People

Nojeh, Alireza

Profile

Affiliate Professor

Nanotechnology

Office Location

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Kaiser 4041
2332 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

Lab Location

Lower Mall Research Station
LMRS 350
2259 Lower Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

Phone: (604) 827-4346
E-mail: anojeh@ece.ubc.ca

Education

Bachelors Degree Sharif University of Technology (1997)
Masters Degree Sharif University of Technology (1999)
Masters Degree (DEA) University of Paris XI (2000)
Doctoral Degree Stanford University (2006)

Employment History

2006 - 2011 Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia

2011 - 2016 Associate Professor, University of British Columbia

2016 - Present Professor, University of British Columbia

Awards & Honours

1992Selected Member of the Iranian National Physics Olympiad Team

1993Honorable Mention for “Outstanding Achievement in Physics,” 24th International Physics Olympiad

2013Honorable Mention & Most Bizarre Micrograph Award, International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication

2014Most Bizarre Micrograph Award, International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication

2014Wall Scholars Research Award, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies

2015Wall Scholars Research Award, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies

Committees & Service

2006 - 2007 ECE Undergraduate Nanotechnology and Microsystems Option Programming Committee

2006 - 2008 ECE Graduate Scholarships Committee

2006 - 2010 ECE Open House Committee

2007 PCAMM Program Committee

2007 - 2009 ECE Safety Committee, Lower Mall Research Station

2008 MNRC Program Committee

2008 - 2012 Representative to the Faculty of Science

2008 - Present Engineering Physics Board of Studies

2008 - Present Reviewer for the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the US National Science Foundation, the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, the European Research Council

2009 Martha Piper Research Fund Selection Committee

2009 MNRC Program Committee

2009 - 2011 ECE Curriculum Reform Task Force

2010 GLSVLSI Program Committee

2010 CMOSET Program

2010 PCAMM Program Committee

2010 FRQNT Multidisciplinary Evaluation

2010 - 2011 ECE Detailed Design Groups for the Curriculum

2011 ECE Merit/PSA Committee

2011 ECE Space Committee

2011 CMOSET Program Committee

2011 GLSVLSI Program Committee

2011 FRQNT Multidisciplinary Evaluation Committee

2013 ECE Reappointment Committees

2013 CMOSET Program Committee

2013 NANOARCH Program Committee

2013 - Present New Building Committee for the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute

2014 FRQNT Thematic Committee

2014 - 2015 ECE Graduate Program Improvement Committee

2014 - 2016 ECE Initiative on Engagement with the Industry

2014 - Present IVNC International Steering Committee

2015 Internal Selection Committee for NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Proposals

2015 EIPBN Program Committee

2015 - 2016 ECE Executive Committee

2015 - 2016 ECE Associate Head, Research, Industry and Community Relations

2016 International Visiting Research Scholars Selection Committee, Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies

2016 IVNC Chair and Organizer

2016 - Present ECE Curriculum Committee

Research Interests

The core of my group’s research:

The reduced dimensionality of nanostructures and the strong manifestation of quantum effects in them lead to interesting phenomena and a plethora of possibilities for studying fundamental physics and applying the knowledge gained to create new devices and enable new technologies. At its core, our group’s research is concerned with fabricating and exploring nanostructures, with emphasis on the interaction of electrons, photons and phonons with and in them. More specifically, we investigate the movement of electrons over and through energy barriers (both within solids and into a vacuum), using excitation by heat, light, field, or other electrons, with phonons sometimes playing mediatory roles. We thus study both solid-state and vacuum devices, as well as the interface between the solid and vacuum, where many interesting things happen. The primary nanomaterial of interest is the carbon nanotube, although we also work with nanostructures of other materials as warranted.

The applications we pursue:

These generally fall under one of three categories:
Energy conversion: a significant portion of our work is on creating new thermoelectric and thermionic devices for the efficient conversion of heat-to-electricity and light-to-heat-to-electricity. For example, based on an unusual light-induced heating mechanism in arrays of carbon nanotubes (the “Heat Trap” effect) discovered by our group, we demonstrated a compact thermionic solar cell – something that had not been possible in the past using bulk materials.
Nanoelectronics: this includes solid-state and vacuum nanoelectronics devices, with emphasis on the creation of new or improved electron sources as the foundational block of vacuum electronics. Another topic of interest includes high-gain electron multiplication devices.
Free-electron devices: the focus here again is on electron emission and transport, with the goal of creating electron sources that could be applied in electron-beam microscopy, lithography, free-electron lasers and terahertz sources, machining and welding technologies. Another aspect of this work includes the study of the imaging mechanisms of nanostructures in electron microscopy.

Our everyday activities:

The everyday activities involved in research projects in our group are diverse and typically include device design, micro/nanofabrication in the cleanroom, nanostructure growth and deposition, electron and scanning-probe microscopy, building experimental apparatus such as high- or ultra-high-vacuum systems, electronic characterization and sensitive instrumentation, and working with lasers and optics. We complement our experimental efforts with modeling and simulation using methods ranging from continuum modeling (such as finite-element analysis) to classical molecular dynamics to first-principles, quantum-mechanical techniques like the Hartree-Fock theory, configuration-interaction, perturbation theory and the density-functional theory.

Research Website

STEWART BLUSSON
QUANTUM MATTER INSTITUTE
2355 East Mall
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
Tel: 604.822.3909
Fax: 604.822.4750

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