Research Projects
Interfacing materials. Interfacing disciplines.
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Heat Transport Across Organic-Inorganic Interfaces
Fundamental structure-property relations for heat flow across interfaces are largely unknown. This work uses a novel transfer-printed Au on SAM system combined with ultrafast pump-probe laser measurements to elucidate the structural features contributing to interfacial thermal conductance. (more)
Interfacing Epitaxial Oxides to Gallium Nitride
Novel oxide MBE growth methods using water as a surfactant are being developed to overcome unfavorable surface energetics for cubic epitaxy on hexagonal GaN. Interesting strain relaxation mech-anisms for highly ionic oxide/GaN heteroepitaxial interfaces are also being investigated. (more)
Surface Plasmon Resonance in Conductive Oxides
We pioneered work on the optical excitation of surface plasmon polaritons in conductive oxide thin films like indium tin oxide (ITO). Unlike nobel metals, the SPR of ITO is at infrared frequencies. We have shown that film thickness changes the excitation mode while film microstructure and defect chemistry can control the plasmon resonance, all consistent with the simple Drude free electron model. (more)
Integrating Ferroelectric Oxides with Base Metals
Nobel metal bottom electrodes are prohibitively expensive for mass production of ferroelectric oxide thin films. This work develops a sol-gel route to integrating ferroelectric PZT films on copper foils with device-level performance. (more)
NEXAFS Studies of SAM Ordering on ITO Surfaces
While the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au and SiO2 surfaces is well understood, assembly on other less homogeneous materials of technological interest is relatively unexplored. This works uses near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to study SAM ordering on ITO surfaces of varying stoichiometry and morphology. (more)
3D Templating for Enhancing Functionality of Materials
Meso- and nano-structuring can be used to engineer new functionality into materials systems. We are exploring this type of 3D structuring to enhance optical performance of solar-thermal photovoltaics and current transport in photoelectro-chemical systems for solar fuel generation. (more)
Scaling Behavior of High-
Density Polymer Brushes
Surface-grafted polymer chains undergo a well-documented transition in power law scaling when grafting density transitions from the “mushroom” to “brush” regime. Less studied is the transition to “high-density” brushes where the scaling law changes again. We have explored this regime’s behavior in both good and poor solvents and have related our experimental results to theory. (more)
Mark’s views about the potential scientific revolution in understanding interfacial thermal transport (more)
Atomic Layer Deposition to Improve Dye Attachment
We are studying how sub-nanometer layers of oxide materials deposited by ALD can be used to improve the attachment of molecules used in aqueous-based photoelectrochemical systems, including for solar water splitting in renewable fuel production. (more)
