Oxide Nano Electronics Lab Research

The research in our lab is intended to understand the physics of highly-correlated metals, superconductors and magnetic materials. By “highly correlated,” we mean materials that cannot be described by simple single-particle descriptions. For example, copper, silver, and gold are simple single particle metals that can be well described by a collection of nuclei and electrons. High temperature superconductors (like YBa2Cu3O7) are many-body superconductors that are not understood. Multiferroics (which demonstrate ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism and/or ferroelectricity) are also highly correlated materials. In addition, simple materials that are driven towards phase transitions (metal insulator transition, ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic or ferroelectricity) also are highly correlated and evade understanding.

We use techniques like confined geometry (small particles, 1 dimensional lines or ultra-thin films), electron transport, hall effect, electron tunneling, scanning tunneling microscopy and ion beam-induced disorder to modify and confine these materials to better understand their properties. Furthermore, if you create interfacial coupling between different materials in these classes, characteristics unlike either material are revealed.

All these studies incorporate an eye to possible device applications. (The Josephson Effect, magnetic field sensors, spin electronics and unique magnetic states).