Research

We are a thin film group specializing in synthesis and characterization of low dimension materials. Specifically, we are interested in developing material systems such as complex oxide thin films that display novel ferroic, electromechanical, electromagnetic properties and utilize various external stimuli to achieve the control of the emerging properties in these materials.

Our methods:

Atomic scale synthesis

Advanced thin-film epitaxy allows the precise control of synthesizing oxide thin films at the atomic scale to produce desired structures and properties in these materials. We utilize pulsed-laser deposition (laser MBE system) to synthesize thin-film materials that display novel ferroic, nanomechanical, and electromechanical properties with promise for next-generation device applications. This method enables the ability to access non-equilibrium conditions and unprecedented thermodynamic phases.

 

 

Nanoscale manipulation

Recent progress in fabricating 2D oxide membranes provides new possibilities for discovering emergent materials and phenomena . By etching a chemically dissolvable buffer layer, the oxide film can be detached from the substrate, and transferred onto any arbitrary platform including both rigid and flexible substrates. The membrane platform enables large uniaxial and biaxial strain and a rich set of strain-induced phenomena. It also creates new opportunities for fabricating artificial heterostructures with unexpected coupling of distinct classes of materials. 

 

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Thin-film characterization

We utilize a variety of characterization techniques including but not limited to X-ray diffraction, scanning probe microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, optical methods, ferroelectric and piezoelectric measurements to probe the structure and property of materials across different length scales (macroscale, mesoscale, nanoscale, and atomic scale). We focus on elucidating the fundamental structure-property relation and understanding the influence of composition, defects, and strain on the structures and property in these materials.

 

Selected publications from the PI