Susanne Stemmer

Novel Materials for Electronic Devices

Over the past decade, the unique properties of topological quantum matter have generated huge excitement in the condensed matter physics community.  At the same time, solid state electronic devices are limited by current generations of electronic materials.  Here we discuss the many attractive properties of topological materials for electronic and photonic applications, such as high Fermi velocities and nonlinear responses. Moreover, these materials are also highly tunable.  For example, we discuss how recently discovered topological semimetals can be tuned into other topological phases. We will also discuss future applications.  For example, a combination of ultra-high Fermi velocities and Dirac fermion properties of topological matter is attractive for terahertz frequency applications, while their non-linear properties can enable a wide range of optical applications. Other examples are dynamic photodetectors and the efficient generation of terahertz radiation.  

Bio

Susanne Stemmer is Professor of Materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She did her doctoral work at the Max-Planck Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart (Germany) and received her degree from the University of Stuttgart in 1995.  Her research interests are in the development of scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques, molecular beam epitaxy of novel materials, strongly correlated oxide heterostructures, and topological matter.  She has authored or co-authored about 300 publications.  Honors include election to Fellow of the American Ceramic Society, Fellow of the American Physical Society, Fellow of the Materials Research Society, Fellow of the Microscopy Society of America, and a Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship of the Department of Defense.