Research Thrusts
Our lab explores nanoscale materials and develops new tools to advance next-generation technologies across electronics, photonics, catalysis, and bio-molecular systems. We combine synthesis, advanced characterization, and multiscale modeling with innovative experimental platforms to understand and engineer matter from the molecular to the macroscopic scale.
We design and study wide-bandgap nitride semiconductors and related quantum-confined structures for high-efficiency light emission and UV/visible optoelectronics. Our work spans epitaxial growth (in collaboration with UCSB's Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center - SSLEEC), cleanroom processing, and optical/electrical characterization to push the limits of performance and reliability.
We study protein-based and biologically enabled nanoscale systems to uncover how molecular structure drives adaptive, stimuli-responsive, and self-assembling behavior. Inspired by photonic architectures from Nature, we design bio-inspired photonics and metasurfaces with tunable optical properties and reconfigurable functionality.
We also develop in situ spectroelectrochemical tools to probe protein condensation, folding, and assembly as they occur.
We utilize both low- and high-temperature plasmas to synthesize, modify, and functionalize materials with nm-scale precision. We also develop plasma-driven pathways for chemical conversion, including hydrocarbon activation and sustainable production of fuels and chemical intermediates.
Our studies integrate plasma diagnostics, reaction engineering, and high resolution optical spectroscopy to reveal mechanistic insight and guide process optimization.
We build and apply custom scanning probe platforms—including AFM, STM, and near-field optical tools—to map chemical, mechanical, optical, and electronic properties with nanometer resolution.
Emphasis is placed on instrumentation innovation and coupling nanoscale probes with electrical, optical, or electrochemical stimuli to interrogate materials and interfaces under realistic conditions.
We investigate photo-driven chemical transformations and charge-transfer processes using nanostructured catalysts and semiconductor interfaces. A central goal is to correlate structure, dynamics, and function under realistic operating conditions.
In situ and operando spectroscopic methods allow us to directly observe reaction pathways, intermediate states, and active-site evolution, providing mechanistic insight that drives catalyst design.
