# ENG-SEMICON: Understanding Nanoscale Heat Transport in Wide- and Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductors Using Novel Deep Ulraviolet Tools

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Utah State University (UT) · $487,692

## Abstract

Removing excess heat from electronic devices is essential for energy efficiency, overall performance, reliability, and lifespan. Next-generation electronic devices, including communication systems, electrical vehicles, high-performance computation, and military technologies, will need to operate at much higher frequencies and power levels. Meeting this demand will require new semiconductors materials with capabilities beyond those of silicon and models that can accurately describe the heat flow behavior within complex microelectronics. This project will develop unique measurement tools by harnessing ultraviolet laser pulses to study heat flow in these future semiconductor materials. The results will provide critical information about heat behavior at extremely small size and timescales, which will advance models of heat flow for the semiconductor industry.  In addition, the project will encourage undergraduate and graduate students to work closely with industry professionals, which will help educate the future workforce in microelectronics.

This project will demonstrate and advance a nondestructive, noncontact ultrafast, deep-ultraviolet transient grating spectroscopy technique to probe phonon-dominated thermal transport in wide- and ultrawide-bandgap thin films and substrates as a function transport length-scale. By coupling the extensive previous work in visible-based transient grating spectroscopy with the high-photon energy and short-wavelength of ultrafast deep-ultrav

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2550646
- **Awardee organization:** Utah State University (UT)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** SPE2YDWHDYU4
- **PI:** Joshua L Knobloch
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** —
- **Estimated total:** $487,692
- **Funds obligated:** $487,692
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 08/15/2025 → 07/31/2028

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2550646

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2550646, ENG-SEMICON: Understanding Nanoscale Heat Transport in Wide- and Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductors Using Novel Deep Ulraviolet Tools. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2550646. Licensed CC0.

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