John F Sevic

Title
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
Email
Department
Electrical, Computer & Software Engr Department
College
College of Engineering

Areas of Expertise

RF and Microwave Engineering, Computational Materials Science, and Differential Equations
John F Sevic
I am an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering with three decades of experience in microwave semiconductor modeling and design and RF power amplifier design. My current research focuses on computational multi-physics treatment of nanoscale dielectric thin film transport phenomena. I am a recognized expert in semiconductor and RF simulation and load-pull theory and applications, and author of a best-selling Wiley textbook on this topic. My inventions have found use in many areas of RF, particularly my universally adopted patents on battery-life improvement used in billions of wireless communication products.
  • Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering, University of California-Santa Cruz
  • M.S. - Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology
  • M.B.A. - Master of Business Administration, Santa Clara University
  • B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering: Electronics, Michigan Technological University
EE 336, EE 340, EE 420, EE 421, CEC 420, CEC 421, SE 450, SE 451, EGR 115

Journal and Conference Publications

John F. Sevic and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”Resistive Switching Conducting Filament Electroformation Using a Multiphysics Electrothermal Phase Field Method,” Applied Physics Letters, August 2023.

Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi and John F. Sevic, ”Resistive Switching Simulation with an Electrothermal Phase Field Model,” Solid-State Devices and Materials Proceedings, Japan Society of Applied Physics, March 2023.

John F. Sevic and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi ”An Assessment of Simulation Methods of Memristive Structures for Next-Generation NV-RAM Technologies,” Proceedings of the Flash Memory Summit, August 2022.

Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, John F. Sevic, and Foorozan Koushan, ”An Assessment on Dynamic Physical Changes in Dielectric Thin Films: A View Toward the Mechanism Behind The Resistive Switching,” Solid-State Devices and Materials Proceedings, Japan Society of Applied Physics, September 2020.

John F. Sevic, Romain Pelard, Phillip Kness, and Joy Laskar, ”Millimeter-wave Surface Mount Antennas for High-Speed Plastic Fiber Data Transport,” Proceedings of the DesignCon, San Jose, CA, 2020.

John F. Sevic and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”A computational phase field study of conducting channel formation in dielectric thin films: A view toward the physical origins of resistive switching,” Journal of Applied Physics 126, 065305, 2019.

John F. Sevic and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”Self-Consistent Continuum-Based Transient Simulation of Electroformation of Niobium Oxide Selector Structures,” Journal of Applied Physics, 124, 164501, 2018.

Joy Laskar, Romain Pelard, John F. Sevic, Chris Scholz, ”On the Development of New mmW CMOS Radio Architectures Addressing 5G and Tactile Internet, Proceedings of the IEEE, February 2018.

John F. Sevic and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”Multiphysics Transient Simulation of Monolithic Tantalum Oxide Memristor-Selector Structures,” Applied Physics Letters, 110, 103102, 2017.

John F. Sevic and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”Multiphysics FEM Study of TaO2-NbO2 Thin-Film Electroforming,” SPIE Proceedings, Low-Dimensional Materials, vol. 9924, September 2017.

Juan J. Diaz Leon, Kate J. Norris, J. Joshua Yang, John F. Sevic, and Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”A Niobium-oxide Tantalum-oxide Selector-Memristor Self-Aligned Nanostack,” Applied Physics Letters, 110, 103102 (2017). 

Juan J. Diaz Leon, Kate J. Norris, John F. Sevic, Nobuhiko P. Kobayashi, ”Integration of a niobium oxide selector on a tantalum oxide memristor by local oxidation using Joule heating,” SPIE Proceedings, Low-Dimensional Materials, vol. 9924, September 2016.

John F. Sevic, Perry Li, Richard Wallace, and Gary M. Simpson, “High VSWR On-Wafer Load-Pull for 35 dBm GSM and EDGE Characterization of GaAs HBT,” MW and RF, pp. 147-150, May 2007.

John F. Sevic, Marc Vanden Bossche, Eric Kueckels, Perry Li, Rusty Myers, Gary Simpson, and Richard Wallace, “Challenges and Solutions for On-Wafer GSM-EDGE PA Design,” Proceedings of the 2007 International Wireless Symposium, pp. 23-30, 2006.

John F. Sevic, “DC-DC Converter Loop Bandwidth Analysis for Use in Dynamic Drain Power Control of a Polar EDGE PA” Proceedings of the 2006 International Microwave Symposium, pp. 450-453, 2006.

John F. Sevic, Grant Albright, Werner Schuerch, and Gary M. Simpson, “Simultaneous Load-Pull and Real-Time Infrared Thermal Imaging Of RF/Microwave Power Transistors,” Proceedings of the 2004 International Microwave Symposium, pp. 1834-1837, 2004.

Frederick Raab, Nathan Sokal, Peter Asbeck, Nick Apothecary, Peter Kennignton, John F. Sevic, and Zoya Popovic, “A Rigorous Review of Technologies Influencing Power Amplifier Design and Performance Part 5,” High Frequency Electronics, pp. 46-54, January 2004.

Frederick Raab, Nathan Sokal, Peter Asbeck, Nick Apothecary, Peter Kennignton, John F. Sevic, and Zoya Popovic, “A Rigorous Review of Technologies Influencing Power Amplifier Design and Performance Part 4,” High Frequency Electronics, pp. 34-48, October 2003.

Frederick Raab, Nathan Sokal, Peter Asbeck, Nick Apothecary, Peter Kennignton, John F. Sevic, and Zoya Popovic, “A Rigorous Review of Technologies Influencing Power Amplifier Design and Performance Part 3,” High Frequency Electronics, pp. 34-48, September 2003.

Frederick Raab, Nathan Sokal, Peter Asbeck, Nick Apothecary, Peter Kennignton, John F. Sevic, and Zoya Popovic, “A Rigorous Review of Technologies Influencing Power Amplifier Design and Performance Part 2,” High Frequency Electronics, pp. 22-36, June 2003.

Frederick Raab, Nathan Sokal, Peter Asbeck, Nick Apothecary, Peter Kennignton, John F. Sevic, and Zoya Popovic, “A Rigorous Review of Technologies Influencing Power Amplifier Design and Performance Part 1,” High Frequency Electronics, pp. 22-36, May 2003.

Frederick Raab, Nathan Sokal, Peter Asbeck, Nick Apothecary, Peter Kennignton, John F. Sevic, and Zoya Popovic, “A Rigorous Review of Technologies Influencing Power Amplifier Design and Performance,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 1232- 1260, 2002.

M. B. Steer, J. Sevic, K. Gard, and H. Gutierrez, “Adjacent Channel Effects of Nonlinear Circuits,” 2001 IEEE Sarnoff Symposium, March 2001, pp. 12–15.

John F. Sevic and Michael B. Steer, “On the Significance of Envelope Peak-to-Average Ratio as a Metric for the Spectral Regrowth Characteristics and RF/Microwave Power Amplifier Efficiency Performance,” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 1068- 1071, June 2000.

John F. Sevic, On The Inter-Disciplinary Nature of Contemporary RF/MW Power Amplifier De- sign, Characterization, And Modeling,” Proceedings of the National Science Foundation Trends on Wireless Area of National Significance, pp. 389-400, Washington, D.C., 1998.

John F. Sevic, “A Sub-1 Ω Load-Pull Quarter-Wave Pre-Matching Network Based on a Novel Two- Tier TRL Calibration Method,” Microwave Journal, pp. 45-51, 1998.

John F. Sevic, “A Sub-1 Ω Load-Pull Multi-Line TRL Calibration Based on Conjugate Gradient Optimization,” Proceedings of the 1998 Automatic RF Techniques Group, pp. 90-93, 1998.

John F. Sevic, Michael B. Steer, and Kerry Burger, “A Novel Envelope-Termination Load-Pull Method for ACPR Optimization of RF/Microwave Power Amplifiers,” Proceedings of the 1998 International Microwave Symposium, pp. 1120-1123, 1998.

John F. Sevic and Joseph Staudinger, “Simulation of Power Amplifier Adjacent-Channel Power Ratio for Digital Wireless Communication Systems,” Proceedings of the 30th Annual Vehicular Technology Conference, pp. 450-453, 1997.

John F. Sevic, “Statistical Characterization of RF Power Amplifier Efficiency for CDMA Wireless Communication Systems,” Proceedings of the Third Annual Wireless Communications Conference, pp. 30-34, 1997.

John F. Sevic, Michael B. Steer, and Anthony M. Pavio, “Nonlinear Analysis Methods for the Simulation of Digital Wireless Communication Systems,” International Journal of Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Computer Aided Design, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 197-216, 1996.

John F. Sevic, Chuck McGuire, Gary M. Simpson, and Jaime Pla, “Data-Based Load-Pull Simulation for Large-Signal Transistor Model Validation,” Microwave Journal, pp. 130-134, 1996.

John F. Sevic, Chuck McGuire, Gary M. Simpson, and Jaime Pla, “Data-Based Load-Pull Simulation for Large-Signal Transistor Model Validation,” Proceedings of the 1996 Automatic RF Techniques Group, pp. 120-124, 1996.

John F. Sevic and Michael B. Steer, “A Comparison of Two-Tone Intermodulation and Spectral Regrowth for MESFET and HFET Processes,” Proceedings of the 1996 International Microwave Symposium, pp. 870-873, 1996.

John F. Sevic and Michael B. Steer, “A New Method of Large-Signal Characterization of Automated Large-Signal Characterization of RF Transistors for Digital Wireless Communication Systems,” Microwave Journal, pp. 98-103, 1995.

John F. Sevic, Robert Baeten, Gary M. Simpson, and Michael B. Steer, “Automated Large-Signal Load-Pull Characterization of Adjacent-Channel Power Ratio for Digital Wireless Communication Systems,” Proceedings of the 1995 Automatic RF Techniques Group, pp. 50-54, 1995.

John F. Sevic and Michael B. Steer, “Analysis of GaAs MESFET Spectrum Regeneration Driven by a Modulated Source, Proceedings of the 1995 International Microwave Symposium, pp. 1375-1379, 1995.

John F. Sevic and David B. Patterson, “Noninvasive Polarization Eigenmode Coupling in Elliptical- Core Optical Fiber Based on Bulk-Shear Acoustic Waves,” Optics Letters, vol. 18, no. 23, December 1, 1993. 

Books and Book Chapters

John F. Sevic, “The Load-Pull Method of RF and Microwave Power Amplifier Design,” John Wiley: New York, 2020.

John F. Sevic, “Theory of High-Power Load-Pull Characterization for RF and Microwave Transistors,” The RF and Microwave Engineering Handbook, CRC Press: Boynton Beach, FL, pp. 7.1-7.17, 2004.

John F. Sevic, “Signal Characterization and Modulation Theory,” The RF and Microwave Engineering Handbook, CRC Press: Boynton Beach, FL, pp. 22.1-22.21, 2004.

Michael B. Steer and John F. Sevic, “Nonlinear RF and Microwave Circuit Analysis,” The RF and Microwave Engineering Handbook, CRC Press: Boynton Beach, FL, pp. 30.1-30.22, 2004. 

Awarded US Patents

U.S. Patent 11,511,640, Vehicle to Infrastructure Autonomous Data Backhaul

U.S. Patent 11,228,342, Near-Field Wireless Interface

U.S. Patent 6,720,228 Current Source Bias Circuit With Hot Carrier Injection Tracking

U.S. Patent 6,653,896 Differential RF Power Amplifier Using Synchronized Polar Modulators

U.S. Patent 6,624,695 Waveform Preshaping For Efficiency Improvements In DC To RF Conversion

U.S. Patent 6,297,700 RF Power Transistor Having Cascaded Cells With Inter-Cell Phase Matching

U.S. Patent 6,201,444 Current Source Bias Circuit With Hot Carrier Injection Tracking

U.S. Patent 6,137,355 Dual-Mode Amplifier With High Efficiency And High Linearity

U.S. Patent 6,069,525 Dual-Mode Amplifier With High Efficiency And High Linearity

U.S. Patent 5,872,481 Efficient Parallel-Stage Power Amplifier

U.S. Patent 5,535,438 Phase Linear Class E Amplifier For a Satellite Communication Terminal

Filed US Patents

U.S. Patent Application 18-xxx-xxx, Unibody Helix Surface-Mount mmW Antenna, 2020

U.S. Patent Application 16-747-769, Passive Microwave Fiber Apparatus, 2019

U.S. Patent Application 16-365-997, Helix Surface-Mount mmW Antenna, 2018

Invited Talks

John F. Sevic, ”Phase-Field Techniques to Study Dielectric Thin Film Transport Phenomena,” Keynote Talk for the 2021 Automatic RF Techniques Group, IEEE International Microwave Symposium, 2021.

John F. Sevic, “Parameter Extraction and Compact Model Development for GaN HEMT Technology,” given at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, 2011.

John F. Sevic, “Advanced Power and Noise Modeling Methods for 65 nm and 45 nm CMOS Processes,” at the 2010 National Nanodevice Laboratory of Taiwan, in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

John F. Sevic, “Low-Noise Characterization Methods for Deep-Submicron CMOS Technologies,” at East-South University, Nanjing, China, in 2005.

John F. Sevic, “Assessing and Optimizing Thermal Disequilibrium in GaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors Using IR Scanning and Numerical Transport Simulation,” at the 2004 IEEE International Microwave Symposium.

John F. Sevic, “Trends in RF and Microwave PA Design,” Invited Speaker at the Fifth Annual Power Amplifier Conference in San Diego in 2001.

John F. Sevic, “High Efficiency Power Amplifier Design Methods,” at the Caltech Graduate Seminar Series 2001, Pasadena, CA.

John F. Sevic, “Polar Modulation for EDGE Efficiency Enhancement” given at the European Microwave Conference in Paris, France, 2001.

John F. Sevic, “Combining Theory and Real-World Experience for Undergraduate Electrical Engineering Education” given at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Seminar on Engineering Education in the 21st Century in Washington D.C., 2000.

John F. Sevic, “A Sub-1 Ω Load-Pull Multi-Line TRL Calibration Based on Conjugate Gradient Optimization,” at the 1998 IEEE Automatic RF Techniques Group Conference in Santa Rosa, CA.

John F. Sevic, “Simulation, Analysis, and Design of RF and Microwave Power Amplifiers,” at the 1998 IEEE International Microwave Symposium in Baltimore, MD.

John F. Sevic, “Nonlinear Large-Signal Frequency-Domain ACPR Simulation of CDMA Modulation,” in 1998 at the Tokyo Institute of Technology Seminar on Mobile Phone Applications, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1998.

John F. Sevic, “High-Q Inductor Simulation and Design on Low Resistivity CMOS Processes,” in 1998 at the Stanford University Electrical Engineering Department Graduate Seminar on Solid-State Circuits, Stanford, CA.

John F. Sevic, “Long-Term Stochastic Optimization of RF Power Amplifier Efficiency,” at the 1997 Radio and Wireless Conference in Fort Collins, CO.

John F. Sevic, “Statistical Optimization of Battery-Life for Power Amplifier Design,” at Center for High- Speed Devices at the University of California at San Diego in 1997.

John F. Sevic, “RF and Microwave Amplifier Design,” at the 1997 IEEE International Microwave Symposium in Denver, CO.

John F. Sevic, “Digital Modulation Theory for RF and Microwave Power Amplifier Design,” at the 1996 IEEE Automatic RF Techniques Group Conference in Phoenix, AZ. 


I have three decades of industry experience from the enterprise to start-up. My most recent role was Vice President of Engineering at Maja Systems. Prior to that I was Vice President of Engineering at Focus Microwaves. I have also held senior design roles at Motorola, Qualcomm, and Cree Semiconductor. Two of my start-up companies were successfully sold, Spectrian to Cree and Tropian to Panasonic. I have also spent a total of two years on overseas assignment, mostly in China.
  • ​IEEE
  • Microwave Theory and Techniques Society
  • Electron Devices Society
  • Automatic RF Techniques Group
  • International Microwave Symposium TPC
  • Reviewer for various engineering and physics journals

​Numerous awards and accolades for publications, textbooks, research and product design.