Athena Natalia Hughes

My PhD research aims to investigate the controlled crystal growth of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, such as molybdenum disulphide and tungsten disulphide, for integration into semiconductor devices. Such materials are of interest due to their stable, direct bandgap even when deposited in an isolated monolayer, allowing for reduced short-channel effects and mobility degradation that limits silicon at equivalent thicknesses. However, their performance upon integration into semiconductor devices is dictated by grain size, defect density and interface quality which are determined during the growth process. As such, it is critical to both understand and control the crystal growth of these materials, before developing a scalable technology that will enable their closed-loop additive manufacturing. Ultimately, this may allow for semiconductor logic applications to become more energy and computationally efficient at an economically viable cost, meeting United Nations sustainability and climate goals.

Who or what inspired you to pursue your research interests?

My interest in semiconductor devices and their applications began during an internship I undertook to investigate the semiconducting properties of transparent conducting oxides. Since then, I took materials science courses during my undergraduate degree which furthered my interest in the area and ultimately led me to complete my master's in the fabrication and characterisation of semiconductor devices for healthcare applications. These experiences have allowed me to explore the importance of such technologies for a variety of applications and inspire me to contribute to the development and realisation of more energy efficient, economical semiconductor devices.