Prof. Abdennaceur Karoui

1. Consortium for Nuclear Security Advanced Manufacturing Enhanced by Machine Learning (NSAM-ML) 

Prof. Karoui has recently established the NSAM-ML consortium through a funding from the DOE. The consortium involves research groups from North Carolina Central University (NCCU), Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) and Southern University Baton Rouge (SUBR) under the sponsorship of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a DOE agency. Additionally, the consortium partners with two national laboratories affiliated to the NNSA, namely Sandia National Lab (SNL) and Los Alamos National Lab (LANL), and the Center for Integrated Nanotechnology (CINT). Also, it collaborates with several research groups in majority universities that are leaders in materials science and engineering, notably NC State University (NCSU), Pennsylvania State University (PSU) in the framework of the NSF-PREM partnership, the NSF sponsored nanoMFG Node at the University of Illinois, and the nanoHUB at Perdue University.

This eight-million dollar initiative started in 2020 and is funded for eight years. It encompasses cutting edge research projects in advanced manufacturing, nanomaterials for sensors, new nanosensors, materials that withstand extremely harsh conditions, functional materials for quantum devices, and materials for solar energy, as well as the physics of quantum devices, photochemistry for solar energy harvesting using nanomaterials as high efficiency catalysts,.. To perform these projects, researchers use some of the most advanced research infrastructure thanks to the partnership with DOE national labs, high performance computing, machine learning, and many unique and advanced research tools.

2. Excellence in Research on Hyperdoping Silicon with Nitrogen

Project funded by NSF DMR division to understand the mechanisms of hyperdoping, the induced phase transforms, the generation of electron energy Intermediate Band (IB), and evaluation of the two-photon absorption enabled by the formed IB.

3. Integrated Optical Nanoprobe for Measuring Semiconductor Correlated Nanoscale Properties

This DOD major instrument sponsored project aims at 1) acquiring a major instrument with more than 14 customized optical nanoscale characterization techniques of semiconductors and other materials, 2) develop correlated analysis methods, and 3) implement newly invented methods to map strain in materials with submicron resolution, submicron scanning of minority carrier lifetime in semiconductors, time dependent decay and diffusion of charge carriers, composition analysis of recombination centers and charge carrier traps, and injection level spectroscopy for analysis and identification of recombination centers.

Other Recently Funded Research projects

•  Exploring Chemical and Bio- Sensors Operating at the Quantum Frontiers (DoD, DTRA, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense).

•  Fast, Large-Scale, Inexpensive Nanoscale Fabrication Process for Advanced Manufacturing (DoD, ARDEC).

• Multiscale modeling of TATP Explosive sensor elements (DHS)

•  Electron Localization and Chaos in Quantum Dot (QD) Arrays for nanoelectronic devices (NCCU NSF-CREST).

• Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of new High Efficiency Third Generation Solar Cells (DoD).

• Nanoscale Characterization of Ge and SiGe QDs for Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Devices (DoD).

Advanced Education Project

A NSF sponsored I-Corps helped in the feasibility study of the commercialization aspect of my project "Advanced Renewable Energy Curricula and Laboratory Kits". The I-Corps focused on finding methods for Customer Discovery. A customer base for the solar energy component (referred to as SEEB) has been explored. Other components are described elsewhere; if interested contact me.
Some of the foundations of this project are described in the paper  "Teaching Renewable Energy Science and Technology, Current Status and Prospects for a Broader Teaching".  Summary report can be found in the NSF website. https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1644478

Engineering Research projects

 (still under construction)

• Design of Carbon Nanotube Handler for Fabrication of Nanosensors, MEMS Fabrication, and Process Characterization (National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network-NNIN/ NSF).
• Photovoltaic Power Supply for Autonomous Sensors and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (DoD).
• Lightweight Glassless Compliant Encapsulation^© of silicon solar cells for unmanned vehicles (DoD).
• Powering autonomous miniature machines with multiple sources and energy management system (DoD).

Closed Research projects

• Transient stress and strain in SiGe virtual substrates and strained silicon layers during growth and analysis of plastic deformation and residual stress and strain by Finite Element Analysis-- FEA (Lawrence Semiconductor Research Lab., SIWEDS/NSF).
• Increasing toughness of ultra-thin solar grade polycrystalline silicon wafers through engineering impurity clustering and redistribution (BP Solar).
• Triple correlation of structural-chemical-mechanical nanoscale properties of defects in silicon by XRT and Carrier Lifetime mapping, DLTS, and Nano-indentation measurements (NREL, BP Solar).
• Nucleation and growth of defects in ultra-high purity N-doped CZ silicon (Sumitumo Sitix, Nippon Steel, and SiWEDS/NSF).
• Enhancing toughness of FZ silicon with N-doping and control of Swirl defects (NREL).
• Unusual strong impurity gettering in near GB zones in N and C-rich silicon sheets (Astropower).
• XRT imaging of dislocations in polycrystalline silicon grown by String-Ribbon Growth (SRG), distribution ofelectrically active impurities by microwave-Photoconductance Decay (uPCD) Recombination Lifetime mapping, and impurity identification by Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy--DLTS (Evergreen).
• Room temperature Photoluminescence mapping of oxygen precipitates (NREL).
• Impurity gettering in solar grade polycrystalline silicon (NREL).
• Minority Carrier Recombination Lifetime mapping for non-invasive silicon wafer defect diagnostics and Injection Level Spectroscopy (NREL).
• Defect control in RTP processed silicon wafers for microelectronics, and process and tool improvement (Mattson Tech.)
• XRT and LP-XRT imaging of dislocations and slips in Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) processed 300mm silicon wafers (Applied Materials)
• MeV gettering of iron in silicon used as substrates for DRAM (Micron Tech.).
• Optimization of solar cell integral screen printing processes (IMEC, KL, Belgium).
• Fabrication and characterization of solar cells on polycrystalline silicon wafers (Tunisian Government).