Advancing Memory Technologies with 2D Materials
ECE 595 Seminar Series
October 17, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Advancing Memory Technologies with 2D Materials
Presenter: Ammar Nayfeh, Khalifa University
Abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) materials, offer exceptional mechanical strength, atomic-scale thickness, with good conductivity allowing for miniaturization of nonvolatile memory while enhancing performance. In this talk, an exploration of research conducted on several prominent 2D materials, including graphene, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), covalent organic frameworks (COF) and conjugated microporous polymers (CMP) is highlighted. Using the state of art equipment at Khalifa University housed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the regions first cleanroom fabrication facility that allows for growth and fabrication of advanced 2D materials. The talk addresses current challenges faced in growth, synthesis, and design of 2D materials for memory technologies. These materials provide avenues for engineering novel memory applications, such as high-performance, flexible electronics, and next-generation wearables. The use of 2D nanomaterials could allow for development of next generation memory devices. Moreover, 2D materials are poised to transform the landscape of memory with a potential to form the cornerstone of an entirely new class of memory technologies.
Speaker bio: Ammar Nayfeh received his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 2001 in electrical engineering, and his master's degree in 2003 from Stanford University. Nayfeh earned a PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2006 under advisor Professor Krishna Saraswat. His research focused on heteroepitaxy of germanium on silicon for electronic and photonic devices.
After his PhD, Nayfeh joined Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) as a researcher working in collaboration with IBM. He then joined a Silicon Valley startup company, Innovative Silicon in 2008. In addition, he was a part-time professor at San Jose State University. In June 2010, Nayfeh joined MIT as a visiting scholar and became a faculty member at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Nayfeh also spent time as visiting professor at Stanford University.
His research interest focuses on nanotechnology for future more efficient low power electronic and photonic devices. Nayfeh is currently an associate professor in the Department Electrical Engineering at Khalifa University, and the electronics lead of the Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) at the university. Nayfeh has authored or co-authored over 150 publications, holds three patents, and published three books. He is a member of MRS, Stanford Alumni Association, Mohammed Bin Rashid Academy of Science (MBRAS) and a senior member of the IEEE. In 2020 he was awarded the 10-year golden visa for top scientists in the UAE.
Faculty Host: Christine McGinn, ckmcginn@uic.edu
Date posted
Oct 14, 2025
Date updated
Nov 20, 2025