Ultrawide Bandgap Nano Devices
This seminar explores how nanoscale device architectures can unlock new functionalities in ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) materials beyond conventional applications.
Overview
We focus on self-switching diodes — unipolar nanoscale devices that exhibit nonlinear current–voltage behavior without relying on Schottky barriers or doped junctions. For the first time, we demonstrate their multifunctional capabilities beyond high-frequency operation, including power and optoelectronic applications, using β-Ga₂O₃ grown on sapphire substrates. Building on these results, we introduce a novel transistor architecture: the semiconductor–free-space gate transistor (SFGT), implemented on β-Ga₂O₃. By eliminating the solid gate dielectric, the SFGT mitigates dielectric charge- and trap-related limitations, while achieving performance on par with oxide-gated transistors. The devices exhibit threshold-voltage tunability, high breakdown voltage, and stable operation down to 2 K. We also present preliminary results of SFGT implementation on GaN HEMTs, demonstrating that the SFGT architecture is not limited to β-Ga₂O₃ and can be extended to other material platforms. These findings highlight the promise of UWBG nanoscale devices for versatile, robust electronics across a broad range of applications and environments.
Presenters
Brief Biography
Glen Isaac Maciel García is a Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Physics at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, where he conducted research under the supervision of Prof. Xiaohang Li. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Nanotechnology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Glen has co-authored 19 peer-reviewed publications, including two first-author papers that were featured as cover articles in Nano Letters and Advanced Electronic Materials.
