Materials Characterization
The development of new materials requires characterization of their structure across a range of length scales ranging from maco to the atomic. At each scale, one must explore the relevant length scale structures and chemical fluctuations to understand structure-property relationships. Research in this area focuses on developing new techniques to make the most of every scattering electron or X-ray, explaining the properties of new materials, and understanding how new properties can emerge from old materials through modifying their micro- and nano- structure features.