Research
Our research areas reflect the diversity of the electrical engineering profession and our faculty’s expertise, ranging from the smallest nanoelectronics to the U.S. power grid and its control.
Graduate students are involved in all of our research activities and have access to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the NanoFab microelectronics fabrication space on the Arizona State University Tempe campus and the MacroTechnology Works facility, a former semiconductor plant converted to lab space.
Six primary areas of specialization
Control systems
Control systems are an important part of many emerging applications, such as autonomous vehicles and smart grid energy systems, to keep them functioning within defined parameters.
Research topics studied in this area include:
- AI and machine learning
- Electric vehicles
- Electronic communications
- Integrated circuits
- Nanoelectronics
- Power grid engineering and power electronics
- Quantum engineering
- Renewable energy, photovoltaics, photonics and optoelectronics
- Semiconductors
- Signal processing
Electric power and energy systems
Electric power and energy systems include technology for generating and storing the electricity required for society to function and regulating its flow in any device that uses it.
Research topics in this area include:
- AI and machine learning
- Electric vehicles
- Electronic communications
- Integrated circuits
- Nanoelectronics
- Power grid engineering and power electronics
- Radiation effects
- Renewable energy, photovoltaics, photonics and optoelectronics
- Semiconductors
- Signal processing
Electromagnetics, antennas and microwaves
Electromagnetics, antennas and microwaves are the radio frequency waves and their equipment essential for wireless devices to communicate with one another, the proper functioning of some biomedical and computing devices and more.
Research topics in this area include:
- AI and machine learning
- Electromagnetics and microwaves
- Electronic communications
- Information theory
- Integrated circuits
- Nanoelectronics
- Quantum engineering
- Radiation effects
- Semiconductors
- Signal processing
Electronic and mixed-signal circuit design
Electronic and mixed-signal circuit design is essential to create the microelectronics crucial to the modern world. This area encompasses the design of any devices using digital circuits or a combination of digital and analog circuits, such as cell phones, laptops, appliances and cars.
Research topics in this area include:
- AI and machine learning
- Electric vehicles
- Electromagnetics and microwaves
- Electronic communications
- Electronic design automation
- Information theory
- Integrated circuits
- Media and engineering
- Nanoelectronics
- Power grid engineering and power electronics
- Quantum engineering
- Radiation effects
- Renewable energy, photovoltaics, photonics and optoelectronics
- Semiconductors
- Signal processing
Physical electronics and photonics
Physical electronics and photonics encompasses research and teaching in device physics for a variety of electronic applications. Uses include solar panels, quantum computing and more.
Research topics in the field include:
- AI and machine learning
- Electric vehicles
- Integrated circuits
- Nanoelectronics
- Power grid engineering and power electronics
- Quantum engineering
- Radiation effects
- Renewable energy, photovoltaics, photonics and optoelectronics
- Semiconductors
- Signal processing
Signal processing and communications
Signal processing and communications technology takes in data collected via equipment such as sensors and antennas, such as code and radio frequency waves, and communicates it in a form usable by humans, such as spoken words or numerical values displayed by gauges.
Research topics in the area include:
- AI and machine learning
- Electric vehicles
- Electromagnetics and microwaves
- Electronic communications
- Information theory
- Integrated circuits
- Media and engineering
- Nanoelectronics
- Power grid engineering and power electronics
- Quantum engineering
- Radiation effects
- Renewable energy, photovoltaics, photonics and optoelectronics
- Semiconductors
- Signal processing
Research topics
Learn more about each topic and the faculty members who conduct research within it.