Troy Tharpe has received the Outstanding Paper Award in the Oral Presentation category at the Transducers 2021 Conference. Tharpe is a Ph.D. student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Florida (ECE Florida). He is advised by Dr. Roozbeh Tabrizian, an assistant professor in ECE Florida and Warren B. Nelms Institute faculty member.

The paper, titled “In-Plane Bulk Acoustic Resonators Using 50NM-Thick Nano-Laminated Ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2” was authored by Troy Tharpe; Faysal Hakim, graduate research assistant in ECE Florida; and Roozbeh Tabrizian.

The paper demonstrates high-Q in-plane Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) resonators with frequencies that are lithographically defined via lateral device dimensions, created in 50nm-thick nano-laminated hafnium zirconium oxide (Hf0.5Zr0.5O2) transducers.

“Winning the Outstanding Paper award at Transducers 2021, to me, serves as confirmation that my current research path has potential,” Tharpe said. “In my time as a researcher, I have noticed that experiments usually reveal which paths not to take, yet the data obtained for this conference hinted that we may be on to something. Winning this award shows that others in my field seem to agree.”

The Transducers 2021 Conference was held virtually this year. Over 1200 engineers, scientists, and other professionals from universities, research institutions, industry, and government agencies gather at the international Transducers conference biennially for four days of talks, posters, tutorials, and collaboration events relating to the latest advances and opportunities in the field.