Materials, Structure and Devices (MSD) focus center is funded by Marco, Focus Center Research Program (FCRP). There are five research themes in MSD center:

Nano-engineered Materials and Devices

Nano-tube and Nano-wire Devices

Molecular Devices

Spin-Based Quantum Devices

Theory, Modeling and Simulation

Professor Dutton's group is mainly working on the fifth theme: Theory, Modeling and Simulation, which aims to support the experimental efforts, the other four themes, within MSD based on a hierarchy of simulation and modeling efforts. The simulation efforts at Stanford include both atomic-scale and continuum models for physical effects ranging from processing constraints (Prof. K-J Cho, ME) to transport physics and scaling of electron and phonon effects. Device effects in nano-scale FinFET structures have been simulated, including the development of new power scaling limits. Circuit-level behavior models have been developed for novel nano-scale structures, including resonant tunneling devices (RTD) in silicon and carbon nano-tube (CNT, Prof. H. Dai, Chemistry) structures targeted for high-frequency RF applications. Modeling tools at the PDE level are being extended to consider emerging limits to performance such at: tunneling, trapping and electro-thermal effects.