YZ

Yang Zhang

Jinan University, University of Arkansas, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan University, Arizona State University

ORCID iD 0000-0002-6208-9392
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About

My research interests include: i) probing the optical and electrical/thermal transport properties of micro- and nano-scale systems; ii) developing nanoelectronic and photovoltaic devices with novel structures/materials; iii) developing novel micro-nano-fabrication techniques using top-down and bottom-up strategies. By working independently, I earned a PhD in Microelectronics and Solid State Electronics (formerly semiconductor and devices physics) from the Institute of Semiconductors of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2008 in Beijing. In my doctoral dissertation, which was entitled Study on the Application of Electron-beam Lithography Technology in the Fabrication of Metallic Air-bridges and Silicon Nanowire Devices, I developed novel nanofabrication schemes for nanoscale metallic air-bridges and for silicon nanowires involving the use of electron-beam lithography. Since early this year I have been working as postdoctoral research associate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. My research activity here has been focused on: (i) probing the electrical properties of graphene/graphene oxide with conductive AFM; (ii) ultra-high sensitivity gas sensing with controllably aligned single-wall carbon nanotubes. From 2009 to 2011, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Nanostructures & Nanochemistry units led respectively by Prof. Enzo di Fabrizio and Prof. Liberato Manna at Italian Institute of Technology. My work in that institute mainly involved the close collaboration with chemists in the Nanochemistry unit, which produced colloidal nanocrystals. Specifically, my research activities there comprised (i) Fabrication of Ti/Au interdigitated, bow-tie electrodes, and top metal contacts using electron-beam lithography combined with metal deposition. (ii) Then functionalization of the above-fabricated electrodes with chemically synthesized colloidal nanocrystals by drop-casting, dipping, spin-coating, and dielectrophoretic trapping, etc.. (iii) Electrical and optical characterization of films, assemblies or nanostructures of nanocrystals (such as CdSe/CdS core/shell systems, etc.), with a focus on the study of charge transport mechanisms. For the electrical characterization it mainly involved current-voltage measurements at cryogenic and room temperatures, photoconductivity spectrum recording and scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM). For the optical characterization it mainly consisted of optical absorption and photoluminescence spectrum recording. (iv) Interpretation of the experimental data with relevant physical models. For the details of my recent work please refer to our papers published in ACS Nano, Nanoscale, Advanced Materials and JACS, etc. Apart from conducting research, I also helped mentor and train three PhD students there. As for my general background, I have been working and studying in the semiconductor field for 12 years and in cleanroom and on electron-beam lithography for 7 years. I’m an expert in top-down nanofabrication involving electron-beam lithography, and also in the low temperature electrical characterization of nanostructures and films. I’m well equipped with hands-on experiences on electrical characterization of semiconductor materials and also on semiconductor processings, such as photolithography, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching, oxidation, ion implant, electron-beam evaporation, sputtering and so on, on silicon, SOI and III-V compound semiconductor materials. In addition, I have in-depth knowledge in physics of semiconductors and mesoscopic transport.

Employment

  • Jinan University Professor
    2020 - Present
  • University of Arkansas Visiting Assistant Professor
    2019 - 2020
  • Arizona State University Assistant Research Scientist
    2018 - 2018
  • University of Arkansas Postdoc
    2016 - 2017
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln Postdoc
    2015 - 2016
  • Italian Institute of Technology Postdoc
    2013 - 2015
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Postdoc
    2012 - 2013
  • Italian Institute of Technology Postdoc
    2009 - 2011
  • Institute of Semiconductors Researcher
    2008 - 2009
  • Qimonda R&D center Product Test Engineer & Lab coordinator
    2008 - 2008

Education

  • Chinese Academy of Sciences PhD
    2003 - 2008
  • Sichuan University BSC.
    1999 - 2003

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (40)