Quantum Heterostructures and Device Physics Lab @ LSU
Research Project
Creative. Professional. Ethical.
Our research group focuses on the epitaxial growth of thin films and heterostructures for advanced electronic device applications. Our primary thin-film growth technique is Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), where a high-power laser ablates material from a target, creating a plasma plume that deposits atomic layers onto crystalline substrates. We also utilize Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) as an additional thin film growth method for select projects.
Beyond synthesis, we investigate novel functionalities in quantum devices fabricated from these epitaxial films and heterostructures. Additionally, we leverage synchrotron light sources to probe the electronic structure of quantum materials with high precision.
Below are some of the current research projects underway in our lab:
Current Research Interests include
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 technologies
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.
Our research focuses on epitaxial thin films of the metallic delafossite PdCoO₂, a material of growing interest due to its ultrahigh in-plane electrical conductivity, extreme anisotropic transport, and potential to uncover novel low-dimensional quantum phenomena. Using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), we achieve atomic-level precision in the growth of PdCoO₂ thin films. Our work aims to explore the magnetotransport properties of ultraclean PdCoO₂ systems and integrate them with other complex oxides to enable next-generation electronic and spintronic applications. By precisely tuning thickness and strain, we seek to engineer emergent electronic functionalities and advance the fundamental understanding of delafossite oxide physics.
