Research Areas

Welcome to Yu’s group at University of Arkansas. Our group research has two focused thrusts: i) Developing novel electrical and photonic materials for future Integrated Photonics and ii) Developing novel optoelectronics for future Integrated Photonics. Detailed research descriptions could be found in below.

Thrust-I: Novel Electrical and Photonic Materials

SiGeSn(Pb) Growth & Optoelectronic Device Development


Our research group, along with collaborators from other universities and industry, are working on developing novel optoelectronics based on Si, Ge, and Sn material systems compatible with modern Si electronics processing facilities. Our research in this field is on two major fronts: (1) material deposition methods – Growth, properties, Devices using CVD, MBE, crystallization, extend it to phase-transition materials (GST), and (2) device design and processing – Prototype devices such as lasers and detectors. See our most recent MURI award weblink featuring collaborative efforts with the Department of Defense (DoD) through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).

 

Dissimilar Material Integration:

  • Integration of semiconductor and transition metal using novel low temperature lattice matching growth
  • Semiconductor material growth on sapphire: SiGe on sapphire c-plane for Rhombohedral phase material; III-V (GaAs and GaSb material system) thermally matched with sapphire, material growth on R-plane

 


Low Dimensional Quantum Materials

  • Low dimension materials beyond 2D: Single atom chain
  • Artificial “2D” material formed by the lattice matched semiconductor/TMO interface


Thrust-II: Novel Optoelectronics for Future Integrated Photonics

Alternative Platform for Integrated Photonics:

  • Mid-IR integrated photonics for integrated microwave photonics applications;
  • Sapphire based integrated photonics (Silicon on sapphire circuit; III-V on sapphire for optoelectronics; Si3N4 on sapphire for passive components; thin film LiNbO3 on sapphire as modulator)


Novel Optoelectronic Devices using Nanostructures and New Phenomena

  • Single photon detector using QD based quantum capacitor
  • High performance EO modulators using QDs and TMO-SEMI interface for enhanced EO properties
  • Novel photonics devices using non-symmetry structures

 

High Temperature Optoelectronics and its Applications for Power Electronics

  • High temperature optoelectronics for optical isolation
  • Integrated photonics for future power electronics