I first became interested in experimental condensed matter physics as an undergraduate researcher in Professor Kawakami’s lab. Exposure to vacuum equipment and materials synthesis convinced me that I wanted to pursue a career in materials research. Coming from an engineering background, having a balanced technical skillset and understanding the physics of magnetic materials and spin-based electronics can set me apart from other candidates for industrial careers. In our lab, we work very hard on understanding the physical problem in our research projects and come up with unique ways to explore novel phenomena in these systems.
Since joining the group (as both an undergraduate and graduate student), I have worked on mainly molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-growth of magnetic thin films and two-dimensional (2D) materials. Currently, I am studying spin-orbit torque in MBE-grown magnetic multilayers by magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) and magnetism in 2D materials grown by MBE.
| Team | Dante O’Hara