Welcome!

Overview

Our research focuses on discovery of new materials and their properties. We use molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to grow epitaxial heterostructures (III-Nitride Optoelectronics), which allows engineering electronic and magnetic properties at nanometer length scales (Magnetic Epitaxial Superlattices: stabilizing a new form of Fe2O3 in Ga2O3). In our optical characterization lab, we carry out experiments designed to probe various functional properties of materials including. For example, photocurrent spectroscopy is used to measure the conversion of photons to electrical current (Ultra-wide-band-gap materials: spectrally detecting E-fields), and is collected as a function of position, time, and polarization state to understand the optoelectronic response of new semiconductors. Focused laser light can also be used to generate local thermal gradients to drive spin currents in materials. We study the length and time scale of such magnonic spin curents (Spin-Heat Coupling: Spin Caloritronics). Quantum materials and defects in wide band gap materials are also a current focus of our research (1D Quantum Defects).

 

Recent publications

  • “Is the Beer-Lambert law in β-Ga2O3 applicable? Spectral and polarization dependent absorption and photoresponsivity,” M. M. R. Adnan, D. Verma, C. Sturm, & R. C. Myers. (2023). DOI:10.48550/arXiv.2305.19431
  • “AgScP2S6 van der Waals Layered Crystal: A Material with a Unique Combination of Extreme Nonlinear Optical Properties,” A. Mushtaq, M. Y. Noor, R. Siebenaller, E. DeAngelis, A. Fisher, L. Clink, J. Twardowski, G. K. Salman, R. C. Myers, E. Rowe, B. S. Conner, M. A. Susner & E. Chowdhury. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 14, 3527–3534 (2023). DOI:10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00348
  • “Anisotropic excitonic photocurrent in β-Ga2O3,” D. Verma, M. M. R. Adnan, S. Dhara, C. Sturm, S. Rajan & R. C. Myers. (2023). Phys. Rev. Materials 7, L061601 (2023) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.7.L061601
  • “Dislocations as natural quantum wires in diamond,” S. Polat Genlik, R. C. Myers & M. Ghazisaeidi. Phys. Rev. Mater. 7, 024601 (2023). DOI:10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.7.024601