ANNLab Latest News!
May 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu gives an invited talk titled “Smarter Nanoelectronics with Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbons” at the 25th IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE NANO 2025), during the Special Session on “Topological Materials for Electronics.” The conference will be held July 13–16, 2025, in Washington, DC, USA.
🏅Award Update - April 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu received Peterson Family Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award in recognition of excellence in research, teaching, and service by early-career faculty at University of Arizona College of Engineering. The award was presented by Dean David Hahn during a college-wide ceremony.
April 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu hosted a field trip at the University of Arizona for 14 visitors from Raytheon Technologies (RTX). Guests toured several of labs, including our ANNLab, and engaged in productive discussions about potential future collaborations. It was a great opportunity to showcase our work and explore exciting possibilities together.
April 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu becomes a faculty member of Arizona Astrobiology Center (AABC) at University of Arizona! AABC is dedicated to exploring the origins and potential for life in the universe through interdisciplinary research spanning planetary science, biology, chemistry, and engineering.
🏅Award Update - April 2025: Shelby Janssen and Thomas Sweepe received Outstanding Senior and Outstanding Teaching Assistant awards at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, respectively, at a College of Engineering-wide ceremony. These recognitions are incredibly well deserved. Congratulations to both Shelby and Thomas on this wonderful accomplishment.
🏅Award Update - April 2025: Howard Yawit has been named one of the 2025 recipients of the Astrobiology Seed Grant Awards for his research with the Arizona Astrobiology Center (AABC)! His project focuses on the electromagnetic characterization of tardigrades, as part of a larger goal to explore the origins of life in extreme conditions. Congratulations, Howard, a very well-deserved award and recognition!
April 2025: The Mutlu Group had a strong presence at the Spring 2025 Materials Research Society Meeting in Seattle, Washington, from April 7-11, 2025. We delivered a total of 7 presentations, including 4 talks and 3 posters by postdoc, graduates and undergraduates. Details of the studies can be found here.
March 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu presented an invited talk titled “Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbons as Next-Generation Channel Materials for Transistor Scaling Beyond Silicon Limits” at the 22nd IEEE Workshop on Microelectronic and Electron Devices (WMED), held on March 28, 2025, at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho.
✅ Funding Update - March 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu (Principal Investigator) has secured a grant from ASU's Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub (a DoD-funded regional innovation hub under the Microelectronics Commons initiative, which is supported by a $39.8 million CHIPS Act investment to accelerate microelectronics innovation for U.S. security) to develop AR/VR interactive modules for cleanroom education in collaboration with Prof. Mehmet Belviranli (Colorado School of Mines) and Prof. Brian Kim (University of Arizona).
🏅 Award Update - February 2025: Prof. Zafer Mutlu has been selected as a 2025 Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing Fellow (CSM Fellow '25). Prof. Mutlu will contribute to the center's efforts in semiconductor research, education, and workforce development at the University of Arizona.
🏅 February 2025: Julian Battaglia and Thomas Sweepe presented their research on the characterization of the semiconducting properties of chalcopyrites, and atomically precise graphene nanoribbon transistors, respectively, at the MSE Graduate Student Seminar at the University of Arizona.
✅ Funding Update - January 2025: Our group is now part of the Substrate & Materials Advanced Research & Technology (SMART) Packaging Consortium, a collaborative effort led by Georgia Tech and Absolics under the CHIPS National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP). The consortium, with $100 million in funding, is focused on advancing revolutionary glass core substrate panel manufacturing. As part of this consortium, our group will contribute expertise in low-dimensional materials to improve thermal management and enhance functionality in integrated photonics.
January 2024: Howard Yawit gave an excellent presentation at the NewFos Center stakeholder meeting on the design of topological acoustic wave devices for advanced RF technologies. More details about the meeting and the presentation can be found here.
January 2024: We joined our first NewFos Center stakeholder meeting, which brought together Co-PIs, industry members, and students. My group presented our work, with Howard Yawit delivering an insightful brief talk and a beautifully crafted poster presentation on our recent results in designing topological acoustic wave devices for advanced RF technologies. Thanks to all the NewFos personnel for organizing such a great event.
✅ Funding Update - December 2024: Our group has been awarded a User Program grant by Molecular Foundry, a world-class user facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. This grant provides us with one year of free access to state-of-the-art facilities at the Foundry. The project will focus on developing atomic layer deposition techniques on graphene nanoribbons for doping and performance enhancement. Dr. Adam Schwartzberg will be our host scientist.
November 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu attended Microelectronics Commons Annual Meeting and National Semiconductor Technology Center Symposium in Washington, D.C., where he re-connected with many inspiring leaders in semiconductor field, especially Prof. Tsu-Jae King Liu, with whom he interacted during his postdoctoral studies at UC Berkeley, and Prof. Mark S. Lundstrom from Purdue, whose transistor lectures have greatly taught many of us.
October 2024: Howard Yawit and Muhammed Yusufoglu presented their research on Topological Acoustic Wave RF Devices and Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbon Transistors, respectively, at MSE Graduate Student Seminar at University of Arizona.
October 2024: Last week, we visited Intel's Gordon Moore Park campus in Hillsboro for the second Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) LMD Annual Review. It was great to share our latest results, receive valuable feedback, and see the incredible work happening within the SRC community. A big thanks to the Intel's Novel Devices and Memory Research team for hosting us and meeting with our team to discuss the future of semiconductors and explore new opportunities together.
September 2024: Shelby Janssen, an undergraduate student in Materials Science and Engineering, presented her research on the long-term stability of graphene nanoribbon transistors at the SRC TECHCON Conference.
🏅Award Update - August 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu was selected as a Craig M. Berge Faculty Fellow by the University of Arizona College of Engineering, in recognition of his contributions to research, education, and innovation.
August 2024: Muhammed Yusufoglu presented the group’s recent work on the stability and reliability of graphene nanoribbon transistors at the Molecular Foundry Annual User Meeting. His presentation was part of the session titled “Next-Generation Quantum Materials for Quantum Computing, Sensing, and Microelectronic Devices” at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California.
August 2024: Howard Yawit presented the group’s recent work on the design, fabrication, and characterization of topological acoustic wave devices at the Molecular Foundry Annual User Meeting. His presentation was part of the session titled “Next-Generation Quantum Materials for Quantum Computing, Sensing, and Microelectronic Devices” at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California.
August 2024: Group members Muhammed Yusufoglu, Howard Yawit, and Dr. Kentaro Yumigeta visited Prof. Michael Crommie's research group at UC Berkeley during their trip to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the Molecular Foundry User Meeting. Prof. Crommie, a long-standing collaborator, hosted the team for discussions and lab engagement.
July 2024: Group members Muhammed Yusufoglu and Dr. Kentaro Yumigeta attended SEMICON West 2024, a leading microelectronics industry event held in San Francisco, California.
June 2024: The group participated in a successful NSF site visit as part of the STC New Frontiers of Sound Science and Technology Center. The meeting brought together center members from across the country to discuss research progress and upcoming plans.
June 2024: The Mutlu group had a strong presence at TechConnect World 2024, with participation by Muhammed Yusufoglu, Dr. Kentaro Yumigeta, Howard Yawit, and Richard Holloway. Travel support for the event was provided by the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing.
June 2024: Christina Dinh was featured in a Harvard Business Review article highlighting efforts by the University of Arizona and other state universities to address the semiconductor workforce gap.
🏅Award Update - May 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu received the Excellence Award for Student Interface from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He extends his thanks to the students who voted and to both the department and the College of Engineering for this meaningful recognition.
May 2024: Thomas Sweepe joined TSMC’s new fabrication facility in Phoenix as a summer intern. He is the first student from the group—and potentially from the University of Arizona—to take part in an internship with TSMC. We wish him success in this valuable industry experience.
🏅Award Update - May 2024: Shelby Janssen and Franco Daluisio were selected by Intel as Intel URP Scholars under the prestigious Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) Undergraduate Research Program (URP). This recognition highlights their strong academic and research potential in the field of semiconductors.
🏅 Award Update - May 2024: Muhammed Yusufoglu, the first Ph.D. student in Prof. Zafer Mutlu’s research group, was awarded the Brian Joseph Coppa Graduate Student Endowment Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of semiconductors and microelectronics. The group extends its thanks to the College of Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering for this meaningful recognition.
🎓Graduation Update - May 2024: Christian Copic graduated with a Master’s degree from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona. Since joining the group in January 2023, he contributed to two key projects involving the semiconductor properties of chalcopyrite and the electronic behavior of graphene nanoribbon transistors. Christian will be joining Microsoft as a Silicon Engineer, and we extend our best wishes for his continued success.
🎓Graduation Update - May 2024: Christina Dinh, the first student to join Prof. Zafer Mutlu’s research group at the University of Arizona, successfully defended her thesis titled “Contact Engineering and Reliability of Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbon Transistors.” Christina made significant contributions to the lab’s research activities. She will be joining NXP Semiconductors, and we wish her continued success in her professional career.
🏅 Award Update - April 2024: Christina Dinh received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the University of Arizona College of Engineering in recognition of her academic excellence and research contributions.
🏅 Award Update - April 2024: Julian Battaglia was awarded 1st place in the 22nd Annual Arizona Materials Bowl Capstone Project and Poster Competition for the group’s work on graphene nanoribbon transistors. He brought home the “Most Wanted” Territorial Materials Trophy. Congratulations to Julian and the team for this well-earned recognition.
April 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu received a courtesy appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Arizona.
April 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu received a courtesy appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona.
March 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu delivered an invited colloquium talk in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas.
🏅 Award Update - Feb 2024: Christina Dinh and Muhammed Yusufoglu received second and third place awards, respectively, for their poster presentations on graphene nanoribbon transistors at the FUSENANO 2024 Workshop. Award recipients were selected by votes from over 150 participants representing both the semiconductor industry and academia.
Feb 2024: UArizona News published an article highlighting the FUSENANO 2024 Workshop organized by Prof. Zafer Mutlu. Read the here here.
Feb 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu organized the Molecules to Systems: The Future of Semiconductors with 1D & 2D Nanomaterials (FuseNano) Workshop in Tucson, Arizona. The event brought together over 25 invited speakers and panelists from leading academic institutions, national laboratories, funding agencies, industry, and nonprofit scientific organizations. With more than 150 participants, the workshop featured technical talks and panel discussions focused on emerging trends and future directions in semiconductor science and technology.
Feb 2024: The group successfully demonstrated the fabrication of its first Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) delay line, featuring two interdigital transducers (IDTs) patterned on a piezoelectric substrate. The work was completed at the Optical Sciences Micro/Nano Fabrication Cleanroom at the University of Arizona. Special recognition goes to Howard Yawit for his key contributions to this achievement.
🏅 Award Update - Jan 2024: Prof. Zafer Mutlu was selected as a 2024 Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing Fellow (CSM Fellow '24). In this role, he will contribute to advancing semiconductor research, education, and workforce development at the University of Arizona.
Dec 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu attended the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) 2023, a special TSMC mini workshop, and the UC Berkeley Alumni Night in San Francisco. During the events, he reconnected with colleagues and mentors, including Prof. Chenming Hu, a pioneer in FinFET transistor technology and former colleague from the EECS Department at UC Berkeley.
🏅 Award Update - Dec 2023: The group’s article titled “Contact Engineering for Graphene Nanoribbon Devices” was prominently featured on the website of Applied Physics Reviews.
🏅 Award Update - Dec 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu was selected as a recipient of the George H. Davis Travel Fellowship, established in 2009 by the University of Arizona Foundation. The fellowship supports travel to leading national or international conferences for professional development and academic engagement.
Nov 2023: Christina Dinh was featured in a news article highlighting a $35.5 million grant awarded to the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering, with a significant portion dedicated to upgrading the Micro/Nano Fabrication Center.
Nov 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu delivered an invited talk and chaired a session at the 2023 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. Details here.
October 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu delivered an invited talk on graphene nanoribbon transistors to the Advanced Device Research group at Intel Corporation, Components Research.
October 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu, along with four members of the research group, participated in the first Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) LMD Annual Review held in Albany, New York. The team presented recent results, engaged with feedback from the SRC community, and toured the Albany NanoTech Complex, including an in-depth look at ASML’s state-of-the-art EUV lithography tool.
October 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu delivered an invited colloquium talk in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona.
✅ Funding Update - September 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu secured a research grant as part of the newly established $30 million NSF Science and Technology Center for New Frontiers of Sound Science and Technology. His project focuses on the development and characterization of novel topological acoustic (TA) wave devices using advanced high-throughput nano- and micro-fabrication techniques to support next-generation radio frequency (RF) and sensing technologies.
September 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu delivered an invited colloquium talk in the Department of Physics at the University of Arizona.
September 2023: Christina Dinh presented the group’s research on contact engineering of graphene nanoribbon transistors at the TECHCON Conference in Austin, Texas.
✅ Funding Update - August 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu, as Co-Principal Investigator, received a research grant from Freeport-McMoRan for the project titled “Connecting the Leachability of Chalcopyrite to its Mineral Characteristics.” The project aims to enhance understanding of mineral behavior to improve copper extraction processes.
✅ Funding Update - May 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu, as Principal Investigator, was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) Program for the project titled “FuSe-TG: Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbon-based Transistors: Materials, Devices, Circuits, and Systems.” This award marks Prof. Mutlu’s first NSF-funded project at the University of Arizona.
May 2023: The group successfully demonstrated the fabrication of its first nanoFET devices with channel lengths as small as 30 nm. The work was carried out at the Optical Sciences Micro/Nano Fabrication Cleanroom and Arizona Nano Fabrication Center at the University of Arizona. Christina Dinh and Thomas Sweepe contributed significantly to this milestone achievement.
✅ Funding Update - January 2023: Prof. Zafer Mutlu, as Principal Investigator, received his first research grant at the University of Arizona from the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC). The funded project, titled “Smarter Nanoelectronics with Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbons,” focuses on advancing materials and device technologies in next-generation nanoelectronics.
January, 2023: Christina Dinh, a student from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona, joined ANNLab as the first student in the group. We welcome Christina and look forward to her contributions to our research efforts.
December 2022: Prof. Zafer Mutlu attended the 2022 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) in San Francisco. During the event, he reconnected with his postdoctoral advisor, Prof. Jeffrey Bokor (UC Berkeley), whose mentorship has been instrumental in Prof. Mutlu’s academic and professional development.
August 2022: Dr. Zafer Mutlu joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona as an Assistant Professor. View the College of Engineering's official announcement here.
