Christopher Hinkle

Biography

Christopher Hinkle’s research sits at the intersection of new materials, nanoscale devices, and artificial intelligence, with the goal of enabling better-performing nanoelectronic and quantum systems. His group synthesizes and characterizes quantum defects in wide-bandgap semiconductors such as SiC for quantum interconnects and sensing, and grows two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides to explore their electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. Alongside this quantum-focused work, the lab develops back-end-of-line semiconductors, scaled interconnects, and insulator-to-metal transition oxides for next-generation memory and logic. Across all of these areas, Hinkle’s group uses AI/ML for materials prediction, adaptive experiment design, and automated synthesis and characterization, coupled with a world-class suite of advanced deposition and device fabrication tools in the Notre Dame Nanofabrication Facility.

Hinkle is professor and department chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Notre Dame. His research is supported by the National Science Foundation (including the QuIC-TAQS, FuSe, and DMREF programs), DARPA, and the Semiconductor Research Corporation, where he leads the High-Throughput Materials Discovery theme in the JUMP 2.0 SUPREME Center.