Nano@Tech : Celebrating Silicon’s Success, its Hidden History, and its Next Act

Mike Filler
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech

 

Abstract: The history of silicon is usually told as a history of electronic materials and devices. However, it may be better told as a history of manufacturing innovation. This talk will take a journey through the manufacturing innovations that transformed silicon from its humble beginnings as the most abundant metal in Earth’s crust to the enabler of the computer chips that underpin the modern economy. The journey begins with the extraction of silicon from sand and its processing into the most compositionally pure and structurally perfect human-made material. It continues through the mid-20th century breakthroughs that allowed for the fabrication and interconnection of high-quality electronic devices to form integrated circuits. It is from this perspective that we can most easily appreciate silicon’s impact on modern society and why it is finding increasing utility in technology areas as diverse as renewable energy, environmental sensing, and augmented reality. It is also from this perspective that we can understand the limitations of today’s manufacturing paradigm and begin to see what innovations might be necessary to enable silicon’s next act.

Bio: Michael A. Filler is an associate professor and the Traylor Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech. His research program lies at the intersection of chemical engineering and materials science, focusing on the synthesis, understanding, and deployment of nanoscale materials for applications in electronics, photonics, and energy conversion. He is co-director of the Community for Research on Active Surfaces and Interfaces (CRĀSI) and the host of Nanovation, a bimonthly podcast about the intersection of nanoscience, technology, manufacturing, and society. Filler has received numerous awards for his research and teaching, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Georgia Tech Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award, and the CETL/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award. He also has been recognized as a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Environmental Chemistry Mentor.

 

PLEASE NOTE LOCATION CHANGE: Pettit Microelectronics Building | 791 Atlantic Dr NW | Atlanta GA | 30332

Event Details

Date/Time:

  • Tuesday, February 26, 2019
    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Phone: (404) 894-5100
Email: info@ien.gatech.edu
Fee(s): N/A

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