Prof. Jamie Phillips, a member of the Solid-State Electronics Laboratory, was awarded a prestigious Young Faculty Award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Microsystems Technology  Office (MTO) for his proposed research titled, “Oxide Electronics for Integrated Microsystems and Displays.”

Transparent electronics may offer the ability to realize multifunctional and interactive displays based on the integration of microsystems and display components. In order to realize these display systems, a transparent electronics technology with sufficient performance is needed. Prof. Phillips plans to explore thin film transistors based on high-mobility ZnO channels and high-k gate insulators in order to achieve desired transparent electronics performance goals. Pictured to the right is the laser ablation process used to synthesize the ZnO and high-k materials for the research.

The Young Faculty Award is given to faculty who propose revolutionary research ideas that are critical to future technology developments. Projects that are speculative and high-risk are especially encouraged. Prof. Phillips’ project is one of a maximum of ten proposals funded in 2007.