P. Douglas Yoder

P. Douglas Yoder is an Associate Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds office in Building BH, Room 219, and can be reached at 404/385-2652. Dr. Yoder leads the Computational Electronics and Photonics Group, focusing on semiconductor device research and development.

Dr. Yoder received his B.S.E.E. degree with highest honors from Cornell University in 1990, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991 and 1993-1994. His academic journey included a postdoctoral fellowship at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, and professional experience at Bell Laboratories and Agere Systems before joining Georgia Tech in Fall 2003.

Dr. Yoder's research generates new understanding of microscopic physical processes and macroscopic phenomena in semiconductor structures and devices. His work spans high-power ultraviolet laser diodes for communication and sensing applications, coupled electrothermal analysis of AlGaN/GaN field effect transistors, quantum charge transport for nanoelectronic devices, and quantum cascade lasers for biomolecular spectroscopy. His Computational Electronics and Photonics Group employs advanced simulation techniques to model semiconductor behavior at fundamental levels, with particular expertise in Monte Carlo charge transport simulation and electrothermal analysis.

Analysis of Dr. Yoder's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on wide bandgap III-nitride semiconductors, particularly gallium nitride (GaN) and its alloys. His work bridges fundamental quantum transport phenomena with practical device applications, showing strong emphasis on laser diodes, photodetectors, and high-frequency electronic devices. The research demonstrates sophisticated integration of materials science, quantum mechanics, and device engineering principles.

• Member of Tau Beta Pi (1988-present)
• Member of Eta Kappa Nu (1988-present)
• Hertz Foundation Graduate Research Grant (1990)
• Unisys Scholarship (1989)
• MITRE Scholarship (1986)
• U.S. Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship (2009)
• Senior Member of IEEE (2005)

Dr. Yoder has advised numerous graduate students through their Ph.D. and M.S. research, with former students now working at major technology companies including Intel, Microchip, and Texas Instruments. His research has been supported by various funding sources, including the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Yoder actively participates in professional service as conference chair and committee member for major events in nitride semiconductors and numerical simulation of optoelectronic devices.

Dr. Yoder directs the Computational Electronics and Photonics Group, which maintains expertise in full-band ensemble Monte Carlo methods, electrothermal simulation, and quantum transport modeling. The group collaborates with experimentalists to validate theoretical predictions and develop next-generation semiconductor devices. Current research directions include superlative student projects starting Fall 2025 focusing on intersections of mathematics, physics, and object-oriented programming.