Joerg Appenzeller

Education

M.S. and Ph.D./Physics/Technical University of Aachen, Germany/1991 and 1995

Research Interests

Device and transport physics of low-dimensional systems, experimental verification of novel device concept for improved transistor performance, exploration of nano-materials and nano-interfaces for future nanoelectronics applications. Areas of Interest: Microelectronics and Nanotechnology

Research Impact

Building novel electronic devices from nano-materials: While nano-materials have been explored extensively for the last fifteen years or so, the societal impact has been rather limited due to the lack of a substantial amount of nano-applications. This is in part a result of the time it takes to gain the necessary understanding of the material properties and underlying physics/chemistry, to a larger extend it is due to the fact that most studies do not cover materials and devices aspects with a clear application in mind simultaneously. In the Appenzeller group both of these components are combined in projects that are aiming at novel electronic transistor applications.

Nano-materials frequently are discussed in the context of high density electronic applications. This seems to be a natural choice due to their intrinsic smallness. However, nano-materials have to offer unique electronic properties that enable new types of devices applications in order to be suitable for a future nano-electronics. One of the – if not THE – most pressing questions in the area of electronics is how to reduce power consumption. Almost all activities in the Appenzeller lab focus on the exploration of novel device ideas from suitable nano-materials for operation at reduced power consumption levels.