Oana Malis
Department of Physics
Purdue University
525 Northwestern Ave.
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Tel: (765) 494-3039
Fax: (765) 494-0706
Email: omalis@purdue.edu
Education
Ph.D. in Physics, Boston University, May 1999
M.S. in Physics, specialization in Materials Science and Technology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest,
Romania, June 1993
Professional experience
01/09-Present Assistant Professor in Physics
Purdue University, Physics Department
My research interests are in the area of semiconductor physics with an emphasis on the science and
technology of optoelectronic materials. In particular I am exploring the properties of functional
semiconductor nano-structures for mid-infrared light emission and detection. Quantum confinement in lowdimensional semiconductor heterostructures, such as quantum wells, wires, and dots, has a strong impact
on the optical properties of these materials. In spite of the active research in the field, still little is known
about intersubband transitions in quantum dots and wires. My work involves semiconductor growth,
materials characterization, device fabrication and device testing. The semiconductor growth and
characterization focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of nanostructure synthesis and the correlations
between nanostructure and properties. The device fabrication and testing focuses on optimization of
device performance for spectroscopic applications, such as trace gas sensing. I also have an active
interest in new light emitting mechanisms and novel semiconductor materials.
09/06-Present Assistant Professor in Physics
State University of New York at Binghamton, Physics Department
09/06-Present Assistant Professor in Physics
State University of New York at Binghamton, Physics Department
04/03-08/06 Research Scientist
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ
In this position, I investigated the physics of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) for mid-infrared
spectroscopic applications. One aspect of the work involved expanding the functionality of QCLs through
nonlinear light generation. By improving the phase-matching technique of nonlinear QCLs, I achieved
record second-harmonic power emission from an intersubband device. I am also exploring the potential of
new materials and device concepts for mid-infrared emitters. In particular I studied the properties of
quantum cascade heterostructures that employ intersubband transitions and hole transport in the valence
band. Light emission from intra-valence band transitions has the potential to enable surface emitting QCLs
and VCSELs. I also developed new fabrication processes to enhance the temperature and power
performance of the existing InP-based QCL technology.
09/01-03/03 Product Development Engineer
IQE, Inc., Bethlehem, PA
In this position I employed solid-phase Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) to grow III-V semiconductor
materials for electronic, and opto-electronic device applications. My principle responsibility was to
independently develop a growth process for the dilute nitrides (InGaAsN), a novel material system for
long-wavelength laser applications. Using optical and structural characterization techniques I examined
the effect of nitrogen incorporation into InGaAs on the light emission wavelength and efficiency. By
optimizing the material growth I succeeded in growing a laser that operated at 1.28 m up to room
temperature. I also participated in volume production of various GaAs and InP device structures.
9/99-09/01 Postdoctoral Associate
School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
In this position I employed x-ray scattering and Atomic Force Microscopy to study the morphology induced by
low-energy ion processing on the surfaces of metals (cobalt), semiconductors (silicon), and insulators (sapphire,
glass). In particular, I used Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the role of various surface diffusion
mechanisms in the roughening instability of cobalt surfaces. The potential of sputter-erosion to synthesize arrays
of cobalt nano-clusters was also examined.
I also employed Metal-Organic MBE to grow Gallium Nitride, a wide bandgap semiconductor of technological
interest for high power and opto-electronic devices. Using real-time, in situ surface x-ray scattering I
characterized the evolution of surface morphology during growth, and examined the influence of different gas
phase precursors on the mechanisms of GaN nucleation and steady-state growth.
4/99-8/99 Research Associate
Boston University, Boston, MA
In collaboration with scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, I expanded upon my Ph.D. thesis work on
the atomic structure of disordered metallic alloys.
1/95-3/99 Graduate Research Assistant
Boston University, Boston, MA
I employed a variety of x-ray diffraction techniques to investigate the structural aspects of phase transformations
in several materials. I also developed Monte Carlo computer simulations to model the detailed atomic structure
of disordered CuAu and the kinetics of the phase transformation.
9/94-5/95 Teaching Assistant
Boston University, Boston, MA
Taught introductory physics laboratory sections to engineering students.
Grant Funding
1. National Science Foundation grant, PI: O. Malis, title: “Mid-infrared semiconductor lasers based on
intersubband transitions in the valence band of GaAs/AlAs quantum cascade nanostructures”, amount:
$300,000.
2. Cottrell College Science Award, Research Corporation, PI: O. Malis, title: “Intersubband transitions in latticematched nitride semiconductors for infrared light emission and detection”, amount: $44,244.
3. Integrated Electronics Engineering Center of SUNY Binghamton grant, PI: O. Malis, title: “Design, Testing
and Reliability of Passive Optical Components for optical interconnects integrated on package”, amount:
$42,231.
4. Integrated Electronics Engineering Center of SUNY Binghamton grant, PI: O. Malis, title: “Design and
fabrication of polymeric optical interconnects on flexible substrates”, amount: $44,000.
Publications
1. O. Malis, M. Radu, D. Mott, B. Wanjala, J. Luo, and C.-J. Zhong, “In situ real-time x-ray diffraction study of
phase segregation in Au-Pt nanoparticles”, Nanotechnology 2009, 20, 245708.
2. O. Malis, C. Edmunds, M. J. Manfra, and D. L. Sivco, “Near-infrared intersubband absorption in molecularbeam epitaxy grown lattice-matched InAlN/GaN superlattices”, Applied Physics Letters 94 (2009), 161111.
3. R. Steed, M. Matthews, J. Plumridge, M. Frogley, C. Phillips, Z. Ikonic, P. Harrison, O. Malis, L. N. Pfeiffer,
and K. W. West, “ Saturation of intersubband transitions in p-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells”, Applied
Physics Letters 92 (2008), 183104.
4. S. Krishnan, M. Hodes, C. Jones, and O. Malis, “Analysis of an angular-geometry thermoelectric module
(TEM)”, IPAK 2007: Proceedings of the ASME INTERPAK Conference, vol. 2, 241 (2007).
5. O. Malis, D.L. Sivco, J. Chen, L. Zhang, A. M. Sergent, Z. Liu, and C. Gmachl, “Optimization of InP-based
waveguides for high-performance mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers”, Physics of Semiconductors, Pts A
and B, vol. 893, 1453 (2007).
6. J. Chen, O. Malis, A. M. Sergent, D. L. Sivco, N. Weimann, and A. Y. Cho, “In0.68Ga0.32As/Al0.64In0.36As/InP
4.5 µm quantum cascade lasers grown by solid phosphorus molecular beam epitaxy”, Journal of Vacuum
Science and Technology 25 (2007), 913.
7. M. Okano, S. Liu, T. Ihara, H. Itoh, M. Yoshita, H. Akiyama, L. N. Pfeiffer, K. West, and O. Malis,
“Temperature-dependent current injection and lasing in T-shaped quantum-wire laser diodes with
perpendicular p- and n-doping layers”, Applied Physics Letters 90 (2007), 091108.
8. C. Gmachl, O. Malis, and A. Belyanin, “Optical nonlinearities in intersubband transitions and quantum
cascade lasers”, in “Intersubband transitions in quantum structures” edited by Roberto Paiella, pp. 181,
(McGraw-Hill, 2006).
9. A. Belyanin, F. Xie, F. Capasso, C. Gmachl, and O. Malis, “Performance benefits of nonlinear quantum
cascade lasers”, Novel In-Plane Semiconductor Lasers V, Proceedings of the Society of Photo-Optical
Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), vol. 6133, Z1330 (2006).
10. O. Malis, A. M. Sergent, J. Chen, D.L. Sivco, L. Zhang, Z. Liu, and C. Gmachl, “Material design and
integration for high power quantum cascade lasers”, proceedings of the Indium Phosphide and related
materials conference, Princeton, NJ (2006).
11. O. Malis, L.N. Pfeiffer, K.W. West, A.M. Sergent, and C. Gmachl, “Mid-infrared hole-intersubband
electroluminescence in carbon-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade structures”, Applied Physics Letters
88 (2006), 081117.
12. O. Malis, C. Gmachl, D.L. Sivco, L.N. Pfeiffer A.M. Sergent, and K.W. West, “The quantum cascade laser: a
versatile high power semiconductor laser for mid-infrared applications”, Bell Labs Technical Journal 10(3),
199 (2005).
13. O. Malis, L.N. Pfeiffer, K.W. West, A.M. Sergent, and C. Gmachl, “Bound-to-bound midinfrared
intersubband absorption in carbon-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells”, Applied Physics Letters 87,
091116 (2005).
14. O. Malis, A. Belyanin, D.L. Sivco, J. Chen, A.M. Sergent, C. Gmachl, and A.Y. Cho, “Recent progress in
nonlinear quantum cascade lasers”, Proceedings of SPIE vol. 5738 (2005).
15. O. Malis, A. Belyanin, D.L. Sivco, J. Chen, A.M. Sergent, C. Gmachl, and A.Y. Cho, “Milliwatt second
harmonic generation in quantum cascade lasers with modal phase matching”, Electronics Letters 40, 1586
(2004).
16. O. Malis, A. Belyanin, C. Gmachl, D.L. Sivco, M.L. Peabody, A.M. Sergent, and A.Y. Cho, “Improvement of
second-harmonic generation in quantum-cascade lasers with true phase-matching”, Applied Physics Letters
84, 2721 (2004).
17. O. Malis, W. K. Liu, C. Gmachl, J. M. Fastenau, A. Joel, P. Gong, S. W. Bland, and N. Moshegov, “MBE
development of dilute nitrides for commercial long-wavelength laser applications”, Journal of Crystal Growth
251, 432 (2003).
18. D. I. Lubyshev, O. Malis, K. Teker, Y. Wu, J. M. Fastenau, X.-M. Fang, C. Doss, A. B. Cornfeld, and W. K.
Liu, “Production of next generation InP-HBT epiwafers by MBE”, Proceedings of the International
Conference on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials, pp. 385, (2003).
19. K. F. Ludwig, C. R. Eddy, O. Malis, and R. L. Headrick, “Si(100) surface morphology evolution during
normal-incidence sputtering with 100–500 eV Ar+ ions”, Applied Physics Letters 81, 2770 (2002).
20. O. Malis, J. D. Brock, R. L. Headrick, Min-Su Yi, and J. M. Pomeroy, “Ion- induced pattern formation on Co
surfaces: an x-ray scattering and Kinetic Monte Carlo study”, Physical Review B 66, 035408 (2002).
21. X. Wang, K. F. Ludwig, Jr., O. Malis, and J. Mainville, X. Flament, and R. Caudron, “Temperature
dependence of the diffuse-scattering fine structure in Cu-Pd alloys”, Physical Review B 63, 092201 (2001).
22. O. Malis, J. M. Pomeroy, R. L. Headrick, and J. D. Brock, “Time-resolved X-ray scattering study of Co
surface evolution during low-energy ion irradiation”, in Ion Beam Synthesis and Processing of Advanced
Materials, edited by S.C. Moss, K.-H. Heinig, and D.B. Poker, MRS Symposia Proceedings no. 647
(Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, 2000), p. O9.5.1.
23. O. Malis and K.F. Ludwig, Jr., “Kinetics of phase transitions in equiatomic CuAu”, Physical Review B 60,
14675 (1999).
24. O. Malis, K.F. Ludwig, Jr., W. Schweika, G.E. Ice, and C.J. Sparks, “Temperature dependence of the diffuse
scattering fine structure in CuAu”, Physical Review B 59, 11105 (1999).
25. O. Malis, K.F. Ludwig, Jr., D. Olmsted, and B. Chakraborty, “Monte Carlo Study of Short-Range Order and
Displacement Effects in Disordered CuAu”, Philosophical Magazine B 79, 869 (1999).
26. K.R. Elder, O. Malis, K.F. Ludwig, B. Chakraborty, and N. Goldenfeld, “An X-ray Scattering and Simulation
Study of the Ordering Kinetics in CuAu”, Europhys. Lett. 43, 629 (1998).
27. O. Malis, M. Manciu, R. Manaila, and A. Devenyi, “Effect of Intergrowth Defects on the X-ray Diffraction
Pattern II”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 147, 325 (1995).
28. R. Manaila, O. Malis, M. Manciu, and A. Devenyi, “Effect of Intergrowth Defects on the X-ray Diffraction
Pattern II”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 147, 31 (1995).
29. A. Belu-Marian, M.D. Serbanescu, R. Manaila, E. Ivanov, O. Malis, and A. Devenyi, “Conductivity of rfsputtered Ni100-xSix thin films with 33x77%”, Thin solid films 259, 105 (1995).
Patents
1. O. Malis, A. Belyanin, C. Gmachl, D.L. Sivco, M.L. Peabody, A.M. Sergent, and A.Y. Cho, “Phase matched
parametric light generation in monolithically integrated intersubband optical devices”, US Patent no.
6940639 (2005).
2. M. S. Hodes, C. D. W. Jones, S. Krishnan, and O. Malis, “Spreading thermoelectric coolers”, US Patent no.
20080155992 (2008).
Presentations
1. O. Malis, C. Edmunds, M. J. Manfra, D. L. Sivco, and R. Molnar, “Near-infrared intersubband absorption in
MBE-grown lattice-matched InAlN/GaN superlattices”, Electronics Materials Conference, University Park,
PA (2009).
2. O. Malis, C. Edmunds, M. J. Manfra, D. L. Sivco, and R. Molnar, “Intersubband absorption in latticematched InAlN/GaN heterostructures”, contributed talk at the APS March meeting, Pittsburgh, PA (2009).
3. O. Malis, “New materials and light generating processes for infrared semiconductor lasers”, invideted talk at
the New York State American Physical Society meeting, Corning, NY (2008).
4. O. Malis, “The quantum cascade laser: a high power semiconductor laser for mid-infrared sensing
applications”, invited talk at General Electric Global Research, Niskayuna, NY (2007).
5. O. Malis, D.L. Sivco, J. Chen, L. Zhang, A. M. Sergent, Z. Liu, and C. Gmachl, “Optimization of InP-based
waveguides for high-performance mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers”, presentation at the International
Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors, Vienna, Austria (2006).
6. O. Malis, A. M. Sergent, J. Chen, D.L. Sivco, L. Zhang, Z. Liu, and C. Gmachl, “Material design and
integration for high power quantum cascade lasers”, invited talk at the Indium Phosphide and related
materials conference, Princeton, NJ (2006).
7. O. Malis, L.N. Pfeiffer, K.W. West, A.M. Sergent, and C. Gmachl, “Mid-infrared hole-intersubband
absorption and electroluminescence in carbon-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well structures”, contributed
paper to the 8th International Conference on Intersubband Transitions, Cape Cod, MA (2005).
8. O. Malis, A. Belyanin, D.L. Sivco, J. Chen, A.M. Sergent, C. Gmachl, and A.Y. Cho, “Recent progress in
nonlinear quantum cascade lasers”, invited talk at Photonics West 2005, San Jose, CA (2005).
9. O. Malis, C. Gmachl, L.N. Pfeiffer, and K.W. West, “Mid-infrared intersubband absorption in carbon-doped
AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells”, contributed paper to the MRS fall meeting, Boston, MA (2004).
10. O. Malis, A. Belyanin, C. Gmachl, D.L. Sivco, M.L. Peabody, A.M. Sergent, and A.Y. Cho, “Enhancement of
second harmonic generation through phase-matching in quantum cascade lasers”, contributed paper to the
Frontiers in Optics and Laser Science XIX conference, Tucson, AZ (2003).
11. O. Malis, W. K. Liu, J. M. Fastenau, R. I. Pelzel, K. R. Evans, A. Joel, P. Gong, S. W. Bland, and N.
Moshegov, “MBE development of dilute nitrides for commercial long-wavelength VCSEL applications”,
contributed paper to the International Molecular Beam Epitaxy conference, San Francisco, CA (2002).
12. O. Malis, R.L. Headrick, MinSu Yi, J.M. Pomeroy, and J.D. Brock, “Time-resolved x-ray scattering study of
ion-induced pattern formation on cobalt surfaces” contributed paper to the MRS fall meeting, Boston, MA
(2001).
13. O. Malis, R.L. Headrick, J.M. Pomeroy, and J.D. Brock, “Time-resolved X-ray scattering study of Co surface
evolution during ion irradiation and homoepitaxy”, contributed paper to the MRS Fall Meeting, Boston, MA
(2000).
14. O. Malis, R. L. Headrick, and J. D. Brock, “Time-resolved X-ray scattering measurements of ion induced
pattern formation on Co surfaces”, contributed paper to the CHESS Users Meeting, Ithaca, NY (2000).
15. O. Malis, K.F. Ludwig, W. Schweika, J. Bai, G.E. Ice, and C.J. Sparks, “X-ray Anomalous Diffuse Scattering
Study of Disordered CuAu”, contributed paper to the APS March Meeting, Los Angeles, CA (1998).
16. O. Malis, K.F. Ludwig, and B. Chakraborty, “Monte-Carlo Study of Displacement Effects in CuAu Alloys”,
contributed paper to the MRS Fall Meeting, Boston, MA (1997).
17. O. Malis and K.F. Ludwig, “Kinetics of Phase Transformations in CuAu Alloys”, contributed paper to the
APS March Meeting, Kansas City, KS (1997).
Other conference papers
1. C.R. Eddy, Jr., K.F. Ludwig, Jr., R. Singh, O. Malis, and R. Headrick, “In-situ x-ray studies of silicon
surfaces undergoing ion sputtering”, contributed paper to the MRS fall meeting, Boston, MA (2001).
2. Randall L. Headrick, O. Malis, Joel D. Brock, Christopher C. Umbach, Min-Su Yi, and Doh-Young Noh,
“Combined x-ray scattering and STM studies of GaN nucleation and growth on sapphire”, contributed
paper to the MRS fall meeting, Boston, MA (2001).
3. R.L. Headrick, O. Malis, and J.D. Brock, “Kinetic processes during gallium nitride nucleation by ion- and
plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy”, contributed paper to the MRS Fall Meeting, Boston, MA
(2000).