Research Interests
The focus of our research group is on epitaxy of thin films and heterostructures for use in electronic devices. The main tool that we employ for thin-film epitaxy is pulsed laser deposition (PLD): a laser beam is used to ablate from a target material of selected elements (in a plasma plume) and deposit them upon crystalline substrates. Another thin film deposition method that we use time to time is molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
Our interests are also in the exploration of novel functionalities in quantum devices fabricated from thin films and heterostructures; as well as in the use of synchrotron lightsource for investigation of the electronic structure of quantum materials.
Some of the Current Research Interests include, but are not limited to:
✓ Complex Oxide Heterostructures Our research interests are on transparent conducting oxide heterostructures for applications in the next-generation of transparent electronic devices; and on ionic conducting oxide heterostructures for applications in clean energy technologie
✓ Correlated Electron Systems
Research interests are on 4d correlated electron systems; in particular, ruthenates and/or magnetic functional materials (e.g., strontium ruthenate oxides of the Ruddlesden Popper phases). These systems exhibit complex interplay between the charge, spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom. We use single crystals, thin films and heterostructures of these materials to explore their unique magnetic/electronic properties.
✓ Topological Quantum Materials and Thermoelectricity: We explore the potential of topological insulator boundary states for thermoelectricity to realize a variety of high-performance thermoelectric devices. Combined studies of thin film growth and characterizations, as well as quantum transport explorations of novel functionalities in nanoscale topological devices are performed.
