Lisa M. Porter

Porter studied materials science at Cornell University.[1] She earned her bachelor's degree in 1989, before moving to North Carolina State University for her graduate studies.[1] She completed her doctorate on silicon carbide in 1993.[2] After earning her doctorate, Porter joined North Carolina State University as a postdoctoral research associate.

Gallium(III) oxide crystal

Porter was appointed to the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University at 1997. Her early research considered the metal contacts for high-power electronic devices and oxide–silicon carbide interfaces.[3] She has since investigated several materials, including transparent conducting films and electrodes as well as organic semiconductors.[3][4][5] Her research focusses on the wide bandgap semiconductor gallium oxide.[3][6] Small amounts of gallium oxide can withstand high electric fields and can be used for highly energy intensive processes.[6] Porter has studied a variety of gallium oxide]polymorphs, including α, β and ε-Ga₂O_3.[6] In particular, β-Ga₂O₃ bulk single crystals can be fabricated using low-cost melt-growth methods and can be produced in large wafers.[6]

Porter created the spin-out company SenSevere, which creates chemical sensors based on semi-conductors.[3][7] The sensors can be used to detect hydrogen in harsh environments, including nuclear reactors and chlorine production cells.[8][7] When these cells are producing chlorine they produce considerable concentrations of hydrogen, and if this is not removed quickly from the system can result in the formation of hydrogen chloride.[8] In nuclear reactors, hydrogen build up can cause explosions when hydrogen interacts with oxygen and water.[8]

• 1999 National Science Foundation CAREER Award[9]
• 2006 Women and Girls Foundation Women Driving the Material World award[10]
• 2012 Carnegie Mellon University Philbrook Prize in Engineering
• 2018 North Carolina State University Hall of Fame[3]
• 2018 President of the American Vacuum Society[11]

• Porter, Lisa M.; Davis, Robert F. (November 1995). "A critical review of ohmic and rectifying contacts for silicon carbide". Materials Science and Engineering: B. 34 (2–3): 83–105. doi:10.1016/0921-5107(95)01276-1. ISSN 0921-5107.
• Crofton, John; Mohney, Suzanne (2000-08-31). "Ohmic Contacts to P-Type SiC". Fort Belvoir, VA. doi:10.21236/ada381452. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Chang, K. C.; Nuhfer, N. T.; Porter, L. M.; Wahab, Q. (2000-10-02). "High-carbon concentrations at the silicon dioxide–silicon carbide interface identified by electron energy loss spectroscopy". Applied Physics Letters. 77 (14): 2186–2188. Bibcode:2000ApPhL..77.2186C. doi:10.1063/1.1314293. ISSN 0003-6951.