Our research is at the intersection of multiple disciplines, drawing on principles and methodologies from materials science, chemistry, physics, and electrical engineering. Our mission is to pioneer innovative approaches for comprehending and manipulating the functional properties of materials, propelling advancements in next-generation technologies. Our primary focus revolves around thin film synthesis, structural and electronic characterization, and the practical application of functional oxide thin films and heterostructures.
At the core of our work is a cutting-edge deposition system that integrates pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and in-situ characterization techniques. This, coupled with avant-garde device design and measurement strategies, enables us to uncover latent or emerging phenomena within solid-state material systems.
Motivated by the evolving demands of nanoelectronics, we aim to go beyond traditional CMOS materials and devices, essential for sustaining the ever-expanding realm of electromagnetic technologies. Complex oxides, a focal point of our investigations, exhibit an extensive array of properties not typically found in conventional compound semiconductors. These properties include half-metallic ferromagnetism, (anti)ferromagnetism, colossal magnetoresistance, superconductivity, ferroelectricity, magnetoelectricity, multiferroicity, high and low dielectric constant insulators, and (predicted) topological insulator phases.
The correlated nature of this materials class allows us to engineer properties through techniques such as chemical substitution, strain application, alterations in coordination chemistry, and the strategic design of interfaces between dissimilar materials. These manipulations can induce pronounced effects on material properties and, in some cases, lead to the emergence of entirely new phenomena.
In our pursuit of understanding and advancing ferroic materials, we develop novel characterization methodologies and fabrication processes. Our goal is to unravel the fundamental physical behaviors of these materials as their dimensions scale below the domain size and demonstrate device performance at scale. To achieve these objectives, we leverage multiphysics computational tools to model test circuits and devices, particularly in the radiofrequency (rf) regime.
Our research facility is housed in the Gerstacker building on the north campus of the University of Michigan.
