Research Technology Master Calendar

Abstract 

In this presentation, we will first explore the heat transfer limitations at the nanoscale transistor level that have contributed to the “dark silicon” era in modern digital computing hardware. We will then discuss the fundamental thermodynamic limits of computing and emerging transistor architectures that leverage quantum transport to enable energy-efficient computing. To experimentally probe the energy conversion and dissipation in computing devices, I will introduce a novel technique that integrates advanced nanoscale thermal metrology with deep-learning image processing to extract quantitative heat transfer and thermal property data at the nanoscale. Using this method, we conducted in-operando studies on microelectronic devices and uncovered a new mechanism for localized refrigeration at semiconductor junctions via band-to-band tunneling. I will discuss how this discovery may help simultaneously address thermal dissipation constraints and rising energy demands in computing hardware by enabling transistor designs in which the drain current itself provides nanoscale refrigeration at the channel.

The second part of the talk will outline my research vision for the next 5 – 10 years, which centers on three interconnected directions: (i) electro-thermal design of energy-efficient computing hardware leveraging quantum transport, (ii) pushing thermal measurements toward their fundamental limits using quantum sensors, and (iii) developing integrated thermal transport sensors for energy storage diagnostics. These directions combine advanced thermal metrology with signal processing and machine learning approaches to advance our ability to measure, control, and ultimately engineer heat flow across microelectronic, quantum, and energy systems.

About the Speaker 

Amin Reihani is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and a Graduate Faculty in Electrical Engineering at Rutgers University. His research focuses on thermal sciences and solid-state physics. He obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2022 and his M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. He also holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology. Dr. Reihani is the principal investigator on federally funded projects supported by the Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Host: Professor Kyle Smith