Joseph W Lyding

Joseph W Lyding is the Robert C. MacClinchie Distinguished Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he has been a faculty member since 1984 when he was recruited by Nobel laureate John Bardeen. His research focuses on advanced nanotechnology, scanning tunneling microscopy, and carbon-based nanoelectronics, with significant contributions to atomic-scale fabrication and characterization techniques.

• PhD in Electrical & Computer Science from Northwestern University (1983)
• Developed the first atomic resolution STM in the Midwestern US (1984)
• Invented ultra-stable STM technology (1987)
• Created atomic-resolution silicon patterning through hydrogen desorption (1994)
• Discovered giant isotope effect with deuterium on silicon surfaces (1995)

Professor Lyding's research spans carbon nanotube and graphene integration with semiconductor platforms, developing techniques like dry contact transfer (DCT) and Field-Directed Sputter Sharpening (FDSS). His work combines atomic-scale imaging, spectroscopy, and nanofabrication to explore fundamental phenomena in nanoelectronics. He has made groundbreaking contributions to understanding interactions between carbon nanomaterials and semiconductor substrates at the atomistic level, with applications in next-generation electronic devices.

His publication record shows a consistent focus on atomic-scale manipulation and nanoscale characterization, with recent work emphasizing graphene electronics, carbon nanotube fibers, and atomically precise manufacturing. The trajectory of his research demonstrates a progression from fundamental surface science to practical applications in semiconductor technology and nanoelectronics.

• DOE FY22 SBIR/STTR Small Business of the Year (2023)
• Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology (2014)
• AAAS Fellow and IEEE Fellow (2014/2011)
• IBM Partnership Award (1996)
• Beckman Fellow, Center for Advanced Study (1987-1988)

Professor Lyding has mentored numerous PhD students, with approximately ten earning their degrees through work in his laboratory. His research has been supported by collaborations with industry partners including IBM, Texas Instruments, and Zyvex Labs, as well as government agencies. He serves as Chief Technical Officer of Tiptek, LLC, a startup commercializing his FDSS technology for ultra-sharp probe fabrication.

Lyding leads the Nanoelectronics and Nanomaterials Group at the Beckman Institute, where his team utilizes ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopes as atomic resolution imaging, spectroscopic, and fabrication tools. Recent equipment donations from Zyvex Labs have enhanced their capabilities for atomically precise manufacturing research.