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Zeen Fang

About & PhD Goal

I am a B.Eng. candidate in Microelectronics Science and Engineering at Central South University, with an expected graduation date of June 2027. My current work lies at the device-circuit interface, spanning semiconductor-device simulation, memristor behavioral and circuit modeling, and the translation of device dynamics into circuit-level operating constraints.

I am seeking PhD opportunities for Fall 2027 to extend this foundation toward device-aware analog, mixed-signal, and power-management ICs for wide-bandgap power conversion. I am especially interested in adaptive GaN/SiC gate-driver ICs and in translating device, package, thermal, and parasitic constraints into circuit specifications for sensing, timing, drive, high-voltage interfacing, protection, and robust validation.

Publications

Three-panel comparison of VTEAM behavioral predictions and BSIM3 SPICE transients for Reset and Set operations, with driver slew-rate verification.
Published Figure 5 · CC BY 4.0

Memristor-Based Read–Write Interface Design for Neural Networks: A Comparative Study of Linear-Drift and VTEAM Models

Zeen Fang, Mingyang Zhu, Hanbo Xu, and Lei Zhang

First authorModeling, simulation, analysis, and writing

A behavioral-level, pre-silicon study deriving analytical read-write constraints from the VTEAM state equation and evaluating them from device to neural-network scale.

The published study reports a 13.78x resistance window and 90.6% MNIST top-1 accuracy, with 96.08% Set-cycle energy reduction against its defined behavioral baseline.

Journal: JCR Q2Engineering, Electrical & Electronic · 2025 JIF

Published four-panel figure showing the simulated top-gate In2O3 TFT structure, energy-band setup, output characteristics, and transfer characteristics.
Published Figure 1 · CC BY 4.0

Numerical Investigation of Short-Channel Effects and RF Performance in Top-Gate In₂O₃ Thin-Film Transistors

Hanbo Xu, Mingyang Zhu, Zeen Fang, and Lei Zhang

Third authorValidation, data curation, and manuscript review

A two-dimensional numerical study of short-channel behavior and simulated DC/RF scaling across 20-700 nm top-gate In₂O₃ TFTs.

My credited roles were validation, data curation, and manuscript review and editing; the highlighted device and RF values are study-level numerical results.

Journal: JCR Q2Instruments & Instrumentation · 2025 JIF

Ongoing Research & Team Engineering

Published work is listed above. Ongoing research and team engineering projects are identified here with their current evidence and status.

A Second-Order Memristor SPICE Model for Neuromorphic Circuit Analysis

Ongoing research · Manuscript in preparation · IEEE TCAS-I target · 2026-present

I am developing a PSpice second-order memristor model that separates a retained conductance state from a relaxing history state, with a power-activated auxiliary state. Matched-x paired-pulse, selected 1T1R, STDP-like, and compact 2 × 2 simulations connect internal-state attribution to circuit-level behavior.

Simulation-only: 11.16% matched-x interval sensitivity versus 1.01% for the separately simulated history-off family; STDP-like ΔG = -1.82% to +1.09%; 24 compact-array read cases with no more than 0.450% unit-range state disturbance. The target denotes planned submission style only.

PSpice implementation diagram showing the memristor P–N interface, shared model core, and separate Norton-state realizations for retained, volatile-history, and power-activated internal states.
Current PSpice implementation · simulation only

Team LDO competition project — Zengyi Huichuang Cup

10th National College Student IC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition · 2026

Team project

As a team member, I contributed to selected tasks across a competition record that extended well beyond one stability plot: a 1.8 V CMOS LDO design flow, layout-level evaluation, a regional-final semi-discrete hardware task, and preparation for national-stage automated testing.

  1. 01

    Team design & simulation

    1.8 V CMOS LDO

    SMIC 180 nm transistor-level work covering a PMOS pass device, bandgap reference, OTA, feedback, bias, and compensation, followed by PVT, output, Iq, PSRR, dropout, and STB analyses.

  2. 02

    Physical workflow

    Layout-level evaluation

    Top-level layout integration, Calibre DRC/LVS/PEX workflow, and post-layout simulation. The archived record is not presented as a clean sign-off or tapeout.

  3. 03

    Team hardware task

    Regional-final LDO

    BJT characterization and selection using TIP42C/TIP32C and BD139/BD135 candidates, followed by a 25 V-to-12 V semi-discrete LDO and regulation, stability, transient, and thermal evaluation.

  4. 04

    Preparation only

    Automated test workflow

    IECUBE-3100/3839 and LabVIEW preparation for PWS/DIO/DMM control, voltage-accuracy, line/load-regulation and dropout scans, data logging, and result logic.

Cadence transistor-level schematic of the team 1.8 V SMIC 180 nm LDO, including reference, error-amplifier, feedback, bias, and PMOS pass-device paths.
Team transistor-level schematic · design and simulation
Cadence top-level layout view for the team LDO project, showing the power-device, control-circuit, and resistor regions.
Team top-level layout · no tapeout claim
Cadence post-layout STB simulation for the team LDO project, showing phase-margin markers across three TT temperatures.
Team post-layout STB simulation · not silicon measurement
View complete competition project

Research Practice

A closer look at how I structure computational research work—not just the result, but the decisions, evidence chain, and stopping rules behind it.

Reconstructed H-terminated diamond FET cross-section used in the TCAD research-training project
Project-generated device structure · TCAD model

Research practice case study · Simulation only

Codex × TCAD: turning one ATLAS deck into an auditable research workflow

I constrained a Codex harness around local Silvaco ATLAS to turn paper reading, parameterized device sweeps, log parsing, figure generation, and scientific stop rules into one traceable research-training loop.

Codex supported workspace inspection, experiment matrices, parsing, and audits; ATLAS remained the solver, while I owned the physical assumptions, run authorization, stopping rules, and claim promotion.

Read the workflow case study

PhD Research Direction

My intended PhD direction is device-aware analog and mixed-signal IC design for wide-bandgap power conversion. I want to translate nonlinear device behavior, parasitics, temperature, and package effects into on-chip sensing, timing, drive, high-voltage interface, and protection decisions.

Evidence I bring

  • Model-to-circuit reasoningPublished first-author memristor studyBehavioral modeling, analytical operating windows, parameter sweeps, and simulation-based validation.
  • Device-to-specification translationPublished In₂O₃ numerical studyInterpreting device assumptions, scaling behavior, capacitance, and parasitic trends as circuit-design constraints.
  • IC workflow exposureTeam LDO competition projectSelected team tasks spanning schematic analysis, physical verification, post-layout evaluation, and semi-discrete hardware testing.

Candidate doctoral blocks

  • ObserveGate/current sensingLow-latency state extraction with limited loading and bounded sensitivity to PVT and switching noise.
  • InterfaceTiming and high-voltage interfacesReference and delay generation, high-CMTI level shifting, and bootstrap or floating-supply interfaces.
  • Act & protectAdaptive drive and protectionSegmented predrivers and output stages, dead-time or drive control, and fast protection for GaN/SiC power stages.

Progressive verification path

Proposed and resource-dependent
  1. 01Baseline gate

    Reproduce a representative circuit and freeze one focused specification.

  2. 02Robustness gate

    Evaluate PVT, mismatch, parasitics, reliability, CMTI, and testability.

  3. 03Implementation gate

    Advance through transistor-level design, layout, DRC/LVS/PEX, and post-layout verification.

  4. 04Hardware gate

    Proceed to prototype, tapeout, or measurement only when resources and earlier evidence permit.

These are candidate entry points, not completed designs or a thesis solution fixed in advance. I expect to begin with one well-grounded power-IC block, selected after baseline reproduction and assessment of available project and fabrication resources.

Education & Preparation

Central South University

2023.09-2027.06 (expected)

B.Eng. Candidate in Microelectronics Science and Engineering

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

Weighted average: 89.43 / 100

Academic transcript · English public copyStudent ID, gender, and online-verification QR removed. The official copy is available upon request.

Outstanding Student certificate from Central South University for the 2023–2024 academic year.
Outstanding Student · Central South University, 2023–2024

Selected coursework: Semiconductor Device Physics, Circuit Theory, Analog and Digital Electronic Technology, Signals and Systems, and Large-Scale Integrated Circuit Design.

Modeling & simulation

Semiconductor-device simulation, behavioral circuit modeling, MATLAB, and PSpice.

IC workflow exposure

PVT, PSRR, and STB analysis; layout integration; Calibre DRC/LVS/PEX; post-layout evaluation.

Research practice

Validation, data curation, reproducible analysis, technical writing, LaTeX, and public code sharing.

English: College English Test Band 6 (CET-6), 576.

Selected Honors & Awards

  • Second Prize, National Final; First Prize, Central China Regional Final — 10th National College Student IC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Zengyi Huichuang Track · team award
  • Second Prize, National Preliminary Round (Humanoid Sprint) — 28th China Robot and Artificial Intelligence Competition · provincial-level team award
  • Honorable Mention, Mathematical Contest in Modeling · team award
  • First Prize, Hunan Division, 16th Chinese Mathematics Competition for College Students · Non-Mathematics Category A
  • First Prize, 8th Hunan Provincial College Students Mathematics Competition · Non-Mathematics Category A
  • Excellent Student Award, Highpower International Scholarship
  • Outstanding Student, Central South University
  • Second-Class Academic-Year Scholarship, Central South University

Fall 2027 PhD applications

Open to doctoral research conversations.

I am preparing applications to PhD programs in microelectronics, electrical and computer engineering, and related fields. If my device-to-circuit background aligns with your group's research, I would be glad to discuss potential doctoral directions.