Research

The Maryland MRSEC carries out nationally recognized fundamental research on surfaces and interfaces of materials with potential impact on the next generation of opto- and nano-electronic devices, and on complex oxides with potential applications in memory, switches, and sensors.

Two specific research thrusts are supported as interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs) in the center, as well as additional “Seed programs” in which young faculty develop new and exciting research directions:

• IRG 1: Low-Dimensional Interfaces (Leaders: Janice Reutt-Robey & Ted Einstein)
• IRG 2: Multifunctional Magnetic Oxides (Leader: Dennis Drew)

Previously funded seeds include:

• 2009-2012 Seed 1: Assembly and Immobilization of Functional Nanomaterials for Device Applications (Leader: John Fourkas)
• 2009-2012 Seed 2: Synthesis and Exploration of Topological Insulators (Leader: Johnpierre Paglione)
• 2009-2012 Seed 3: Modeling Elastic Effects on Crystal Surfaces (Leader: Dionisios Margetis)
• 2009-2012 Seed 4: High Power Spin Torque Microwave Nano-Oscillators Using Phase-Locked Vortices (Leader: Romel Gomez)
• 2007-2009 Seed 1: Magnetic Imaging: In-situ Devices and Novel Imaging Methods (Leader: John Cumings)
• 2007-2009 Seed 2: Materials Research for Template-Directed Nanostructure Assembly (Leaders: Gary Rubloff & Sang Bok Lee)
• 2007-2009 Seed 3: Modeling Elastic Effects on Crystal Surfaces (Leader: Dionisios Margetis)
• 2005-2007 Seed 1: Diffusion and Wettability in Porous Nanoparticles (Leader: Douglas English, Sheryl Ehrman, Lyle Isaacs, & Michael Zachariah)
• 2005-2007 Seed 2: Template Synthesis of Nanowire/Nanotube Heterostructures (Leader: Sang Bok Lee)
• 2005-2007 Seed 3: Spin and Spin Coherence Dynamics of Tunable Electrochemically Synthesized Nanostructures (Leader: Min Ouyang)