Dimos Poulikakos
Lab of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies
Mechanical and Process Engineering Department
ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
dpoulikakos@ethz.ch, www.ltnt.ethz.ch
Professor Emeritus at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering
View the biography HERE
ABSTRACT
In this lecture I will first show that the combination of fundamental knowledge from phase change thermofluidics, surface wetting and rational surface nanofabrication, can lead to significant advances in condensation heat transfer, with a broad range of industrial applications, ranging from power generation to the chemical, food, electronics and pharmaceutical industries. I will present examples of so designed surface architectures and I will explain the physics behind their performance of significant heat transfer enhancement. I will then focus on rationally designed nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces and discuss the derived peculiar behavior of condensate droplets on such surfaces. When condensate microdroplets coalesce, they can spontaneously propel themselves omnidirectionally on the surface independent of gravity and grow by feeding from droplets they sweep along the way. I will explain the physics behind this “droplet roaming” phenomenon of coalescing condensate microdroplets on such designed, solely nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces, where the droplets are orders of magnitude larger than the underlaying surface nanotexture. This phenomenon is then utilized to prevent condensate flooding of the surface, remarkably improving heat transfer.
Then, I will discuss micro/nanofabricated energy neutral devices, employing passive interactions with sunlight for their function for water harvesting from atmospheric air through condensation. Their function is based on radiative cooling to the outer space with optimized solar radiation shielding, coupled with a fully passive superhydrophobic condensate harvester, and yields uninterrupted optimal atmospheric water harvesting, not only during night-time but also during daytime. On the other hand, when condensation is undesirable and material transparency is required, will first discuss the design and architecture of energy neutral photothermal metasurfaces, which hinder nanodroplet nucleation and growth, and prohibit “fogging” of surfaces. These materials function with selective sunlight absorption, which enables them to maintain surface transparency to visible light. The photothermal coatings are unprecedented in their thinness (less than 10 nm) and performance, absorbing about one third of the solar energy selectively, mostly in the near infrared range where half of the energy of sunlight resides. They can be easily deposited also on deformable and soft materials and are fabricated with common industrial processes. These combined capabilities render them a perfect candidate for a host of applications such as eyewear, car windows and windshields, mirrors and building windows.
Danilo Mandic
Machine Intelligence
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
South Kensington Campus, United Kingdom
d.mandic@imperial.ac.uk
Professor of Machine Intelligence, Imperial College London, UK
View the biography HERE
Abstract
Commercial well-being and gaming applications, together with future health systems, require the means to assess the neural and physiological function of a user from readily available data. Ideally, this should be achieved in a 24/7 fashion, in the community, and in a self-administred, discreet, and unobtrusive fashion. The Hearables paradigm, that is, in-ear sensing of neural function and vital signs is such an emerging solution.
The talk introduces our own Hearables device, which is based on an earplug with the embedded electrodes, optical, acoustic, mechanical and temperature sensors. We show how such a miniaturised embedded system can be can used to reliably measure the Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), pulse, respiration, temperature, blood oxygen levels, and behavioural cues. Unlike standard wearables, such an inconspicuous Hearables earpiece benefits from the relatively stable position of the ear canal with respect to vital organs to operate robustly during daily activities. However, this comes at a cost of weaker signal levels and exposure to noise. This opens novel avenues of research in Machine Intelligence for eHealth, with a number of challenges and opportunities for algorithmic solutions. We further demonstrate how combining data from multiple sensors within such an integrated wearable device improves both the accuracy of measurements and the ability to make sense from artefacts in real-world scenarios. The ability to stream neural and physiological data in real time also makes Hearables a viable solution for the integration with smart environments and in future eHealth.
The material is supported by a Hearables-specific “end-to-end” approach which revolves around fully interpretable domain knowledge, starting from the Biophysics of the generation and propagation of physiological signals on human body, through to the sensor-skin-hardware interface, and high-level decision making with a user in the loop.
Dimitris Pavlidis
Florida International University, College of Engineering and Computing
10555 W Flagler St,Miami, FL 33174, United States
dpavlidi@fiu.edu
Research Professor & Director of Emerging Research Programs
Florida International University, College of Engineering and Computing
View the biography HERE
Abstract
The properties of next generation electronic devices will be reviewed.
III-Nitrides offer unique electronic properties in terms of power but also frequency that make them suitable for a variety of applications ranging from communications to sensing.
Components made with these materials operate from microwave-to millimeter-wave and THz frequencies. III-Nitride designs will be discussed for THz signal generation. Resonant Tunneling Diodes, Diode Multipliers and other concepts such as Nanoscale Vacuum Transistors, will also be discussed.
Costas P. Grigoropoulos
Laser Thermal Laboratory
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
6129 Etcheverry Hall, Berkeley CA 94720-1740
Laser Thermal Laborator
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
This presentation summarizes work at the Laser Thermal Laboratory and discusses related studies on the laser processing and functionalization of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials. Lasers are used in the thinning, doping, alloying, annealing and synthesis of 2D materials. Direct writing of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) structures has been demonstrated. Tuning the properties of 2D TMDCs by modulating the free carrier type, density, and composition can offer an exciting new pathway to various practical nanoscale electronics.
We demonstrated precision thinning of TMDCs at nanoscale lateral resolution by introducing a laser irradiated hot tip [1]. Furthermore, laser irradiation can improve the contact resistance of 2D devices that is a significant concern in the semiconductor industry. The electronic and optical characteristics of TMDCs are being investigated in the ultrafast temporal domain with nanometric resolution. The optical waveguiding properties of colloidal nanowires was studied by a near-field nanoimaging technique.[2] In addition to dependence on thickness and wavelength, the excitonic responses and resultant waveguide modes in TMDC nanowires can be modulated by the environmental temperature.
Exciton dynamics plays a critical role in the functionality and performance of many miniaturized 2D optoelectronic devices; however, the measurement of nanoscale excitonic behaviors remains challenging. Near-field transient nanoscopy is reported to probe exciton dynamics beyond the diffraction limit.[3] Exciton recombination and exciton–exciton annihilation processes in monolayer and bilayer MoS2 are studied. Moreover, with the capability to access local sites, intriguing exciton dynamics near the monolayer-bilayer interface and at the MoS2 nano-wrinkles are resolved.
Costas P. Grigoropoulos is a Distinguished Professor and A. Martin Berlin Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He has conducted research at the Xerox Mechanical Engineering Sciences Laboratory, the IBM Almaden Research Center and the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Greece. He is Faculty Staff Scientist with the Environmental Energy Technologies Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His main research interests are in laser materials processing and micro/nano-machining, fabrication of flexible electronics and energy conversion devices, characterization of micro/nanofluidic transport, laser interactions with biological materials, design and fabrication of architected materials, laser-based nanoscale diagnostics (Laser Thermal Laboratory: http://ltl.berkeley.edu/)
Emmanuel Kymakis
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU)
Institute of Emerging Technologies, University Research and Innovation Center, HMU
Heraklion 71410, Crete, Greece
kymakis@hmu.gr
Vice-President of HMU Research Center
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Hellenic Mediterranean University
View the biography HERE
In this presentation, I will showcase the groundbreaking advancements in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and optoelectronic memristors achieved by my research group, Nano@HMU, highlighting their transformative impact on renewable energy and self-powered IoT technologies. We have made significant progress in processing graphene and dichalcogenides and developing corresponding inks for printable organic/hybrid optoelectronic devices (solar cells, sensors, transistors) towards self-powered flexible platforms for IoT and Industry 4.0.
The solution-based processing of mixed halide perovskite devices at relatively low temperatures offers prospects of developing low-cost multifunctional devices developed at flexible substrates . Hereby, we present results on using HP for demonstrating efficient solar cells and optoelectronic synapses based on the same material stack. Two use cases of combining 2d materials with perovskites are demonstrated. In the first part, the integration of graphene and related 2d materials across the device structure is presented opening the path for enhanced efficiency and device lifetime stability . Specifically, we show the fabrication of the worldwide first solar farm enabled by perovskite panels with integrated 2d materials, and its outdoors performance evaluation for more than 12 months .
We have fabricated a 5-square-meter perovskite solar farm at HMU, where we rigorously tested the performance of our devices under real-world conditions. These measurements have provided invaluable data on the long-term stability and efficiency of PSCs, demonstrating a T80 period of eight months. This real-world validation underscores the practical viability of PSCs for large-scale energy applications. The whole manufacturing is compatible with reduced material usage, while specific advanced interface engineering is implemented to boost performance. Additionally, we have developed roll-to-roll and sheet-to-sheet printing processes for industrial applications, monitoring photovoltaic performance under various conditions. In the second part, we show that a complete memristive photovoltaic material stack based on HP can simultaneously perform solar energy harvesting and neuromorphic functions . We have employed advanced characterization techniques to reveal the complex ionic and electronic dynamics within perovskite materials.
Upon an appropriate electric biasing procedure, the hybrid device exhibits stable resistance switching at low voltages without losing its PCE performance even after thousands of switching cycles. Various synaptic properties are demonstrated including paired pulse facilitation (PPF), long–term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), spike-rate-dependent plasticity (SRDP), and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). Besides, three terminal memristive devices have been demonstrated using gate bias to tune the resistance states of the devices. Specifically, our three-terminal mixed-halide perovskite memristive device showcases low-voltage, gate-tunable synaptic functions and linear conductivity modulation, ideal for constructing leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) neurons . We utilized techniques such as in-situ spectroscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy to gain deep insights into the device operation and stability, enabling us to refine the material properties and device architecture for optimal performance .
Katerina Kouravelou
Director of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.)
Director of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.)
View the biography HERE
Dr. Katerina Kouravelou is a Chemical Engineer and holds a postgraduate degree in “Science and Technology of Materials” and a PhD on Nanotechnology from the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Patras.
She has worked in various positions in the wider research sector, in the academia as well as the business sector, in companies (mostly spin-offs) which operate in Greece and in the wider European research ecosystem. Her most significant position was that of Director for Research and Development in the company Nanothinx S.A.
She has many publications in international journals and has participated in many scientific conferences.
At the same time, she is an evaluator for European research proposals (Horizon Europe, H2020 [MSCA, PILOTS, SME Instrument Phase I and II, now EIC-Accelerator]), as well as responsible for certifying the physical activities of EIC-Accelerator projects (formerly known as SME – Instrument Phase II).
Since April 28, 2022 she has taken office as the Director of the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.), where she was working since August 2018, initially as an executive and later on as head of the Department of Research Projects.
Giorgos Panagopoulos
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens.
Professor of Communications, Electronics and Information Systems
Professor of Communications, Electronics and Information Systems
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens.
Abstract:
The rapid advancement of communication systems, driven by the demands of wireless technologies like 5G, 6G, and beyond, as well as satellite and wired communications, introduces significant design challenges across all levels—from the transistor to the overall system architecture.
As the demand for higher data rates, lower latency, and greater energy efficiency intensifies, engineers must tackle critical issues at every stage of communication system design. This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of these challenges, ranging from technology/transistor selection and optimization to architectural decisions required for next-generation systems. Key topics include scaling limitations in transistor technology, mixed-signal component integration, reliability, and chiplet design. Additionally, we explore architectural innovations such as massive MIMO, beamforming, and adaptive modulation schemes that are crucial to meet the demanding performance requirements of future networks. This talk will present recent solutions that bridge the gap between device-level advancements and system-level innovations, emphasizing the interdisciplinary strategies necessary for the success of next-generation communication technologies.