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Nanomaterials Sciences
The Nanomaterials Sciences Department develops innovative science to enable integrated self-powered sensors and actuators for national security needs and provides a basis for a secure national energy future. In order to accomplish this vision, the department performs fundamental research in the areas of sensors and actuators, energy storage and delivery, energy conversion and harvesting, device integration and energy transport, solid state lighting, and the role of defects in all of these broad category areas. This work includes fundamental materials research focusing on the discovery, characterization and exploitation of properties and structures unique to the micro- and nanoscale. Ab Initio modeling, materials synthesis and leading-edge experimentation are all utilized to understand the behavior and performance of materials and devices at the micro- and nanoscale. Engineered defects and nanostructured materials are utilized to understand the electrical, electrochemical, magnetic, optical, chemical and mechanical properties of a wide range of materials and films. Fundamental materials properties such as strength, stress, luminescence, fluorescence, dissipation, quantum efficiency and dynamic lifetimes are of interest, as well as materials behavior at high temperature and/or pressure and in high strength electric and/or magnetic fields. Integration and performance of micro- and nanosystem devices are explored, as well as developing an understanding of the mechanisms driving materials and device aging, reliability and modification. Unique methods of preparing nanostructured materials and films are developed, and the properties of these materials are explored. New diagnostic techniques and methods are explored for these and other materials properties, while applications are developed for switches, capacitors, oscillators, battteries, catalysts, sensors and other advanced technologies.
Currently, our research programs include:
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Ab Initio calculations for defects and impurities in elemental and compound semiconductors
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Characterization of defects and impurities in compound semiconductors
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Modeling of neutron irradiation effects in silicon devices
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Multi-scale modeling of complex functional materials
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Development of density-functional theory (DFT) techniques and high performance DFT codes
- Corrosion initiation at defects and in nano-structured materials
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Thermal and electrical transport in nanoscale systems
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Evolution and control of stress in thin film structures
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Synthesis and properties of carbon films and structures, including: diamond, tetrahedral-amorphous carbon, nanoporous carbon, and carbon nanotubes
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Fabrication of nano- and micro-scale devices and materials test structures
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Controlled synthesis and properties of nanoparticles and nanoclusters
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Fabrication and exploration of field-structured composites
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Dipolar coupling and cooperative magnetic response of nanoparticles
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Advanced research for mechanical, chemical, and corrosion sensors
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Properties of materials at high pressures, high temperatures, and in magnetic fields
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Synthesis and characterization of high temperature superconductors
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Thin film deposition via pulse laser deposition, radio frequency and electron cyclotron resonance sputtering, and electron beam evaporation