Bio


Debbie G. Senesky is an Associate Professor at Stanford University in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department and the Electrical Engineering Department. In addition, she is the Principal Investigator of the EXtreme Environment Microsystems Laboratory (XLab). Her research interests include the development of nanomaterials for extreme harsh environments, high-temperature electronics for Venus exploration, and microgravity synthesis of nanomaterials. In the past, she has held positions at GE Sensing (formerly known as NovaSensor), GE Global Research Center, and Hewlett Packard. She received the B.S. degree (2001) in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California. She received the M.S. degree (2004) and Ph.D. degree (2007) in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Prof. Senesky is the Site Director of nano@stanford. She is currently the co-editor of two technical journals: IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems and Sensors. In recognition of her research, she received the Emerging Leader Abie Award from AnitaB.org in 2018, Early Faculty Career Award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2012, Gabilan Faculty Fellowship Award in 2012, and Sloan Ph.D. Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in 2004.

Prof. Senesky's career path and research has been featured by Scientific American, Seeker, People Behind the Science podcast, The Future of Everything radio show, Space.com, and NPR's Tell Me More program. More information about Prof. Senesky can be found at https://xlab.stanford.edu and on Instagram (@astrodebs).

Academic Appointments


Honors & Awards


  • John Blume Faculty Scholar, Stanford University (2020)
  • Selected Participant, Stanford Faculty Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (2019)
  • Emerging Leader Abie Award in Honor of Denice Denton, AnitaB.org (2018)
  • Selected Participant, US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium, National Academy of Engineering (2016)
  • Golden Reviewer, IEEE Electron Devices Letters (2015)
  • Early Faculty Career Award, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (2012)
  • Frederick E. Terman Faculty Fellow, Stanford University (2012)
  • Gabilan Faculty Fellow, Stanford University (2012)
  • Sloan Ph.D. Fellowship, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (2004-2006)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations


  • Member, Orbital Reef University Advisory Council (2022 - Present)
  • Co-chair, Faculty Women's Forum Steering Committee (2022 - Present)
  • Mentor, The Brooke Owens Fellowship (2022 - Present)
  • Editor, IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems (2019 - Present)
  • Editor, Micromachines (Journal) (2017 - Present)
  • Editor, Sensors (Journal) (2015 - Present)
  • Advisory Board, Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility (University of Arkansas) (2022 - Present)
  • Advisory Board, UC Berkeley, Department of Mechanical Engineering (2016 - Present)
  • Faculty Advisor, Stanford Chapter, National Society of Women Engineers (SWE) (2018 - Present)
  • Board Member, Scientific Adventures for Girls (2015 - 2022)

Program Affiliations


  • Stanford SystemX Alliance

Professional Education


  • B.S., University of Southern California, Mechanical Engineering (2001)
  • M.S., University of California, Berkeley, Mechanical Engineering (2004)
  • Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Mechanical Engineering (2007)

2023-24 Courses


Stanford Advisees


All Publications


  • Thermal stability study of gallium nitride based magnetic field sensor JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS Shetty, S., Kuchuk, A., Zamani-Alavijeh, M., Hassan, A., Eisner, S. R., de Oliveira, F., Krone, A., Harris, J., Thompson, J. P., Eldose, N. M., Mazur, Y. I., Huitink, D., Senesky, D. G., Mantooth, H., Salamo, G. J. 2023; 134 (14)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0156013

    View details for Web of Science ID 001082652600003

  • Temperature and field dependencies of current leakage mechanisms in IrO<sub>x</sub> contacts on InAlN/GaN heterostructures APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Eisner, S. R., Senesky, D. G. 2023; 123 (15)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0171204

    View details for Web of Science ID 001083944200002

  • Investigation of mechanical properties and structural integrity of graphene aerogels via molecular dynamics simulations. Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP Zheng, B., Liu, C., Li, Z., Carraro, C., Maboudian, R., Senesky, D. G., Gu, G. X. 2023

    Abstract

    Graphene aerogel (GA), a 3D carbon-based nanostructure built on 2D graphene sheets, is well known for being the lightest solid material ever synthesized. It also possesses many other exceptional properties, such as high specific surface area and large liquid absorption capacity, thanks to its ultra-high porosity. Computationally, the mechanical properties of GA have been studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, which uncover nanoscale mechanisms beyond experimental observations. However, studies on how GA structures and properties evolve in response to simulation parameter changes, which provide valuable insights to experimentalists, have been lacking. In addition, the differences between the calculated properties via simulations and experimental measurements have rarely been discussed. To address the shortcomings mentioned above, in this study, we systematically study various mechanical properties and the structural integrity of GA as a function of a wide range of simulation parameters. Results show that during the in silico GA preparation, smaller and less spherical inclusions (mimicking the effect of water clusters in experiments) are conducive to strength and stiffness but may lead to brittleness. Additionally, it is revealed that a structurally valid GA in the MD simulation requires the number of bonds per atom to be at least 1.40, otherwise the GA building blocks are not fully interconnected. Finally, our calculation results are compared with experiments to showcase both the power and the limitations of the simulation technique. This work may shed light on the improvement of computational approaches for GA as well as other novel nanomaterials.

    View details for DOI 10.1039/d3cp02585c

    View details for PubMedID 37580983

  • Enhancement-Mode GaN Transistor Technology for Harsh Environment Operation IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS Yuan, M., Niroula, J., Xie, Q., Rajput, N. S., Fu, K., Luo, S., Das, S., Bin Iqbal, A., Sikder, B., Isamotu, M., Oh, M., Eisner, S. R., Senesky, D. G., Hunter, G. W., Chowdhury, N., Zhao, Y., Palacios, T. 2023; 44 (7): 1068-1071
  • Synthesis and characterization of UiO-66-NH2 incorporated graphene aerogel composites and their utilization for absorption of organic liquids CARBON Li, Z., Liu, C., Frick, J., Davey, A. K., Dods, M. N., Carraro, C., Senesky, D. G., Maboudian, R. 2023; 201: 561-567
  • Hall-Effect Sensor Design With Physics-Informed Gaussian Process Modeling IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL Xu, Y., Lalwani, A., Arora, K., Zheng, Z., Renteria, A., Senesky, D. G., Wang, P. 2022; 22 (23): 22519-22528
  • Biological growth as an alternative approach to on and off-Earth construction FRONTIERS IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT Lipinska, M., Maurer, C., Cadogan, D., Head, J., Dade-Robertson, M., Paulino-Lima, I., Liu, C., Morrow, R., Senesky, D. G., Theodoridou, M., Rheinstadter, M. C., Zhang, M., Rothschild, L. J. 2022; 8
  • Effects of Part Orientation, Printer Selection, and Infill Density on Mechanical Properties and Production Cost of 3D Printed Flexural MANUFACTURING LETTERS Chen, R., Baich, L., Lauer, J., Senesky, D. G., Manogharan, G. 2022; 33: 549-560
  • Nanoindentation characterization of thin film stack structures by finite element analysis and experiments using acoustic emission testing MATERIALS SCIENCE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING Liu, C., Nagler, O., Tremmel, F., Unterreitmeier, M., Frick, J. J., Gu, X., Senesky, D. G. 2022; 147
  • Effects of Part Orientation, Printer Selection, and Infill Density on Mechanical Properties and Production Cost of 3D Printed Flexural Specimens MANUFACTURING LETTERS Chen, R., Baich, L., Lauer, J., Senesky, D. G., Manogharan, G. 2022; 33: 549-560
  • Dynamic Biasing for Improved On-Orbit Total-Dose Lifetimes of Commercial Electronic Devices IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS Holliday, M., Heuser, T., Manchester, Z., Senesky, D. 2022; 58 (4): 3326-3336
  • On-Orbit Implementation of Discrete Isolation Schemes for Improved Reliability of Serial Communication Buses IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS Holliday, M., Manchester, Z., Senesky, D. G. 2022; 58 (4): 2973-2982
  • High Temperature Degradation Modes Observed in Gallium Nitride-Based Hall-Effect Sensors Magnetic field sensors JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC PACKAGING Krone, A., Kasitz, J., Huitink, D., Alpert, H., Senesky, D. G., Shetty, S., Salamo, G. 2022; 144 (2)

    View details for DOI 10.1115/1.4053765

    View details for Web of Science ID 000789866100018

  • Effect of proton irradiation temperature on persistent photoconductivity in zinc oxide metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS Heuser, T. A., Chapin, C. A., Holliday, M. A., Wang, Y., Senesky, D. G. 2022; 131 (15)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/5.0077210

    View details for Web of Science ID 000790988400006

  • Cluster-based acoustic emission signal processing and loading rate effects study of nanoindentation on thin film stack structures MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING Liu, C., Nagler, O., Tremmel, F., Unterreitmeier, M., Frick, J. J., Patil, R. P., Gu, X., Senesky, D. G. 2022; 165
  • Hall-Effect Sensor Technique for No Induced Voltage in AC Magnetic Field Measurements Without Current Spinning IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL Lalwani, A., Yalamarthy, A., Alpert, H. S., Holliday, M., Eisner, S. R., Chapin, C. A., Senesky, D. G. 2022; 22 (2): 1245-1251
  • Selective aqueous ammonia sensors using electrochemical stripping and capacitive detection AIChE Journal Lalwani, A., Dong, H., Mu, L., Woo, K., Johnson, H. A., Holliday, M. A., Guo, J., Senesky, D. G., Tarpeh, W. A. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1002/aic.17465

  • Extended Exposure of Gallium Nitride Heterostructure Devices to a Simulated Venus Environment Eisner, S. R., Alpert, H. S., Chapin, C. A., Yalamarthy, A., Satterthwaite, P. F., Nasiri, A., Port, S., Ang, S., Senesky, D. G., IEEE IEEE. 2021
  • Closed-form orthotropic constitutive model for aligned square array mesostructure ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING Chen, R., Kaplan, A. F., Senesky, D. G. 2020; 36
  • Nanoarchitectonics for Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Nanowires: Toward the Next Generation of Nanoelectromechanical Systems for Environmental Monitoring. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) Pham, T. A., Qamar, A., Dinh, T., Masud, M. K., Rais-Zadeh, M., Senesky, D. G., Yamauchi, Y., Nguyen, N. T., Phan, H. P. 2020; 7 (21): 2001294

    Abstract

    Semiconductor nanowires are widely considered as the building blocks that revolutionized many areas of nanosciences and nanotechnologies. The unique features in nanowires, including high electron transport, excellent mechanical robustness, large surface area, and capability to engineer their intrinsic properties, enable new classes of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors in the form of nanowires are a hot spot of research owing to the tremendous possibilities in NEMS, particularly for environmental monitoring and energy harvesting. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the recent progress on the growth, properties and applications of silicon carbide (SiC), group III-nitrides, and diamond nanowires as the materials of choice for NEMS. It begins with a snapshot on material developments and fabrication technologies, covering both bottom-up and top-down approaches. A discussion on the mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties is provided detailing the fundamental physics of WBG nanowires along with their potential for NEMS. A series of sensing and electronic devices particularly for environmental monitoring is reviewed, which further extend the capability in industrial applications. The article concludes with the merits and shortcomings of environmental monitoring applications based on these classes of nanowires, providing a roadmap for future development in this fast-emerging research field.

    View details for DOI 10.1002/advs.202001294

    View details for PubMedID 33173726

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC7640356

  • Low Offset and Noise in High Biased GaN 2DEG Hall-Effect Plates Investigated With Infrared Microscopy JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS Dowling, K. M., Liu, T., Alpert, H. S., Chapin, C. A., Eisner, S. R., Yalamarthy, A., Satterthwaite, P. F., Kock, H., Ausserlechner, U., Asheghi, M., Goodson, K. E., Senesky, D. G. 2020; 29 (5): 669–76
  • Self-powered monolithic accelerometer using a photonic gate NANO ENERGY Nguyen, T., Dinh, T., Phan, H., Dau, V., Nguyen, T., Joy, A., Bahreyni, B., Qamar, A., Rais-Zadeh, M., Senesky, D. G., Nguyen, N., Dao, D. 2020; 76
  • Ultra-High-Q Gallium Nitride SAW Resonators for Applications With Extreme Temperature Swings JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS Qamar, A., Eisner, S. R., Senesky, D. G., Rais-Zadeh, M. 2020; 29 (5): 900–905
  • Nanoarchitectonics for Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Nanowires: Toward the Next Generation of Nanoelectromechanical Systems for Environmental Monitoring ADVANCED SCIENCE Pham, T., Qamar, A., Dinh, T., Masud, M., Rais-Zadeh, M., Senesky, D. G., Yamauchi, Y., Nguyen, N., Phan, H. 2020
  • Analysis of mobility-limiting mechanisms of the two-dimensional hole gas on hydrogen-terminated diamond PHYSICAL REVIEW B Peterson, R., Malakoutian, M., Xu, X., Chapin, C., Chowdhury, S., Senesky, D. G. 2020; 102 (7)
  • Effective In-Plane Moduli of Fused Filament Fabrication Material with Aligned Mesostructure JOM Chen, R., Senesky, D. 2020; 72 (3): 1314–23
  • Lithography and Etching-Free Microfabrication of Silicon Carbide on Insulator Using Direct UV Laser Ablation ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS Tuan-Khoa Nguyen, Hoang-Phuong Phan, Dowling, K. M., Yalamarthy, A., Toan Dinh, Balakrishnan, V., Liu, T., Chapin, C. A., Quoc-Dung Truong, Van Thanh Dau, Goodson, K. E., Senesky, D. G., Dzung Viet Dao, Nam-Trung Nguyen 2020
  • Extreme Temperature Modeling of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES Albahrani, S., Mahajan, D., Kargarrazi, S., Schwantuschke, D., Gneiting, T., Senesky, D. G., Khandelwal, S. 2020; 67 (2): 430–37
  • Monolithic mtesla-level magnetic induction by self-rolled-up membrane technology. Science advances Huang, W., Yang, Z., Kraman, M. D., Wang, Q., Ou, Z., Rojo, M. M., Yalamarthy, A. S., Chen, V., Lian, F., Ni, J. H., Liu, S., Yu, H., Sang, L., Michaels, J., Sievers, D. J., Eden, J. G., Braun, P. V., Chen, Q., Gong, S., Senesky, D. G., Pop, E., Li, X. 2020; 6 (3): eaay4508

    Abstract

    Monolithic strong magnetic induction at the mtesla to tesla level provides essential functionalities to physical, chemical, and medical systems. Current design options are constrained by existing capabilities in three-dimensional (3D) structure construction, current handling, and magnetic material integration. We report here geometric transformation of large-area and relatively thick (~100 to 250 nm) 2D nanomembranes into multiturn 3D air-core microtubes by a vapor-phase self-rolled-up membrane (S-RuM) nanotechnology, combined with postrolling integration of ferrofluid magnetic materials by capillary force. Hundreds of S-RuM power inductors on sapphire are designed and tested, with maximum operating frequency exceeding 500 MHz. An inductance of 1.24 muH at 10 kHz has been achieved for a single microtube inductor, with corresponding areal and volumetric inductance densities of 3 muH/mm2 and 23 muH/mm3, respectively. The simulated intensity of the magnetic induction reaches tens of mtesla in fabricated devices at 10 MHz.

    View details for DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aay4508

    View details for PubMedID 32010770

  • Deployment of InAlN/GaN Hall-effect Sensors for Bucket Transformer Monitoring and Forecasting Janowitz, J., Holliday, M., Dowling, K., Yeung, B., Kumar, S., Peterson, R., Alpert, H., Chapin, C., Lopez, J., Senesky, D. G., IEEE IEEE. 2020
  • Deployment of InAlN/GaN Hall-effect Sensors for Bucket Transformer Monitoring and Forecasting 2020 IEEE SENSORS Janowitz, J., Holliday, M., Dowling, K., Yeung, B., Kumar, S., Peterson, R., Alpert, H., Chapin, C., Lopez, J., Senesky, D. G. 2020: 4
  • A Laterally Vibrating Lithium Niobate MEMS Resonator Array Operating at 500 °C in Air. Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Eisner, S. R., Chapin, C. A., Lu, R. n., Yang, Y. n., Gong, S. n., Senesky, D. G. 2020; 21 (1)

    Abstract

    This paper reports the high-temperature characteristics of a laterally vibrating piezoelectric lithium niobate (LiNbO3; LN) MEMS resonator array up to 500 °C in air. After a high-temperature burn-in treatment, device quality factor (Q) was enhanced to 508 and the resonance shifted to a lower frequency and remained stable up to 500 °C. During subsequent in situ high-temperature testing, the resonant frequencies of two coupled shear horizontal (SH0) modes in the array were 87.36 MHz and 87.21 MHz at 25 °C and 84.56 MHz and 84.39 MHz at 500 °C, correspondingly, representing a -3% shift in frequency over the temperature range. Upon cooling to room temperature, the resonant frequency returned to 87.36 MHz, demonstrating the recoverability of device performance. The first- and second-order temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) were found to be -95.27 ppm/°C and 57.5 ppb/°C2 for resonant mode A, and -95.43 ppm/°C and 55.8 ppb/°C2 for resonant mode B, respectively. The temperature-dependent quality factor and electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt2) were extracted and are reported. Device Q decreased to 334 and total kt2 increased to 12.40% after high-temperature exposure. This work supports the use of piezoelectric LN as a material platform for harsh environment radio-frequency (RF) resonant sensors (e.g., temperature and infrared) incorporated with high coupling acoustic readout.

    View details for DOI 10.3390/s21010149

    View details for PubMedID 33383685

  • Significant Phonon Drag Enables High Power Factor in the AlGaN/GaN Two-Dimensional Electron Gas. Nano letters Yalamarthy, A. S., Munoz Rojo, M., Bruefach, A., Boone, D., Dowling, K. M., Satterthwaite, P. F., Goldhaber-Gordon, D., Pop, E., Senesky, D. G. 2019

    Abstract

    In typical thermoelectric energy harvesters and sensors, the Seebeck effect is caused by diffusion of electrons or holes in a temperature gradient. However, the Seebeck effect can also have a phonon drag component, due to momentum exchange between charge carriers and lattice phonons, which is more difficult to quantify. Here, we present the first study of phonon drag in the AlGaN/GaN two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). We find that phonon drag does not contribute significantly to the thermoelectric behavior of devices with 100 nm GaN thickness, which suppresses the phonon mean free path. However, when the thickness is increased to 1.2 mum, up to 32% (88%) of the Seebeck coefficient at 300 K (50 K) can be attributed to the drag component. In turn, the phonon drag enables state-of-the-art thermoelectric power factor in the thicker GaN film, up to 40 mW m-1 K-2 at 50 K. By measuring the thermal conductivity of these AlGaN/GaN films, we show that the magnitude of the phonon drag can increase even when the thermal conductivity decreases. Decoupling of thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient could enable important advancements in thermoelectric power conversion with devices based on 2DEGs.

    View details for DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b00901

    View details for PubMedID 31088057

  • Effect of Geometry on Sensitivity and Offset of AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN Hall-Effect Sensors IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL Alpert, H. S., Dowling, K. M., Chapin, C. A., Yalamarthy, A., Benbrook, S. R., Koeck, H., Ausserlechner, U., Senesky, D. G. 2019; 19 (10): 3640–46
  • Modeling of radiation-induced defect recovery in 3C-SiC under high field bias conditions COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS SCIENCE Peterson, R., Senesky, D. 2019; 161: 10–15
  • 500 degrees C SiC PWM Integrated Circuit IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS Kargarrazi, S., Elahipanah, H., Saggini, S., Senesky, D., Zetterling, C. 2019; 34 (3): 1997–2001
  • Process-induced anomalous current transport in graphene/InAlN/GaN heterostructured diodes Satterthwaite, P. F., Yalamarthy, A., Vaziri, S., Rojo, M., Pop, E., Senesky, D. G., IEEE IEEE. 2019
  • Gallium Nitride Photodetector Measurements of UV Emission from a Gaseous CH4/O-2 Hybrid Rocket Igniter Plume Alpert, H. S., Yalamarthy, A., Satterthwaite, P. F., Jens, E., Rabinovitch, J., Scandrette, N., Newaz, A. M., Karp, A. C., Senesky, D. G., IEEE IEEE. 2019
  • Stable Operation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs for 25 h at 400C in air IEEE JOURNAL OF THE ELECTRON DEVICES SOCIETY Kargarrazi, S., Yalamarthy, A., Satterthwaite, P. F., Blankenberg, S., Chapin, C., Senesky, D. G. 2019; 7 (1): 931–35
  • Strain Effect in Highly-Doped n-Type 3C-SiC-on-Glass Substrate for Mechanical Sensors and Mobility Enhancement PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE Hoang-Phuong Phan, Tuan-Khoa Nguyen, Toan Dinh, Cheng, H., Mu, F., Iacopi, A., Hold, L., Dzung Viet Dao, Suga, T., Senesky, D. G., Nam-Trung Nguyen 2018; 215 (24)
  • High Responsivity, Low Dark Current Ultraviolet Photodetectors Based on Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Interdigitated Transducers ACS PHOTONICS Satterthwaite, P. F., Yalamarthy, A., Scandrette, N. A., Newaz, A. M., Senesky, D. G. 2018; 5 (11): 4277–82
  • Highly sensitive pressure sensors employing 3C-SiC nanowires fabricated on a free standing structure MATERIALS & DESIGN Hoang-Phuong Phan, Dowling, K. M., Tuan Khoa Nguyen, Toan Dinh, Senesky, D. G., Namazu, T., Dzung Viet Dao, Nam-Trung Nguyen 2018; 156: 16–21
  • Highly sensitive 4H-SiC pressure sensor at cryogenic and elevated temperatures MATERIALS & DESIGN Tuan-Khoa Nguyen, Hoang-Phuong Phan, Toan Dinh, Dowling, K. M., Foisal, A., Senesky, D. G., Nam-Trung Nguyen, Dzung Viet Dao 2018; 156: 441–45
  • A Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) Variation-Tolerant Nanosensor. ACS sensors Moon, D., Kim, B., Peterson, R., Badokas, K., Seol, M., Senesky, D. G., Han, J., Meyyappan, M. 2018

    Abstract

    Successful transition to commercialization and practical implementation of nanotechnology innovations may very well need device designs that are tolerant to the inherent variations and imperfections in all nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes, graphene, and others. As an example, a single-walled carbon nanotube network based gas sensor is promising for a wide range of applications such as environment, industry, and biomedical and wearable devices due to its high sensitivity, fast response, and low power consumption. However, a long-standing issue has been the production of extremely high purity semiconducting nanotubes, thereby contributing to the delay in the market adoption of those sensors. Inclusion of even less than 0.1% of metallic nanotubes, which is inevitable, is found to result in a significant deterioration of sensor-to-sensor uniformity. Acknowledging the coexistence of metallic and semiconducting nanotubes as well as all other possible imperfections, we herein present a novel variation-tolerant sensor design where the sensor response is defined by a statistical Gaussian measure in contrast to a traditional deterministic approach. The single input and multiple output data are attained using multiport electrodes fabricated over a relatively large area single nanotube ensemble. The data processing protocol discards outlier data points and the origin of the outliers is investigated. Both the experimental demonstration and complementary analytical modeling support the hypothesis that the statistical analysis of the device can strengthen the credibility of the sensor constructed using nanomaterials with any imperfections. The proposed strategy can also be applied to physical, radiation, and biosensors as well as other electronic devices.

    View details for PubMedID 30146873

  • Characterization of the piezoresistance in highly doped p-type 3C-SiC at cryogenic temperatures. RSC advances Phan, H. P., Dowling, K. M., Nguyen, T. K., Chapin, C. A., Dinh, T., Miller, R. A., Han, J., Iacopi, A., Senesky, D. G., Dao, D. V., Nguyen, N. T. 2018; 8 (52): 29976-29979

    Abstract

    This paper reports on the piezoresistive effect in p-type 3C-SiC thin film mechanical sensing at cryogenic conditions. Nanothin 3C-SiC films with a carrier concentration of 2 × 1019 cm-3 were epitaxially grown on a Si substrate using the LPCVD process, followed by photolithography and UV laser engraving processes to form SiC-on-Si pressure sensors. The magnitude of the piezoresistive effect was measured by monitoring the change of the SiC conductance subjected to pressurizing/depressurizing cycles at different temperatures. Experimental results showed a relatively stable piezoresistive effect in the highly doped 3C-SiC film with the gauge factor slightly increased by 20% at 150 K with respect to that at room temperature. The data was also in good agreement with theoretical analysis obtained based on the charge transfer phenomenon. This finding demonstrates the potential of 3C-SiC for MEMS sensors used in a large range of temperatures from cryogenic to high temperatures.

    View details for DOI 10.1039/c8ra05797d

    View details for PubMedID 35547286

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9085268

  • Tuning Electrical and Thermal Transport in AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures via Buffer Layer Engineering ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS Yalamarthy, A., So, H., Rojo, M., Suria, A. J., Xu, X., Pop, E., Senesky, D. G. 2018; 28 (22)
  • Graphene-enhanced gallium nitride ultraviolet photodetectors under 2 MeV proton irradiation APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Miller, R. A., So, H., Chiamori, H. C., Dowling, K. M., Wang, Y., Senesky, D. G. 2017; 111 (24)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.5005797

    View details for Web of Science ID 000418098900015

  • In situ ultraviolet shock radiance measurements using GaN-on-sapphire photodetectors REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS Miller, R. A., Cruden, B. A., Martinez, R., Senesky, D. G. 2017; 88 (11): 115004

    Abstract

    Gallium nitride (GaN)-on-sapphire photodetectors are used to measure the ultraviolet (UV) radiance behind a shock wave in support of atmospheric entry sensing technologies. DC spectral response characterization of the GaN-based photodetectors shows a peak response around 365 nm with an UV/visible rejection of an order of magnitude. To conduct in situ measurements of UV shock-layer radiation, the GaN-based photodetectors were installed, without protective packaging, in the test section of a shock tube. The measured UV radiation, in terms of incident optical power on the photodetectors, is in excellent agreement with average UV radiation measured by the shock tube facility spectrometers. Furthermore, the device response after being subjected to the shock wave is unaltered, suggesting that the GaN-based material platform is suitable for implementation in aerospace and other harsh environment sensing applications.

    View details for PubMedID 29195343

  • Highly antireflective AlGaN/GaN ultraviolet photodetectors using ZnO nanorod arrays on inverted pyramidal surfaces APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE So, H., Lim, J., Suria, A. J., Senesky, D. G. 2017; 409: 91-96
  • Lithography-free microfabrication of AlGaN/GaN 2DEG strain sensors using laser ablation and direct wire bonding MICROELECTRONIC ENGINEERING Dowling, K. M., So, H., Toor, A., Chapin, C. A., Senesky, D. G. 2017; 173: 54-57
  • Profile Evolution of High Aspect Ratio Silicon Carbide Trenches by Inductive Coupled Plasma Etching JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS Dowling, K. M., Ransom, E. H., Senesky, D. G. 2017; 26 (1): 135-142
  • Suppression of Persistent Photoconductivity in AlGaN/GaN Ultraviolet Photodetectors Using In Situ Heating IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS Hou, M., So, H., Suria, A. J., Yalamarthy, A. S., Senesky, D. G. 2017; 38 (1): 56-59
  • LOW-TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE RESPONSE OF InAlN/GaN RING-SHAPED HIGH ELECTRON MOBILITY TRANSISTORS Chapin, C. A., Miller, R. A., Chen, R., Dowling, K. M., Senesky, D. G., IEEE IEEE. 2017: 786–89
  • ZnO nanorod arrays and direct wire bonding on GaN surfaces for rapid fabrication of antireflective, high-temperature ultraviolet sensors APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE So, H., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 387: 280-284
  • Wafer-level MOCVD growth of AlGaN/GaN-on-Si HEMT structures with ultra-high room temperature 2DEG mobility AIP ADVANCES Xu, X., Zhong, J., So, H., Norvilas, A., Sommerhalter, C., Senesky, D. G., Tang, M. 2016; 6 (11)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4967816

    View details for Web of Science ID 000392082600024

  • DC characteristics of ALD-grown Al2O3/AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMTs and HEMTs at 600 degrees C in air SEMICONDUCTOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Suria, A. J., Yalamarthy, A. S., So, H., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 31 (11)
  • A microfabricated sun sensor using GaN-on-sapphire ultraviolet photodetector arrays REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS Miller, R. A., So, H., Chiamori, H. C., Suria, A. J., Chapin, C. A., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 87 (9)

    Abstract

    A miniature sensor for detecting the orientation of incident ultraviolet light was microfabricated using gallium nitride (GaN)-on-sapphire substrates and semi-transparent interdigitated gold electrodes for sun sensing applications. The individual metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector elements were shown to have a stable and repeatable response with a high sensitivity (photocurrent-to-dark current ratio (PDCR) = 2.4 at -1 V bias) and a high responsivity (3200 A/W at -1 V bias) under ultraviolet (365 nm) illumination. The 3 × 3 GaN-on-sapphire ultraviolet photodetector array was integrated with a gold aperture to realize a miniature sun sensor (1.35 mm × 1.35 mm) capable of determining incident light angles with a ±45° field of view. Using a simple comparative figure of merit algorithm, measurement of incident light angles of 0° and 45° was quantitatively and qualitatively (visually) demonstrated by the sun sensor, supporting the use of GaN-based sun sensors for orientation, navigation, and tracking of the sun within the harsh environment of space.

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4962704

    View details for Web of Science ID 000385634500061

    View details for PubMedID 27782578

  • Rapid fabrication and packaging of AlGaN/GaN high-temperature ultraviolet photodetectors using direct wire bonding JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS So, H., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 49 (28)
  • Continuous V-Grooved AlGaN/GaN Surfaces for High-Temperature Ultraviolet Photodetectors IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL So, H., Lim, J., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 16 (10): 3633-3639
  • Interdigitated Pt-GaN Schottky interfaces for high-temperature soot-particulate sensing APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE So, H., Hou, M., Jain, S. R., Lim, J., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 368: 104-109
  • Strain- and temperature-induced effects in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors SEMICONDUCTOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Yalamarthy, A. S., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 31 (3)
  • Low-resistance gateless high electron mobility transistors using three-dimensional inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS So, H., Senesky, D. G. 2016; 108 (1)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4939509

    View details for Web of Science ID 000374313000032

  • 4th International Symposium on Sensor Science (I3S2015): Conference Report. Sensors Seitz, P., Senesky, D. G., Schöning, M. J., Hauser, P. C., Moser, R., Herzig, H. P., Melesse, A. M., Broderick, P. A., Eugster, P. T. 2015; 15 (9): 24458-24465

    View details for DOI 10.3390/s150924458

    View details for PubMedID 26404306

  • 4H-SiC N-Channel JFET for Operation in High-Temperature Environments IEEE JOURNAL OF THE ELECTRON DEVICES SOCIETY Lien, W., Damrongplasit, N., Paredes, J. H., Senesky, D. G., Liu, T. K., Pisano, A. P. 2014; 2 (6): 164-167
  • Operation of ohmic Ti/Al/Pt/Au multilayer contacts to GaN at 600 degrees C in air APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Hou, M., Senesky, D. G. 2014; 105 (8)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4894290

    View details for Web of Science ID 000342753500026

  • Temperature sensor based on 4H-silicon carbide pn diode operational from 20 degrees C to 600 degrees C APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS Zhang, N., Lin, C., Senesky, D. G., Pisano, A. P. 2014; 104 (7)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4865372

    View details for Web of Science ID 000332038500075

  • Characterization of gallium nitride microsystems within radiation and high-temperature environments Conference on Reliability, Packaging, Testing, and Characterization of MOEMS/MEMS, Nanodevices, and Nanomaterials XIII Chiamori, H. C., Hou, M., Chapin, C. A., Shankar, A., Senesky, D. G. SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING. 2014

    View details for DOI 10.1117/12.2046690

    View details for Web of Science ID 000336038300005

  • Emerging GaN-based HEMTs for mechanical sensing within harsh environments Conference on Sensors for Extreme Harsh Environments Koeck, H., Chapin, C. A., Ostermaier, C., Haeberlen, O., Senesky, D. G. SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING. 2014

    View details for DOI 10.1117/12.2051568

    View details for Web of Science ID 000343119800011

  • Characterization of Irradiated and Temperature-compensated Gallium Nitride Surface Acoustic Wave Resonators Conference on Sensors for Extreme Harsh Environments Shankar, A., Angadi, C., Bhattacharya, S., Lin, C., Senesky, D. G. SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING. 2014

    View details for DOI 10.1117/12.2050838

    View details for Web of Science ID 000343119800009

  • Effects of radiation and temperature on gallium nitride (GaN) metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors Conference on Sensors for Extreme Harsh Environments Chiamori, H. C., Angadi, C., Suria, A., Shankar, A., Hou, M., Bhattacharya, S., Senesky, D. G. SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING. 2014

    View details for DOI 10.1117/12.2050983

    View details for Web of Science ID 000343119800003

  • Solar-Blind Photodetectors for Harsh Electronics SCIENTIFIC REPORTS Tsai, D., Lien, W., Lien, D., Chen, K., Tsai, M., Senesky, D. G., Yu, Y., Pisano, A. P., He, J. 2013; 3

    View details for DOI 10.1038/srep02628

    View details for Web of Science ID 000324157500003

  • Advances in silicon carbide science and technology at the micro- and nanoscales JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A Maboudian, R., Carraro, C., Senesky, D. G., Roper, C. S. 2013; 31 (5)

    View details for DOI 10.1116/1.4807902

    View details for Web of Science ID 000324388800006

  • Surface acoustic wave devices on AlN/3C-SiC/Si multilayer structures JOURNAL OF MICROMECHANICS AND MICROENGINEERING Lin, C., Chen, Y., Felmetsger, V. V., Lien, W., Riekkinen, T., Senesky, D. G., Pisano, A. P. 2013; 23 (2)
  • Characterization of Gallium Nitride Heterostructures for Strain Sensing at Elevated Temperatures 9th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (IWSHM) CHAPIN, C. A., Chiamori, H. C., Hou, M., Senesky, D. G. DESTECH PUBLICATIONS, INC. 2013: 1621–1628
  • MEMS Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Harsh Environment Sensing Lai, Y., J., Li, W., C., Lin, C., M., Felmetsger, V., V., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2013
  • Robust Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring within Harsh Environments 9th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (IWSHM) Senesky, D. G. DESTECH PUBLICATIONS, INC. 2013: 45–50
  • 4H-SiC Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Ultraviolet Photodetectors in Operation of 450 degrees C IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS Lien, W., Tsai, D., Lien, D., Senesky, D. G., He, J., Pisano, A. P. 2012; 33 (11): 1586-1588
  • AlN/3C-SiC Composite Plate Enabling High-Frequency and High-Q Micromechanical Resonators ADVANCED MATERIALS Lin, C., Chen, Y., Felmetsger, V. V., Senesky, D. G., Pisano, A. P. 2012; 24 (20): 2722-2727

    Abstract

    An AlN/3C-SiC composite layer enables the third-order quasi-symmetric (QS(3)) Lamb wave mode with a high quality factor (Q) characteristic and an ultra-high phase velocity up to 32395 ms(-1). A Lamb wave resonator utilizing the QS(3) mode exhibits a low motional impedance of 91 Ω and a high Q of 5510 at a series resonance frequency (f(s)) of 2.92 GHz, resulting in the highest f(s)·Q product of 1.61 × 10(13) Hz among the suspended piezoelectric thin film resonators reported to date.

    View details for DOI 10.1002/adma.201104842

    View details for Web of Science ID 000304043000011

    View details for PubMedID 22495881

  • Micromachined aluminum nitride acoustic resonators with an epitaxial silicon carbide layer utilizing high-order Lamb wave modes Lin, C., M., Chen, Y., Y., Felmetsger, V., V., Vigevani, G., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2012
  • Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Sensing within Extreme Harsh Environments Symposia on Low-Dimensional Nanoscale Elect and Photonic Devices 5 and State-of-the-Art Program on Cpd Semicond 54 (SOTAPOCS) Senesky, D. G. ELECTROCHEMICAL SOC INC. 2012: 233–38
  • Nanocrystalline SiC Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Photodetector with ZnO Nanorod Arrays for High-Temperature Applications. Lien, W., C., Tsai, D., S., Chiu, S., H., Senesky, D., G., Maboudian, R., Pisano, A., P. 2011
  • Active Materials for New Energy Efficient Window Glazing Technology: Feasibility Study Technical Report for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Department of Energy Senesky, D., G., Lee, E., Selkowitz, S. 2011
  • MEMS Strain Sensors for Intelligent Structural Systems. New Developments in Sensing Technology for Structural Health Monitoring Senesky, D., G., Jamshidi, B. edited by Mukhopadhyay, S. Springer-Verlag. 2011: 63–74
  • High-Q aluminum nitride Lamb wave resonators with biconvex edges Applied Physics Letters Lin, C., M., lai, Y., J., Hsu, J., C., Chen, Y., Y., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2011; 99: 143501
  • Low-Temperature, Ion Beam-Assisted SiC Thin Films With Antireflective ZnO Nanorod Arrays for High-Temperature Photodetection IEEE Electron Device Letters Lien, W., C., Tsai, D., S., Chiu, S., H., Senesky, D., G., Maboudian, R., Pisano, A., P. 2011; 32: 1564 - 1566
  • Quality factor enhancement in Lamb wave resonators utilizing AlN plates with convex edges Lin, C., M., Lai, Y., J., Yen, T., T., Hsu, J., C., Chen, Y., Y., Senesky, D., G. 2011
  • MEMS Sensors for Down-Hole Monitoring of Geothermal Energy Systems Wodin-Schwartz, S., Chan, M., W., Mansukhani, K., Pisano, A., P., Senesky, D., G. 2011
  • Epitaxial Graphene Growth on 3C-SiC(111)/AlN(0001)/Si(100) Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters Hsia, B., Ferralis, N., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P., Carraro, C., Maboudian, R. 2011; 14 (2): K13-K15
  • AlN thin films grown on epitaxial 3C–SiC (100) for piezoelectric resonant devices Applied Physics Letters Lin, C., M., Lien, W., C, Felmetsger, V., Hopcroft, M., A., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2010; 97: 141907
  • Synthesis of narrowband AlN Lamb wave ladder-type filters based on overhang adjustment Yen, T., T., Lin, C., M., Hoprcoft, M., A., Kuypers, J., H., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2010
  • Growth of Highly C-Axis Oriented AlN Films on 3C-SiC/Si Substrate Lin, C., M., Lien, W., C, Felmetsger, V., Senesky, D., G., Hopcroft, M., A., Pisano, A., P. 2010
  • Characterization of Aluminum Nitride Lamb Wave Resonators Operating At 600°C For Harsh Environment RF Applications Yen, T., T., Lin, C., M., Zhao, X., Senesky, D., G., Hopcroft, M., A., Pisano, A., P. 2010
  • Ohmic Contact With Enhanced Stability to Polycrystalline Silicon Carbide Via Carbon Interfacial Layer Liu, F., Hsia, B., Senesky, D., G., Carraro, C., Pisano, A., P., Maboudian, R. 2010
  • MEMS Sensing in an In-Cylinder Combustion Environment Wodin-Schwartz, S., Hopcroft, M., A., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2010
  • Aluminum Nitride as a Masking Material for the Plasma Etching of Silicon Carbide Structures Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2010
  • Growth of 3C-SiC/AlN/Si(100) layered structure with atomically abrupt interface via modified precursor feeding procedure Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters Lien, W., C., Cheng, K., B., Senesky, D., G., Carraro, C., Pisano, A., P., Maboudian, R. 2010; 13 (7): D53-D56
  • Genetic Algorithm Optimization for MEMS Cantilevered Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Lai, Y., J., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2010
  • Surface acoustic wave propagation properties in AlN/3C-SiC/Si composite structure Lin, C., M., Chen, Y., Y., Felmetsger, V., V., Yen, T., T., Lien, W., C., Senesky, D., G. 2010
  • Epitaxial Growth of 3C-SiC on AlN/Si (100) via Methyltrichlorosilane-based Chemical Vapor Deposition Lien, W., C., Cheng, K., B., Senesky, D., G., Carraro, C., Pisano, A., P., Maboudian, R. 2009
  • Harsh Environment Silicon Carbide Sensors for Health and Performance Monitoring of Aerospace Systems: a Review IEEE Sensors Journal Senesky, D., G., Jamshidi, B., Cheng, K., B., Pisano, A., P. 2009; 9 (11): 1472-1478
  • Electrodeposition of Permalloy in Deep Silicon Trenches without Edge-Overgrowth Utilizing Dry Film Photoresist Park, S., W., Senesky, D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2009
  • A Silicon Carbide Resonant Tuning Fork for Micro-Sensing Applications in High Temperature and High G-Shock Environments Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS Myers, D., R., Cheng, K., B., Jamshidi, B., Azevedo, R., G., Senesky, D., G., Chen, L. 2009; 8 (2): 21116
  • High Resolution Silicon Carbide Strain Gauge at 600oC Cheng, K., B., Myers, D., R., Jamshidi, B., Azevedo, R., G., Jones (aka Senesky), D., G., Mehregany, M. 2008
  • Low Temperature Ion Beam Sputter Deposition of Amorphous Silicon Carbide for Vacuum Encapsulation Jones (aka Senesky), D., G., Azevedo, R., G., Chan, M., W., Pisano, A., P., Wijesundara, M., B. J. 2007
  • A SiC MEMS Resonant Strain Sensor for Harsh Environment Applications IEEE Sensors Journal Azevedo, R., G., Jones (aka Senesky), D., G., Jog, A., V., Jamshidi, B., Myers, D., R., Chen, L. 2007; 7 (4): 568-576
  • Ion Beam Sputter Deposition of Silicon Carbide for Vacuum Encapsulation Jones (aka Senesky), D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2007
  • Silicon Carbide Coated MEMS Strain Sensor for Harsh Environment Applications Azevedo, R., G., Zhang, J., Jones (aka Senesky), D., G., Myers, D., R., Jog, A., V., Jamshidi, B. 2007
  • Fabrication of Ultra Thick Ferromagnetic Structures in Silicon Jones (aka Senesky), D., G., Pisano, A., P. 2004
  • MEMS Rotary Engine Power System Fernandez-Pello, A., C., Pisano, A., P., Fu, K., Walther, D., Knobloch, A., Martinez, F. 2002