Taste of Tech: Reliability of Advanced CMOS and GaN Power Devices | The Mission of the Florida Semiconductor Institute
Time and Date
8/24/2026
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM (EST)
Agenda
Lunch: 11:45 – 12:00 | Talk 1: 12:00 – 12:20 | Talk 2: 12:20 – 12:40 | Networking: 12:40 – 1
Talk 1: From Commercial Semiconductors to Space-Ready Electronics: Reliability of Advanced CMOS and GaN Power Devices
Presentation Overview: Commercial semiconductor technologies offer rapid performance improvements for space, aerospace, and other high-reliability applications, but their behavior under radiation and extreme operating conditions is often not sufficiently understood. This presentation will discuss research at UCF on evaluating the reliability of advanced CMOS circuits and wide-bandgap power devices, with examples from 12-nm FinFET technologies and enhancement-mode GaN power transistors. The work combines radiation testing, electrical characterization, low-frequency noise analysis, cryogenic measurements, and physics-based modeling to identify degradation mechanisms and device-specific vulnerabilities. The presentation will also highlight how coordinated testing, modeling, and risk-informed assurance can help transition promising commercial technologies into dependable electronics for space missions and other extreme environments.
Enxia Zhang
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida
Enxia Zhang
About the Speaker
Enxia Zhang, PhD. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a faculty member of the Florida Space Institute at the University of Central Florida. Her research focuses on radiation effects, semiconductor reliability, and the qualification of advanced electronics for space and other extreme environments. Her group investigates advanced CMOS technologies, wide-bandgap power devices, sensors, and electronic packaging through electrical characterization, radiation testing, cryogenic experiments, and physics-based modeling. She collaborates with NASA, national laboratories, universities, and semiconductor and aerospace companies to develop practical approaches for radiation assurance and reliable system design. She is also actively developing interdisciplinary education and workforce programs in electronic parts engineering, radiation effects, and semiconductor reliability.
Talk 2: The Mission of the Florida Semiconductor Institute
Presentation Overview: Join the Director of the Florida Semiconductor Institute (FSI) for an overview of the Institute’s mission, goals, and role in advancing Florida’s semiconductor ecosystem. This presentation will highlight FSI’s work across research, industry engagement, education, and workforce development, while providing a look at key initiatives and upcoming events. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how FSI is connecting industry, academia, government, and the broader community to strengthen Florida’s semiconductor future.
David Arnold
About the Speaker
David Arnold is the George Kirkland Engineering Leadership Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida, where he also serves as Director of the Florida Semiconductor Institute and Director of the Innovation Ecosystem for the NSF IoT4Ag Engineering Research Center. He is also a member of UF’s Interdisciplinary Microsystems Group. His research focuses on micro- and nanostructured magnetic materials, magnetic microsystems, electromechanical transducers, and miniaturized power and energy systems. Arnold has co-authored more than 250 refereed journal and conference publications and holds 37 U.S. patents, eight of which are licensed. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and a Fellow of the Academy of Science, Engineering & Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL).
This semester is proudly sponsored by MMEC
