IEEE-EDS Japan Joint Chapter*
IEEE-EDS Distinguished Lecture of the Electron Devices Society

Ohm to Arora: A New Paradigm for Nanoscale Devices and Circuits* The lecture is downloadable by clicking the link above and expanding it to full screen by clicking on
double arrows in the corner and press the central arrow to start the lecture.

Professor Vijay K. Arora
Department of Electrical Engineering and Physics
Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, U. S. A.
A newfangled paradigm through deployment of the nonequilibrium Arora’s distribution function (NEADF) for
resistance surge in low-dimensional nano-resistors is presented, with applications to carbon-based devices. The key
outcome is that the Ohm’s Law with linear I-V characteristics cannot be used for devices approaching micro- andnano-scale. A nano-resistor, in addition to having ohmic resistance, also necessitates the value of the critical voltage
for its complete description. This critical voltage is proportional to the length of the resistor. In macro resistors ofyesteryears, the critical voltage is much larger than the applied voltage, with infinity as the default value. However,as devices are scaled down to the nanometer dimensions, the critical voltage is much lower than the applied voltage,
including the traditional 5 V or even 1 V as the higher logic level for VLSI devices. As the applied voltage becomeslarger than the critical voltage, Arora’s Law predicts current saturation due to velocity saturation. The random
velocity vectors in equilibrium transform to streamlined velocity vectors in a high electric field that is necessarily
high in scaled down dimensions. The saturation current is thus limited by the intrinsic velocity vectors that become
streamlined and hence ballistic in the sense that scattering does not play any active role in saturation. As I-V
characteristics become nonlinear, the distinction between direct and differential resistance takes on an increasing
importance due to dramatic rise in the differential resistance. The experimental nonlinear I-V characteristics, whenvoltage across the length of a resistor is higher than its critical value, defy ohmic and ballistic transmission through anano-resistor. Arora’s Law embraces well the Ohm’s Law when applied voltage is smaller than the critical voltage.
It is shown that the smaller-length resistor becomes more resistive in a circuit where two resistors of the same ohmic
value are used in series or parallel configuration. Transit time delay gives way to enhanced RC time delay and is themajor limiting factor for signal propagation in ultra-large scale integration (ULSI) on a chip. Inductive L/R time
constants are suppressed. The lecture will cover landscape from basic sciences to engineering with a touch of liberalarts that is talk of the day for an outcome-based education (OBE) making Engineering an Art in the Application ofthe Liberal Arts kindling STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

When: October 27, 2017, 4:00-5:00 PM
Where: Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems (CIES) Tohoku University
Contact: Prof. Masaki Niwa, E-Mail: niwa.masaaki@cies.tohoku.ac.jp, Telephone:+81(0)22-796-3408/3432

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Vijay K. Arora

Vijay K. Arora, a tenured Professor of Electrical Engineering and Physics at Wilkes University with Ph. D. fromthe University of Colorado, held distinguished visiting appointments at the University of Illinois, the University ofTokyo, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, the University of Western Australia,Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). At UTM, he was honored as Brain Gain
Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia for research at UTM Ibnu Sina Institute of Fundamental Sciences. In
addition to his long-term visiting appointments, Professor Arora has visited several international institutions on
short-term consulting assignments and enjoys the privilege of knowing the cultures and educational methods being
practiced around the globe. In recognition of his research, he is invited to give presentations at several international
scientific gatherings. His research interests include nanoelectronics, engineering management and global
educational paradigms. Professor Arora has authored or co-authored over 250 papers on scientific, educational, andmanagement issues. He chaired EScienceNano2012, NanoTechMalaysia2010 NanoSingapore2006, and ASEE MidAtlantic Conference1996. Professor Arora is on the Distinguished Lecturer Program of the IEEE Electron Devices
Society and APS Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics. Compendium of his distinguished lectures appears in
his book Nanoelectronics: Quantum Engineering of Low-Dimensional Nanoensembles. As a researcher inOperations Research, he practices project- and problem-based learning with integration across the boundaries ofdisciplines with deliverable outcomes. He is listed in a number of Who’s Who biographies, including the Leading
Educator of the World 2005. His Final Word lecture on Engineering a Quality Person in You with Manuscript,
PowerPoints, and Notable Quotes is downloadable by clicking on the link or log on to
http://web.wilkes.edu/vijay.arora and click on the Final Word.