Silicon stands as a foundational material in the semiconductor industry. Yet, the choice of material may vary depending on the specific device, such as transistors, sensors, or LEDs, and the intended application. This presentation will provide an introduction to semiconductors and their applications, touch on some geopolitical aspects within the sector, and connect the semiconductor field back to Cornell research. The session will conclude with an introduction to Dr. McCandless’s research on gallium oxide and its potential in high-power switching applications.

Dr. Jon McCandless
TPI FELLOW
Jon McCandless earned his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell where he studied the growth and electrical properties of gallium oxide – an important next-gen semiconductor which shows great promise for high power switching applications. During his PhD, Jon received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) Fellowship and was the recipient of a German DAAD Fellowship. Currently, he is an Ignite Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell, where he is working to commercialize his research.