Since its founding in 1992, the Center for Quantum Devices at Northwestern University has evolved from only a mere vision into a concrete world-class research laboratory, with the mission to pursue academic excellence and high-level research in compound semiconductor science and nanotechnology.

Advancing the frontiers in this cutting-edge scientific field is an exciting and challenging adventure, for which the Center has assembled a strong team of graduate and undergraduate students, research scientists and professors with diverse backgrounds, working within the Center's unique state-of-the-art research facility. The creativity and ingenuity of this strong team has proved successful in solving the many scientific issues encountered on a daily basis, achieving a number of breakthroughs and staying ahead of competition. At the same time, as an integral part of a high-level educational institution, the Center has been educating and training future leaders for both academia and industry.

 

The scientific research has involved developing an understanding of the physics of new semiconductor crystals for novel applications and realizing advanced semiconductor devices such as lasers, photodetectors, transistors, waveguides and switches. This entails a multidisciplinary combination of solid state physics, quantum mechanics, electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering and materials science, as well as a strong collaborative effort between Academia, Industry, and National Laboratories. A strong testimony of the success of this endeavor has been the consistent support of several industrial corporations and government agencies from the Department of Defense to push forward the science and nanotechnology of compound semiconductor optoelectronic and quantum devices at the Center.

On this web page, an overview of the Center for Quantum Devices is provided and its scientific accomplishments highlighted. To date, the Center has awarded 52 Doctor of Philosophy degrees and 20 Master of Science degrees, it has welcomed 179 visiting scholars and hosted 165 featured speakers. A complete Solid State Engineering curriculum has been established at Northwestern University.

The research activity involves a wide range of challenging scientific topics, including Ultraviolet and visible devices based on III-Nitride semiconductors, aluminum-free InGaAsP/GaAs lasers emitting at 980 nm and 808 nm, antimony based high power 3-5 μm lasers, uncooled infrared (3-16 μm) quantum cascade lasers, quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP), Type-II superlattice based infrared detectors, the development of uncooled InAsSb photodetector technology, InTlAsBiSb detector technology, self-assembled quantum dot devices, and nanotechnology using electron-beam lithography. In all these fields, the Center's research work has been the world's first or best, and has resulted in 725 publications, 20 books and 34 book chapters, 667 conference presentations, lectures, plenary and invited talks, and organization of international conferences. In addition, 60 patents have been awarded or are currently pending, and 152 prestigious recognition awards have been bestowed upon Center members.

Finally, these academic and scientific accomplishments would not have been possible without the permanent support and encouragement of the Northwestern University administration and our U.S. Government sponsors.

Manijeh Razeghi

Walter P. Murphy Professor and Director, Center for Quantum Devices

last updated 01/24/2020