【World Express】Cornell University Department of Materials Science and Engineering Welcomes New Faculty Advancing Gallium Oxide and Ultra-Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Research

      The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University has announced two new faculty appointments. Of particular note, Dr. Hari Nair has been appointed Assistant Professor, continuing to advance research in ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, with a focus on key materials such as gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and aluminum nitride (AlN).

      Since 2020, Dr. Nair has conducted semiconductor research at Cornell, establishing new capabilities in metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for the epitaxial growth of ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors including Ga₂O₃ and AlN. These materials are critical for next-generation power electronics and radio-frequency applications. A newly installed nitride MOCVD system in his lab enables exploration of epitaxial films and heterostructures of transition metal nitrides for quantum applications, such as epitaxial Josephson junctions.

      Dr. Nair stated, “The MOCVD capabilities in my group are highly synergistic with Cornell’s existing thin-film synthesis infrastructure. As an Assistant Professor, I will continue pursuing the established research directions while exploring new ones, particularly MOCVD growth of transition metal nitrides for quantum information science applications. I am also very excited to begin teaching our outstanding undergraduate and graduate students.”

      The appointments also include Professor James Weaver, whose research focuses on biologically inspired materials and advanced fabrication techniques. Weaver leads the Biologically Inspired Materials and Design Group and operates the Wide-Field Electron Optics Laboratory, working at the intersection of multiple disciplines. The addition of these two scholars further strengthens Cornell’s expertise in materials science, advanced fabrication, and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor research.

      As gallium oxide’s importance in next-generation power electronics continues to grow, Dr. Nair’s research is expected to inject new momentum into the field, laying the foundation for more efficient and reliable semiconductor devices.