ECE Seminar Series – Mar 7 (Fri) @ 2:00pm: "Novel Devices for Emerging Applications through Materials Innovations," Elaheh Ahmadi, Assoc. Prof. ECE, UCLA

Location: Engineering Science Building (ESB), Room 1001
Come at 1:30p for Cookies, Coffee and Conversation!
DISTINGUISHED LECTURE at the ECE SEMINAR SERIES

Abstract

In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT) and autonomous electric vehicles, the demand for highly efficient, reliable, and low-latency communication has never been greater. Simultaneously, demand for energy and its impact on climate change—driven in part by technological development, most recently AI—poses an existential threat that underscores the urgency of creating sustainable, low-waste electronics and renewable energy solutions. The research focus of my group at UCLA is to address these challenges by exploring (ultra)wide bandgap materials and devices through a materials/device co-design approach.

In this talk, I will present our recent progress and share some of our key achievements in this area. The talk will be divided into two main sections: (i) Our group’s latest progress in advancing N-polar GaN HEMTs and (ii) Materials innovation aimed at addressing key challenges in ultra-wide bandgap materials, such as AlN and Ga₂O₃, to enable next-generation devices based on these emerging material systems.

Bio

Elaheh Ahmadi’s research is focused on design, fabrication and characterization of novel (ultra)wide bandgap materials and devices for high power and high frequency applications as well as quantum applications.

Ahmadi joined UCLA as an Associate Professor in 2023. Prior to that, she was an assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering and applied physics at the University of Michigan since 2018. She has received several awards, including the Young Investigator Award in 2020 from both the Office of Naval Research and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. In 2021, she received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award and DARPA Young Faculty Award. She also received the International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors Young Scientist Award. Very recently, she received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers.

Ahmadi was a postdoctoral researcher at UC Santa Barbara prior to her faculty appointment at the University of Michigan. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the Sharif University of Technology in Iran. In 2015, she received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering from UC Santa Barbara.

Hosted by: Distinguished Lecture at the ECE Seminar Series

Submitted by: Professor Steve DenBaars