Seminar: Emma Renteria

April 25, 2025

Semiconductor Membranes for Millimeter-Wave Shielding and Infrared Detection

Emma J. Renteria, Center for High Technology Materials, UNM

3:00 pm, UNM Centennial Engineering Center, Room 1026
Online Guests: Contact Prof. Osiński <osinski@chtm.unm.edu> for a Zoom link

Abstract: The increasing use of radio-frequency (RF) devices saturates the environment with electromagnetic radiation capable of disrupting the operation of electronic components, including sources and detectors of IR radiation that are widely used in commercial and military applications. Therefore, IR devices must be enclosed by a material that blocks RF waves while allowing the transmission of IR radiation. Here, we show that single-crystalline semiconductor membranes are viable candidates for shielding IR devices from electromagnetic interference as they provide high shielding effectiveness and optical transmittance. In addition, we demonstrate that thin junction photodiodes can be integrated on the back surface of the semiconductor membrane, making the latter a multifunctional material. In our work, an epitaxially grown and heavily doped GaAs semiconductor membrane serves as an optically transparent shield of RF waves and the n-region of the heterojunction photodiode. We will show the details in the integration and fabrication of the devices and extensive characterization of their performance.

Bio: Emma J. Renteria is a Research scientist at UNM’s Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM). Before starting her position as a research scientist, she did a two-year Intelligence Community (IC) postdoctoral research fellowship at CHTM working on multifunctional 2D materials that integrate electromagnetic interference shielding and infrared detection functionalities. Previous to her IC postdoctoral fellowship, she was a postdoctoral fellow at CHTM working on the development of high-power diode lasers, single-photon emitters and detectors, smart materials for antenna devices, and passivation techniques for AlSb gamma detectors. Dr. Renteria received her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UNM in 2017, focusing on ultra-thin film III-V photovoltaic and thermophotovoltaic technologies. Her current research interests are in the synthesis, processing, and characterization of inorganic nanosheets for radio-frequency applications.