Milton Feng

For More Information

• Hyper-Uniform Nanophotonic Technologies
• High Speed Integrated Circuits Group

Education

• Ph.D. Electrical Engineering University of Illinois 1979

Biography

MILTON FENG is the Nick Holonyak Jr. Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prof. Feng was born in Taiwan, China. He received his BS degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University (New York) in 1973 and his MS and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in 1976 and 1979, respectively.

From 1979 to 1983, he was head of the GaAs material and device group at Torrance Research Center, Hughes Aircraft Company, where he was in charge of ion implantation, AsCl3 VPE, MOCVD, and MBE technology. In 1983, he developed a direct ion-implanted low-noise and power MESFET and MMICs for X-band phase array radar application. Dr. Feng demonstrated the first 60-GHz GaAs amplifiers in 1983. From 1984 to 1986, he worked for Ford Microelectronics, Inc., in Colorado Springs, CO, where he managed the advanced digital integrated circuit development program in 1 K SRAM and 500 gate array.

Since 1991, Dr. Feng has been a professor of electrical and computer engineering and a research professor at the Microelectronics Laboratory at the University of Illinois. Prof. Feng invented the pseudomorphic HBT (PHBT), “pushed” the transistor speed boundary toward THz, and demonstrated InP PHBTs with the world’s fastest speed performance (> 800 GHz). Prof. Feng, along with Prof. N. Holonyak, Jr., demonstrated the first laser operation of a quantum-well-based light emitting transistor (QWLET), a transistor laser (TL). A transistor laser opens up a rich domain of integrated circuitry and high speed signal processing that involves both electrical and optical signals.

Prof. Feng has published over 257 papers, 259 conference talks, and been granted 40 U.S. patents in semiconductor microelectronics. He is an IEEE and OSA Fellow, and serves on many executive and strategy committees both in industry and at conferences. In 1989, he received the Ford Aerospace Corporate Technology Outstanding Principal Investigator Award for his contribution of advancing ion implantation GaAs and InGaAs MESFETs into manufacturable millimeter-wave ICs. In 1997, he received the IEEE David Sarnoff Award, and in 2000, he received the Pan Wen Yuan Outstanding Research Award in Microelectronics. In 2005, he was chosen as the first Holonyak Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 2006, his transistor laser research paper was selected as one of the top five papers in the 43 year-history of Applied Physics Letters, and also was selected as one of the top 100 most important discoveries in 2005 by Discover magazine. In 2013, he is the recipient of Optical Society R.W. Wood Prize (OSA) for an outstanding discovery, scientific or technical achievement, or invention in the field of optics. He was being recognized for the co-invention and realization of the transistor laser, delivering simultaneously both an electrical signal and a coherent laser output and providing the basis for a revolutionary newer higher speed electrical-photonic integrated circuit. Since 1991, High Speed Device and Integrated Circuits group (HSIC) has been the leader in THz Transistor research and High Speed semiconductor laser research and has already granted 48 Ph.D. (2022) and more to come.

Teaching Statement

High Speed Semiconductor Transitor and Integrated Circuits.

Compound Semiconductor Physics and Devices

Photonics device and Phtonics Integrated Circuits

Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Devices and ICs

Research Statement

The High Speed Device and IC group is aimed at "breakthrough" device and integrated IC and antenna technology toward THz operation. Prof. Feng (With Prof. Holonyak) invented new transistor, Transistor Laser (3 port operation-an electrical input with an electrical output and optical output) in 2004, opened up new frontier in optoelectronics integration as well as fast laser modulation, switching and signal processing. HSIC groups

Graduate Research Opportunities

THz Transistor and Mixed Signal ICs.

Microwave and Millimeter-Wave ICs

Microcavity and Vertical Cavity Laser

High Speed Modulation of VCSEL and Transistor Laser

Transistor Laser Integrated Circuits

Photonics Integrated Circuits

Tb/s and Pb/s Optical Interconnect

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

RF and Microwave Device and ICs design

THz Transistor Research

50 Gb/s VCSEL and VCTL for Tb/s Optical Interconnect

Research Interests

• Microelectronics and Photonics :(1)THz HBT and HEMT devices, modelling and Mixed Signal ICs, (2) High Speed CMOS Devices, Modelling and Design ICs, (3) Transistor Laser and VCTL Photonics ICs (4) 50 to 200 Gb/s VCSEL and VCTL Optical Interconnect

Research Topics

• Beyond CMOS
• Electronics, Plasmonics, and Photonics
• Energy
• Micro & nanoelectromechanical M/NEMS integrated systems
• Photonics: optical engineering and systems
• Quantum optics, cryptography, information, and computing
• RF and microwave engineering
• Semiconductor devices and manufacturing
• Solar and renewable technology

Selected Articles in Journals

• Yu-Ju Chuang, K. Cimino, M. Stuenkel, W. Snodgrass, and M. Feng, "Radio-Frequency-Noise Characterization and Modeling of Type II InP-GaAsSb DHBT," IEEE Electron Device Letters, vol. 29, No.1, Jan. 21-23, 2008
• D. K. Sengupta, S. L. Jackson, D. Ahmari, H. C. Kuo, J. I. Malin, S. Thomas, M. Feng, G. E. Stillman, Y. C. Chang, L. Li and, H. C. Liu "P-Type InGaAs/InP Quantum Well Infrared Photo-detector with Peak Response at 4.55 um," Appl. Phys. Lett vol. 69 no. 21, 18 Nov 1996.
• M. Feng, C. L. Lau, and C. Ito, "A technique for correction of parasitic capacitance on microwave ft measurements of MESFET and HEMT devices," IEEE-MTT, vol. 39, 11 pp. 1880-1883, Nov. 1991.
• L. J. Guido, K. C. Hsieh, N. Holonyak, Jr., R. W. Kaliski, V. K. Eu, M. Feng, and R. D. Burnham, "Impurity Induced Layer Disordering of Si-implanted AxGa1-xAs-GaAs Quantum Well Hetero-structures-Layer Disordering Via Diffusion from Extrinsic Dislocation Loops," J. of Appl. Phys. vol. 61, pp. 1329-1334, February 1987.
• H. Kanber, M. Feng and J. M. Whelan, "Characterization of Ion Implantation Damage in Capless Annealed GaAs," 1983 MRS Symposium on Ion Implantation, vol. 27, 1984, pp. 365-370, Published by Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc.
• M. Feng, V. K. Eu, I. J. D'Haenens, M. Braunstein, "Low Noise GaAs Field Effect Transistor made by Molecular Beam Epitaxy," Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 41, pp. 633-635, 1982.

Honors

• 2010 Internation Electronics and Devices and Material Symposium Outstanding Paper Award
• Best Student Paper Award, 2009 International Compound Semiconductor MANTECH Symposium
• Center of Advanced Study Associate (2009-2010)
• Transistor laser was the most popular top 10-science story (rank #4) on EurekAlert by America Advanced of Art and Science (AAAS)in 2006
• America Institute of Physics selected "Room Temperature CW Operation of Transistor Laser" as top 5 paper published in the 43 years history of Applied Physics Letter in 2006
• Discover Magazine selected Transistor Laser as top 100 most important discovery in 2005
• Nick Holonyak, Jr. Endowed Chair Professor 2005
• 2004 International Conference on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology Best Student Paper Award
• 2004 International Electronics and Devices and Materials Symposium Outstanding Paper Award
• Best Sudent Paper Award, 2003 International GaAs MANTECH Symposium
• Fellow, Optical Society of America (OSA) 2003
• Dr. Pan Wen Yuan Foundation Award for High Speed Microelectronics, 2000.(International Award-Taiwan)
• Nick Holonyak, Jr. Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, 2000-2005
• Resident Researcher, Intel, 1999
• Associated Member, Center of Advanced Study, 1998
• IEEE Technical Field Award-David Sarnoff Award 1997
• IEEE/CPMT International Electronic Manufacturing Technology Symposium Best Paper Award-1995
• Arnold Beckman Research Award-1993
• Fellow of IEEE-1992
• Ford Aerospace Corporate Technology Outstanding Principle Investigator Award - 1989
• 4 Times Hughes Division Invention Award 1980 - 1983
• Outstanding Student Award from Electron Material Conference - 1979

Teaching Honors

• Anderson Consulting Award for Excellence in Advising College of Engineering -1998
• Anderson Consulting Award for Excellence in Advising College of Engineering -1996
• Anderson Consulting Award for Excellence in Advising College of Engineering -1995

Research Honors

• Transistor laser was the most popular top 10-science story (rank #4) on EurekAlert by America Advanced of Art and Science (AAAS)in 2006
• America Institute of Physics selected "Room Temperature CW Operation of Transistor Laser" as top 5 paper published in the 43 years history of Applied Physics Letter in 2006
• Discover Magazine selected Transistor Laser as top 100 most important discovery in 2005
• Associated Member, Center of Advanced Study, 1998
• IEEE David Sarnoff Award 1997 (Field Award)
• IEEE/CPMT Best Paper Award 1995
• Fellow of IEEE 1992
• Outstanding Student Award 1979, by AIME
• Hughes Fellow 1973
• Member, Tau Beta Pi
• Member, Eta Kapp Nu
• Member, Sigma Xi

Public Service Honors

• Board of Director, Supertex Inc. 2001-2014
• Board of Director, Xindium Technology Inc. 2001-2004
• Resident Researcher, Intel, 1999