Jimmy L. Davidson

Email: jim.davidson@vanderbilt.edu
Phone: (615) 343-7886
Fax: 343-6614
Office: 5601 Stevenson Center
Address: Microelectronics Group, VU Station B 351683, Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN  37235-1683  USA


Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering, Professor of Interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science

Jimmy L. Davidson received the B.A. degree from Hendrix College majoring in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics and the M.S. and Ph.D. in Material Science from Columbia University. Previously in his career, he was Manager of Advanced Process Development and Director of Product Assurance at Harris Semiconductor, Inc., Vice President of Operations at InSouth Microelectronics Corp. and a Professor at Auburn University where he was also Associate Director of the Alabama Microelectronics Center.

 

In September 1989 he became Professor, Electrical Engineering and Professor, Material Science and Engineering at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN and Director, Vanderbilt Microelectronics Laboratory. He conducts applied research in advanced electronic materials and microelectronic microsensors and is developing programs in synthetic diamond and other rugged advanced wide band gap semiconductors for electronic, biological and mechanical applications.   Made first determinations of elastic modulus, tensile strength, chemical sensing properties, tip electron emission of diamond films and developed first technology for patterning diamond films.  Designed, fabricated, developed and characterized first diamond MEMS sensors, diamond-based chemical sensors, resistors, capacitors, and highly efficient diamond microemitter vacuum microelectronic devices.  He has over 100 publications and 6 patents in this area.

 

 

Vanderbilt University Engineering Capability Brief  re.

Diamond Research and Development  follows:

 

Vanderbilt University
Engineering Capability Brief 

Diamond Research and Development

J. L. Davidson, Professor - Electrical and Computer Engineering

 

 

 

 

     

 
 
Diamond research and development activities at Vanderbilt University, have yielded new innovative ideas in applying diamond technology for the development of solid state and vacuum microelectronics, microsensors, MEMS, and electric power devices. A complete capability is in place at Vanderbilt to conduct modeling, design, development, fabrication, characterization and testing of diamond devices.  Over 40 scientific papers have been published, in excess of 50 conference presentations and several patents are pending as a result of Vanderbilt's applied diamond research and development. The multiple projects underway are funded by NASA, USAF, USN, DOD, and others.

 


DIAMOND

PRESSURE

SENSOR

 

 


DIAMOND

MICROEMITTER

 

                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

Diamond is generally recognized as a principal candidate for next generation semiconductor materials. Major advantages for the use of CVD diamond technology for applications such as microelectronic devices, sensors, microelectromechanical systems, and high power devices are: (1) superior electronic properties at much higher temperatures and harsh environments, (2) high breakdown voltage, electron saturation velocity, carrier mobility, thermal conductivity, and electrical stability for microelectronic devices with very high power and frequency possibilities, (3) wide-band gap and NEA properties vacuum microelectronics with outstanding power, speed, and radiation hardness, (4) chemical and electrical stability, compatible with hostile environments for chemical/gas sensing, (5) rugged piezoresistive properties, (6) excellent thermal conductivity for flow sensing, (7) unprecedented stiffness and hardness for microdynamic structures and novel composites, and (8) low coefficient of friction, virtual "wearless" moving interfaces to achieve MEMS that operate at higher frequency, higher RPM and lower energy.

 

Example Applications: Vanderbilt researchers have demonstrated the capability to directly address the research and development necessary to implement the science and technology to apply diamond for practical solutions.

Major Diamond-Based research programs currently underway at Vanderbilt are:

  1. Microsensors and MEMS Programs: Diamond Chemical Gas Sensor, Diamond Pressure Sensor, Diamond Accelerometer (NASA)
  2. Vacuum Microelectronics Programs: Rad hard Vacuum diode and triode (USAF)
  3. Solid-State Microelectronics Program: Diamond gate dielectric (USAF), Diamond electronic properties by FEL (Navy)
  4. CVD Diamond and Power Electronic Devices: High power resistors and capacitors, energy density storage system, power thyristor, power emission device

 

Example References, Recent Publications and Conference Papers:

 

1)  W. P. Kang, T. Fisher, and J. L. Davidson, ※Diamond Microemitters 每 The New Frontier of Electron Field Emissions and Beyond,§ New Diamond and Frontier Carbon Technology, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 129-146, 2001. (Invited)

2)  J. L. Davidson, W. P. Kang, K. Holmes, A. Wisitsora-at, P. Taylor, V. Pulugurta, R. Venkatasubramanian, and F. Wells, ※CVD Diamond for Components and Emitters,§ Diamond and related Materials, 10, pp. 1736-1742, 2001.

3)  W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, D.V. Kerns, and S. Kerns, ※Recent Development of Diamond Microtip Field Emitter Cathodes and Devices,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 19 (3), pp. 936-941, 2001. (Invited).

4)  W. P. Kang, A. Wisitsora-at, J. L. Davidson, O. K. Tan, W. G. Zhu, Q. Li and J. F. Xu, ※Electron Emission from Silicon Tips Coated with Sol-gel (Ba0.67Sr0.33)TiO3 Ferroelectric Thin Film,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 19 (3), pp. 1073-1076, 2001.

5)  A. Wisitsora-at, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, D. V. Kerns, and S. E. Kerns, ※Diamond Emitter Arrays with Uniform Self-Aligned Gate Built from Silicon-on-Insulator Wafer,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 19 (3), pp. 971-974, 2001.

6)  A. Wisitsora-at, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, D. V. Kerns, and T. Fisher, ※Diamond Field Emission Triode with Low Gate Turn-on Voltage and High Gain,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 21 (1)

7) Y. M. Wong, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, K. L. Soh and T. Fisher, ※Field Emitter Using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Grown On Silicon Tip Region By Microwave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 21 (1)

8) W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, M. Howell, A. Jamuhadin, Y. M. Wong, K. L. Soh, and D. V. Kerns, ※Fabrication and Field Emission Characteristics of Lateral Diamond Field Emitter,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 21 (1)

9) W. P. Kang, A. Wisitsora-at, J. L. Davidson, O. K. Tan, W. G. Zhu, Q. Li, and J. F. Xu ※The Effect of Annealing Temperature on the Electron Emission Characteristics of Silicon Tips Coated with Ba0.67Sr0.33TiO3 Thin Film,§ Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, Vol. 21 (1)

10) K. L. Soh, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, Y. M. Wong, A. Wisitsora-at, G. Swain, and D.E. Cliffel, ※DIAMOND MICROTIPS AS MICROELECTRODE FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSING,§ Technical Digest of 9th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, pp. 104-105, Boston, USA, July 7-10, 2002.

11) Y. M. Wong, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at and K. L. Soh, ※A NOVEL MICROELECTRONIC GAS SENSOR UTILIZING CARBON NANOTUBES FOR HYDROGEN GAS DETECTION,§ Technical Digest of 9th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, pp. 206-207, Boston, USA, July 7-10, 2002.

12) A. Wisitsora-at, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, M. Howell, and D. V. Kerns, ※MODELING OF THE TRANSISTOR CHARACTERISTICS OF A MONOLITHIC DIAMOND VACUUM TRIODE,§ Technical Digest of 15th International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, pp. PT.07, July 7-11, 2002, Lyon, France

13) A. Wisitsora-at, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, M. Howell, and D. V. Kerns, ※HIGH CURRENT DIAMOND FIELD EMISSION DIODE,§ Technical Digest of 15th International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, pp. OB1.12, July 7-11, 2002, Lyon, France

14) Qiong Li, Jingfang Xu, Ke Yu, Tao Feng, Xi Wang, Xianghuai Liu, W. P. Kang, and J. L. Davidson, ※Field Emission Characteristics of Nodular Carbon Nanotube,§ Technical Digest of 15th International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, pp. PT.41, July 7-11, 2002, Lyon, France

15) (Invited) J. L. Davidson, W. P. Kang, Y. M. Wong, K. L. Soh, and A. Wisitsora-at, ※Comparing Solid Diamond Films and Carbon Nanotubes as Chemical Sensors§, Proceedings of the AICHE 2002 Annual Meeting, session 34-Diamond and Diamond-like Carbon Based Sensors, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 3 每 8, 2002, pp. 159-162.

16)  (Invited) J.L. Davidson, W.P. Kang, T. Fisher, A.M. Strauss, K. Holmes, A. Wisitsora-At, M. Howell, ※Diamond Microelectromechanical Structures (DMEMS)§, Proceedings of CIMTEC 2002, International Conferences on Modern Materials and Technologies, 3rd Forum on New Materials, Section 4 每 Devices, Applications and Prospects, Florence, Italy, July 14-18, 2002, p. 217

17) Yun Wang, T.S. Fisher, J.L. Davidson, Lixin Jiang, ※Thermal conductivity of Nanoparticle Suspensions§, Proceedings of the 8th AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)/ASME Joint Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, 24-26 June 2002, AIAA 2002-3345, p.1-6

18) J. L. Davidson, W. P. Kang, and A. Wisitsora-at, ※Diamond Field Emission devices,§ Proceedings of Diamond 2002, 13th European Conference on Diamond, Diamond-Like Materials, Carbon Nanotubes, Nitrides & Silicon Carbide, September 2002, Granada, Spain, pp. 16.1.

 

19) J.L. Davidson, W.P. Kang, T. Fisher, K. Holmes, A. Wisitsora-At, M. Howell, ※Some Practical Examples of Diamond Micromechanical Structures (DMEMS)§, Diamonds Materials VII, Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Diamond Science and Technology, 2001 Joint International Meeting/200th Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, San Francisco, CA., September 2-7, 2001. Proceeding Volume 2001-25, published 2002, pp. 240-251.

20) Y. M. Wong, W.P. Kang, J.L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-At, K. L. Soh, ※Highly Efficient Field Emitter Using Carbon Nanotubes Grown by Microwave Plasma-Enhanced CVD§, Diamonds Materials VII, Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Diamond Science and Technology, 2001 Joint International Meeting/200th Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, San Francisco, CA., September 2-7, 2001. Proceeding Volume 2001-25, published 2002, pp. 281-288.

21) Y.M. Wong, W.P. Kang, J.L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, and K.L. Soh, ※Carbon Nanotubes for Gas Sensing Applications§, 201st Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, ECS Centennial Meeting, "Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI", Proceedings of Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI Symposium, 201st Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Philadelphia, PA, May 12-17th, 2002. Proceeding Volume 2002-6, pp.32-35, 2002.

22) K.C. Holmes, J.L. Davidson, and W.P. Kang, ※Piezoresistive Micro-Electro-Mechanical Application in Diamond Films§, 201st Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, ECS Centennial Meeting, "Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI", Proceedings of Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, May 12-17th, 2002. Proceeding Volume 2002-6, pp.77-83, 2002.

23) K.L. Soh, W.P. Kang, J.L. Davidson, Y.M. Wong, A. Wisitora-at, ※Boron-doped CVD Diamond Planar Film as an Electrode for Electrochemical Sensing§, 201st Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, ECS Centennial Meeting, "Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI", Proceedings of Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, May 12-17th, 2002. Proceeding Volume 2002-6, pp.235-238, 2002.

 

Books:

 

Editor, J. L. Davidson, "Diamonds Materials VII", Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Diamond Science and Technology, 2001 Joint International Meeting/200th Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, San Francisco, CA., September 2-7, 2001. Proceeding Volume 2001-25, co 每 editor with G. M. Swain, J. C. Angus, T. Ando, W. D. Brown, published 2002.

 

Editor, J. L. Davidson, "Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI", Proceedings of Microfabricated Systems and MEMS VI Symposium, 201st Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Philadelphia, PA, May 12-17th, 2002. Proceeding Volume 2002-6, co 每 editor with P. J. Hesketh, S.S. Ang, H. G. Hughes, D. Misra, published 2002.