Interests
Our group pursues a wide range of investigations that follow a common thread: the use of advanced growth techniques to produce novel electronic materials. Below you will find a summary of our current research interests and experimental techniques.
Research Topics
Photovoltaic Materials
- Intermediate-Band Solar Cells
- Transparent conductive oxides
Graphene Growth on Metal Foils
The understanding of graphene growth on metal substrates is far from complete, yet it has significant consequences for the final film properties. We use low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) to characterize in-situ graphene growth on metal substrates. By measuring the growth velocity as a function of the carbon adatom concentration, we gain insight into the fundamental processes that control graphene growth. Epitaxial graphene growth on metal substrates is unique in that the film lies a few angstroms above the metal substrate but the edges are bonded to the substrate more strongly than the interior. We investigate the consequences of this strong edge binding for the growth process, including its effects on growth velocity, island morphology, and island impingement.
