Areas of Research:
Professor Flemish joined Penn State in 2004 from the electronics industry where he was responsible for technology development related to the manufacturing of GaAs integrated circuits for microwave based communications.  His research activities focus on the development of process technologies for electronic materials and devices, particularly those used in high power and high frequency applications. 

Development of emerging wide bandgap semiconductor technology where many device characteristics are still governed by materials quality and process induced defects is a particular focus area.  For example, high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) made based on aluminum gallium nitride heterostructures are promising for future power amplifiers used in radar and cellular communications.  However, reliability of these devices still suffers from problems caused by materials and process induced defects.  Professor Flemish is presently investigating how processing methodologies associated with these devices affect their performance and improve their reliability.  In this work the effects of controllable parameters associated with chemical vapor deposition, plasma-assisted etching, and surface modification on the performance of these devices are of central interest.  

Other wide bandgap semiconductor efforts involve collaborations with government and industrial partners for the advancement of high-power silicon carbide devices and assessment of their reliabilty for future electrical distribution systems. 

Additionally, Flemish is involved in employing electronic materials in new structures to create reconfigurable antennas and tunable microwave components for greater efficiency and functionality of microwave based communications systems.