanced material/device performance.
The MS&E foundations are the basic sciences of physics, chemistry and mathematics.
The great variety of materials response at the electrical, optical, magnetic, mechanical and chemical levels requires from MSE experts a solid scientific foundation and breadth of basic knowledge.
A.A. Balandin
General Motivations for MS&E Program
New trend: innovations are happening more and more often at materials level
Electronic industry: substituting silicon and gate dielectrics Optoelectronic industry: placing III-Vs on silicon Thermoelectric industry: finding right material Energy: materials for direct energy conversion and storage
Global competition for energy resources and raw materials Engineering profession
More of the interdisciplinary expertise Job market: local, state, nation-wide
Materials characterization jobs are still in US
A.A. Balandin
Example of the Major Innovations at Materials Level
Information from Intel web-sitehttp://download.intel.com/technology/silicon/HighK-MetalGate-PressFoils-final.pdf
A.A. Balandin
Innovations at the Materials Level: Photovoltaic Solar Cells
Quantum dot superlattice as
an intrinsic layer
Front contact
n type
p type
Light coating
Back contact
Shockley limit: ~33% conversion efficiency for bulk materials due to the loss of excess kinetic energy of the hot photo-generated carriers and energy loss of photons which are less than materials band gap.
Thermodynamic limit for conversion: ~93%After Q. Shao, A.A. Balandin, A.I. Fedoseyev and M. Turowski, "Intermediate-band solar cells based on quantum dot supra-crystals," Applied Physics Letters, 91: 163503 (2007).
A.A. Balandin
Innovations: Discoveries of New Materials with Unique Properties
Figure: Graphene suspended over a trench. Optical image of graphene-over-trench attached to the heat sink. The flake was laser-heated in the middle.
Giant thermal conductivity, flat geometry and demonstrated graphene – Si integration suggests that graphene can become superior material for thermal management of nanoscale devices
A.A. Balandin, et al., "Superior thermal conductivity of single-layer graphene," Nano Letters, 8: 902 (2008).
Artistic rendering of graphene lateral heat spreaders for advanced chips from a recent IEEE Spectrum feature article Chill Out: New Materials and Designs Can Keep Chips Cool by A.A. Balandin.
A.A. Balandin
Facilities for MS&E Research and Education
Materials synthesis and characterization facilities are essential for successful program
New Materials Science & Engineering building
A.A. Balandin
Specialization Areas
Specialization areas within MS&E major
Electronic and Magnetic Materials Biomaterials Structural Materials and Composites Materials Synthesis & Processes Computational Materials Science