Background: Professor Islam's work has covered a broad variety of topics: molecular electronic devices, synthesis and device applications of semiconductor nanowires, ultra-fast optoelectronics, high-power and linear gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifiers, fiber optical communication systems, and RF photonic devices and links. He was the first to demonstrate the velocity-matched distributed balanced photodetectors with a record high linear photocurrents and an ultra-fast response. He also worked on the first demonstration of ultra-fast resonant cavity enhanced (RCE) Schottky photodiodes. At Hewlett-Packard Labs, Dr. Islam developed the technique for generating ultra-smooth metal surfaces for interfacing molecular electronic devices that dramatically helped improve the yield of molecular switching devices fabricated with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of molecules. He demonstrated the world's first semiconductor nanowire bridging technique which solves the long-standing issue of interfacing and integrating one-dimensional semiconductors in nanodevices.

Current Research Focus In Nanodevices: Currently Professor Islam's nanotechnology research focuses on the incorporation of low-dimensional nanostructured materials and devices with conventional IC elements, employing processes compatible with mass-manufacturing. Unlike the research-based approach of sequentially connecting electrodes to individual nano-structures for device physics studies, massively parallel and manufacturable interfacing techniques are crucial for reproducible fabrication and incorporation of dense, low-cost nanodevice arrays in highly integrated material systems. Dr. Islam has developed two novel nano-device integration and mass-production techniques termed 'nano-bridges' and 'nano-colonnades' that are entirely compatible with existing microelectronics fabrication processes. His group's (Inano) current research objectives include the development of massively parallel synthesis and integration processes for 0D and 1D nano-structures (such as semiconductors, metals, oxide, molecules etc.) for potential applications in nanoscale electronics, photonics, energy conversion, nano-bio systems, bio-chemical sensors, sensor networks, memory, logic, MEMS/NEMS devices 3D device/chip integration, substrate-less devices and circuit fabrication. Major focus of Inano is nanoepitaxy for homo and heterogeneous nanomaterial synthesis, characterization, device integration of nanomaterials and substrateless device fabrication for energy conversion.

Metamaterials: In order to manipulate the propagation of light, a study is underway on a new class of materials, called "negative index metamaterials (NIM)" that demonstrate unusual electric and magnetic properties not found in nature and offer opportunities for unprecedented functionalities in virtually every area of classical optics and photonics. His group is involved in developing new methods and tools for constructing 3D NIMs using manufacturable nanofabrication techniques and studying nano-structure integrated NIM based theoretical and experimental schemes. Besides device integration, the group is also actively involved in minimizing the losses that are inherent in NIM by exploring various thin film nucleation methods. The overall research activities in NIM are based on exploiting the synergy of nanoepitaxy for eventual monolithic realization of NIM enabled electronics and photonics.

Solar Energy Devices: Our work on photovoltaic devices addresses the solar-grade semiconductor scarcity (silicon and other materials) and the cost of manufacturing PV devices and panels. To this end, we fabricate devices in the shape of vertically oriented micro/nano-pillars to transfer them to low cost, flexible and amorphous surfaces using a mass-manufacturable polymer assisted shear-fracturing process at room temperature. This allows us to improve the efficiency and lower the costs since the original epitaxial wafers can be repeatedly used for generating more devices. We believe that it is wasteful and environmentally detrimental to employ an expensive wafer solely for mechanically supporting a thin layer of devices. Our initial work has already demonstrated the potential of the array transfer process based on our innovative shear fracture method. This was the first demonstration of such an approach that is not dependent on any specific substrate material. The light gathering function of our micro/nano-pillar shaped devices that resemble ‘antennas’ is also offers opportunities for higher efficiency.

Fundamental Forces in Nanoscale Devices: Quantum electrodynamical (QED) phenomena lead to Casimir force which can be observed when metallic, semiconductor or dielectric surfaces are placed in close proximity (< 100 nm). This opens doors to exciting opportunities, particularly in the field of nanodevices and nanomechanics, such as nanoscale levitation, stiction prevention, and highly responsive sensors. Nanotechnology is capable of fabricating devices with diminishingly small dimension and this force cannot be disregarded any more. Inano studies this and other fundamental physical forces in nanoscale devices for improving old and creating new technologies.

Prof. Islam is a member of the Graduate Group of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering and is affiliated with NEAT, CITRIS and National Institute for Nano Engineering (NINE), Sandia National Laboratories, UCD-METU AOC.

Keywords: nanoscience, nanotechnology, nanodevices, nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, nano-sensors, nano-bio interfaces, nanoepitaxy, nanowire, nano-pillar, NEMS, molecular junction, molectronics, nanomanufacturing, nanointerfacing, self-assembly techniques, images sensors, photovoltaics, devices for energy conversion, substrateless device fabrication, Casimir force, negative index materials, metamaterials, optoelectronics, photonic devices and systems.

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