Those subtle things that you may not have noticed in your childhood, may be a strong indication of what you will become.. And those phrases that you used to write and forget.. may come true.. And you may make a mistake one day.. And this mistake may be your gateway to success.

We always hear the phrase "Make your life a book worth reading".. and we are still searching for the chapters of our lives that we will write.. but her life is not a book but a library that the nation is proud of..! Or rather, a scientific and economic treasure..!

She is Dr. Maha Mohammed Omar Khayat, a specialized scientist and a faculty member at Umm Al-Qura University. She currently works as a visiting professor in the Nano Engineering Group at MIT. She previously worked as a research associate at Cambridge University after obtaining her doctorate from the same university in the field of semiconductor materials. She was also loaned to work at IBM by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. She has four important inventions registered in the United States of America. She received the gold medal from the Geneva Exhibition of Inventors 2012, and was nominated for the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women Scientists in the field of environment and energy in the Arab world and Africa. She presented many specialized scientific papers, in addition to many educational lectures in the field of environment and solar energy in international and specialized forums. She supported her students at the university, so they participated in an innovative project for a solar-powered amusement park!

It is currently seeking to form a local-international cooperation to establish a research center between a number of researchers in Saudi universities in advanced technical fields such as solar cells and photodiodes, in addition to employing solar cells in many microelectronics industries.

First Childhood Story: I took apart the electrical transformer and designed another electrical gadget!

Dr. Maha Khayat grew up in Mecca in a family that revered knowledge and books were an essential part of its structure. Her father’s office - may God have mercy on him - had walls covered with the most important religious, literary and historical books, in addition to valuable manuscripts, which made her grow up to love books and how to preserve them and respect different and divergent opinions.

 She had a passion for electrical devices, and her pleasure was to discover them by disassembling and reassembling them. The first tool she disassembled was the electrical transformer for her toy, so she designed another electrical tool with it. Then this passion developed until she became keen to collect the smallest thing from every tool or toy. She did not know that day that she would grow up and become a scientist in the field of nano and microelectronics!

During her PhD, she studied semiconductor materials (the basic materials for manufacturing various electronics), and during her studies she noticed the difference in the behavior of the material in the nanoscale range and published research on this topic.

My minor was my first dream.. and I didn't know!

In October 2001, she began her doctoral studies, coinciding with the start of the American Nano Initiative, which was followed by European, Asian and other initiatives. Dr. Maha says: “After two years and nine months, I returned home with my doctorate, and I was surprised by the writings I had written in my first year of undergraduate studies! I had written in my Physics 101 lab notebook next to my name “Doctor of Physics and Microelectronic Devices Manufacturing!” This was actually my exact specialization in the doctorate, knowing that I had forgotten this dream and this phrase, and I had not determined my destination when I was sent on a scholarship, nor had I determined the specialization even when I started the doctoral program. At that time, I praised God, thanked Him and extolled Him as befits His majesty and greatness, and I knew that those things we write might actually come true one day.” Those things we write might actually come true one day.

Situations.. Jokes.. and challenges

A great life gains its greatness from the strength of challenges. The more difficult the challenge and the more we overcome it, the greater our achievement. However, there are things, feelings, people and situations that make a person’s difficult dreams possible and the arduous journey more enjoyable and successful.

Dr. Maha Khayat says that studying for her doctorate as an expatriate at a university as strong as Cambridge, in a field like hers, and in a situation like hers as a wife and mother was not easy.. But the support of her parents, may God have mercy on them, and all the messages of love and prayers they sent her, and all the faith in God and trust in Him that they taught her helped her a lot.. 

It is possible for a woman to be a successful and happy mother, a researcher and an inventor at the same time, if she tries to balance her roles. As for her husband, he was the wall she leaned on in times of pressure, and the argument she used to prove to her colleagues and society that a woman mother is able to balance her studies and scientific research with her family. She said: “During my doctoral stage, I told one of my research colleagues at Cavendish Laboratories that I had children. My doctoral supervisor was described at Cavendish Laboratories as a very difficult person, and she assured me that I would not be able to achieve my ambitions in Cambridge in a situation like mine.” “That day, I returned home and thought about transferring to another university, but my husband told me that it was illogical for others to project their experiences onto me. He advised me to continue at Cambridge and to consider myself a person who is completely dedicated to studying and not to worry about my family duties. Indeed, thanks to God, and then my husband’s words and support, I discussed my research during an exceptional period by Cambridge standards. I remember that I went to my fellow researcher after that and told her that the impossible had been achieved, and that it was possible for a woman to be the mother of a successful and happy family and a researcher and inventor at the same time, if she tried to balance her roles. That was not easy at all, but it was not impossible either.”

Postdoctoral

Dr. Maha Khayat says: “After obtaining my PhD, my research career was supported by the grace of God through summer programs at international research centers. Then my services were loaned to the city to participate in solar energy research in which the city’s Nanotechnology Center and IBM (the technical partner) are participating. This was through a generous nomination from His Highness the city’s Deputy for Research Centers, Dr. Turki bin Saud, who, after God, was credited with achieving my research achievements and patents in the field of flexible electronics and advanced solar cells.”

Sustainable Energy.. The Dream, the Vision and the Goal

At a time when the Kingdom is seeking to harness all tools to achieve sustainable energy and reach the ranks of advanced countries, Dr. Maha Khayat has made it one of her dreams to contribute to achieving this dream and this vision, so she has conducted many researches in the field of energy, and many inventions.

The mistake that made me an inventor!

The story of the first invention goes back to Dr. Maha Khayat when she was in one of Watson’s laboratories in New York with her fellow researchers, and she had to take successive steps to prepare the sample. Because she made a mistake in one of the steps, she thought of inventing a method that would shorten a number of manufacturing steps to achieve control over the place where silicon nanowires grow with high efficiency in addition to a number of technical features, and so her first idea came.

They were pessimistic, so I smiled and said, “It will definitely be a good day, God willing.” And indeed, it was a special day. The next morning, Dr. Maha went to the Watson Labs cafeteria to have breakfast and read some scientific papers in preparation for continuing the experiments. Her coffee spilled on the floor. Then, someone told her, “It will be a good day,” to console her (since they have a bad omen about spilling coffee in the morning). Dr. Maha says, “I remember smiling and saying, “It will definitely be a good day, God willing.” And indeed, it was a special day, as I met my manager in the cafeteria and discussed my idea with him. He praised it and directed me to obtain a patent, and my first invention came about.

Opportunity when met with preparation turns into a success story

Dr. Maha had the opportunity to present the invention at the fourth annual meeting in San Jose, California. At that time, His Highness Prince Dr. Turki bin Saud, Vice President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology for Research Centers, suggested that she use the invention as a sensor. Because she had the readiness and ambition, this suggestion was the reason for her second invention.

Don't despise your ideas, no matter how simple and primitive they are.

Dr. Maha Khayat had to come up with results regarding the development of solar cells made from silicon nanowires to present them at the monthly meeting organized by the Vice President of IBM. Because she was stressed from the pressure of work, in addition to being tired due to her wheat allergy, she had to complete the work in the simplest possible way. This led her to her third invention, which impressed the specialists at IBM, and received an exceptional response, and she was able to register it on the IBM website.

Not only that, but Dr. Maha Khayat presented the invention to the jury at Watson Laboratories in New York, which evaluated this invention as two separate inventions; the first is a new industrial method for obtaining flexible semiconductor sheets by cooling, and the second invention is concerned with controlling the thickness of the semiconductor sheet without increasing the thickness of the economically expensive compressive layers. It also presents a new method for obtaining thin flexible sheets of the material at very low temperatures.

Dr. Maha Omar Khayat's inventions:

First Invention: Chemical Molding in the Nanometer Range Using Oxidized Elements Inventors: Maha Khayyat, Devendra Sadana & Brent Wacaser

This invention is concerned with using the chemical reaction in the nanometer range of active and stimulating elements for the growth of nanowires. This enables us - God willing - to control the place of growth of nano-silicon and reduce some steps associated with semiconductor industries and some other applications such as the formation of parts of aluminum gallium arsenide in the gallium arsenide crystal optionally.

The importance of this invention comes from the possibility of using it in industrial applications such as solar cells and electronic devices. This invention has already been applied to develop the atomic force microscope to study living cells.

It is distinguished by the fact that it does not require the removal of aluminum due to its selective growth, and it does not require optical engineering in some applications of the current technology, and it can be applied in multiple fields such as the optional addition of aluminum to parts of the gallium arsenide chip.

Second Invention: A method with a production range for improving the resolution of an electron force microscope using aluminum-doped silicon nanowires Inventors: Gey Cohen, Mark Reuter, Brent Wacaser & Maha Khayyat

It is a method for manufacturing a high-resolution atomic force microscope (AFM) probe by growing a single nanowire on top of a pyramid-shaped semiconductor probe. This probe is characterized by its controllable diameter (from 5 to 200 nm after additional thinning process) and high aspect ratio (length to width ratio) (above 100) without a significant decrease in the cross-sectional area of ​​the wire between its base and its top, which does not exceed ten percent. The AFM probe manufactured by the present method has high lateral separation force, in addition to the possibility of manufacturing it at production capacity.

Its importance is highlighted in growing a single nanowire on the tip of the probe needle of the electron force microscope. It is an ideal solution for studying the side walls of rough surfaces, the depth of serrated surfaces, the angle of inclination, and the height of thresholds found in some surfaces.

Invention 3: Method for obtaining a flexible semiconductor using low temperature Inventors: M. Khayyat, N. Sosa, K. Seanger, S. Bedel, and D. Sadana.

The patent was registered in the United States of America by IBM (the technical partner of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology), and is being registered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the first inventor is from Saudi Arabia, in addition to the fact that the work was supported by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

Fourth invention: Temperature-Controlled Depth of Spalling” Inventors: M. Khayyat, N. Sosa, K. Fogel, S. Bedel, D. Sadana.

This invention relates to semiconductor materials for the manufacture of electronic devices, and is a method for controlling the operation of thin flexible sheets of material without any mechanical impact at low temperatures. The present invention describes a method (1) for providing additional control over the process of stripping layers from the material, which is an improvement in making a slit and extending it through the material. (2) Increasing the range of the selected depth of the peeled layer from the surface of the material. The method presented in this invention provides a mechanism for stripping a layer from the surface of the material naturally (without making a slit in the material) which occurs at low temperatures.

The benefit of this invention is in providing lightweight electronic devices, in addition to the fact that it will be possible to install flexible electronic devices anywhere; for example, it will be possible to manufacture solar cells from flexible thin films and install them on clothes and any other surface that a person carries while moving, which will provide energy anywhere when needed in times of peace and war.

Hidden Treasure: Dr. Maha Khayat as a Model!

These inventions and the suddenness of their occurrence are the greatest evidence that all the knowledge we acquire remains hidden in our minds, like a precious treasure that has not been discovered, or like a device that we have not learned how to use optimally. All the knowledge we acquire remains hidden in our minds, like a precious treasure that has not been discovered, or like a device that we have not learned how to use optimally! And as soon as the need arises to use it for a certain situation, we reach for it in the simplest possible ways!

What happened with Dr. Maha Khayat is a living example of this theory, as all her inventions came to her suddenly and very simply, but that was after she had prepared a series of specialized research in the field of semiconductors and non-destructive testing of materials and the study of non-crystalline silicon films, silicon nanowires and solar cells.

Scientist Dr. Maha Khayat.. is a living example of a successful working woman.. a believer who trusts in God.. a person who carries the concerns of a homeland and a civilization.. a scientist, inventor and ambitious woman! ... From her story we learn that hope, faith, determination and ambition are able to transform obstacles into platforms for jumping into the sky of success and excellence..