Sean Rommel Headshot

Sean Rommel

Professor

Department of Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering
Kate Gleason College of Engineering
slremc@rit.edu
585-475-4723
Office Location
ENG-2553
Office Mailing Address
17-2549

Sean Rommel

Professor

Department of Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering
Kate Gleason College of Engineering

Education

BS, Ph.D., University of Delaware

Bio

Sean L. Rommel (IEEE Senior Member) received the B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Delaware. His Ph.D. work focused on the realization of a CMOS compatible Si/SiGe Resonant Interband Tunnel diodes. From 2000-2002, he worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, focusing on the fabrication of low-loss InP ring resonators. In 2002, he was hired as an Assistant Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where his group demonstrated the integration of Si/SiGe RITDs with CMOS. In 2008, he was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor. His group also demonstrated a world record peak-to-valley current ratio for GaAs/InGaAs Esaki diode integrated on a Si substrate as well as the highest tunnel current density reported in Esaki Diodes. Prof. Rommel is the recipient of the 1997 George W. Laird Merit Fellowship, the 2000 Allan P. Colburn Prize for Dissertation in Mathematics and Engineering, and the 2000 Teaching Assistant Award. For more about Dr. Rommel see his personal website at: http://people.rit.edu/slremc/

Specialties

Semiconductor Devices, Tunneling Devices, III-V on Si, Electron Beam Lithography, Scanning Electron Microscopy

slremc@rit.edu
585-475-4723
Personal Links
Personal Website

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
Grede, Alex and Sean L. Rommel. "Components of Channel Capacitance in Metal-insulator-semiconductor Capacitors." Journal of Applied Physics 114. 11 (2013): 114510 -114514. Print.
Romanczyk, Brian, et al. "Benchmarking Current Density in Staggered Gap In[sub 0.53]Ga[sub 0.47]As/GaAs[sub 0.5]Sb[sub 0.5] Heterojunction Esaki Tunnel Diodes." Applied Physics Letters 102. 21 (2013): 213504-4. Print.
Published Article
Pawlik, David, M. Barth, P. Thomas, S. Kurinec, S. Mookerjea , D. Mohata, S. Datta, S. Cohen, D. Ritter,and S. Rommel. “Sub-Micron InGaAs Esaki Diodes With Record High Peak CurrentDensity.” 68th Device Research Conference,21-23 June 2010. 163-164. Web. "  É  «

Currently Teaching

EEEE-260
Introduction to Semiconductor Devices
3 Credits
An introductory course on the fundamentals of semiconductor physics and principles of operation of basic devices. Topics include semiconductor fundamentals (crystal structure, statistical physics of carrier concentration, motion in crystals, energy band models, drift and diffusion currents) as well as the operation of pn junction diodes, bipolar junction transistors (BJT), metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors and MOS field-effect transistors.
MCEE-101
Semiconductors and Microchips
1 Credits
An overview of semiconductor technology history and future trends is presented. The course introduces the fabrication and operation of silicon-based integrated circuit devices including resistors, diodes, transistors and their current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. The course also introduces the fundamentals of micro/nanolithography, with topics such as IC masking, sensitometry, radiometry, resolution, photoresist materials and processing. Laboratory teaches the basics of IC fabrication, photolithography and I-V measurements. A five-week project provides experience in digital circuit design, schematic capture, simulation, bread-boarding, layout design, IC processing and testing.
MCEE-495
Senior Design I
3 Credits
A capstone design experience for microelectronic engineering senior students. Students propose a project related to microelectronic process, device, component or system design, to meet desired specifications within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability. The students plan a timetable and write a formal proposal. The proposal is evaluated on the basis of intellectual merit, sound technical/research plan, and feasibility. The proposed work is carried through in the sequel course, Senior Design Project II (MCEE-496). Each student is required to make a presentation of the proposal.
MCEE-496
Senior Design II
3 Credits
A capstone design experience for microelectronic engineering senior students. In this course, students conduct a hands-on implementation of the projects proposed in the previous course, Senior Design Project I. Technical presentations of the results, including a talk and a poster, are required at the annual conference on microelectronic engineering organized by the program. A written paper in IEEE format is required and is included in the conference journal.
MCEE-706
SiGe and SOI Devices and Technologies
3 Credits
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of III-V, SiGe and Silicon on Insulator (SOI) devices and fabrication technologies. The course will first discuss the band structure of the SiGe material system, and how its properties of band structure and enhanced mobility may be utilized to improve traditional Si devices. Basic heterojunciton theory is introduced to students. Some specific applications that are introduced include heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs), SiGe-channel MOS devices, high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and tunnel FETs. Fabrication technologies for realizing SOI substrates that include SIMOX and SMART CUT technologies are described. The physics of transistors built on SOI substrates will be discussed. At the completion of the course, students will write a review paper on a topic related to the course.
MCEE-795
Graduate Seminar
0 Credits
Weekly seminar series intended to present the state of the art in microelectronics research. Other research-related topics will be presented such as library search techniques, contemporary issues, ethics, patent considerations, small business opportunities, technical writing, technical reviews, effective presentations, etc.
MTSE-777
Graduate Project
3 Credits
This course is a capstone project using research facilities available inside or outside of RIT.

In the News

  • May 11, 2022

    four people in yellow clean suits looking at microchips.

    Powering the future

    Supply chain disruptions and a strong demand for consumer electronics during the pandemic led to a global chip shortage. The shortage has highlighted the need to strengthen the domestic semiconductor industry and has put a new emphasis on microelectronic engineering education.

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