TITLE: Atomic scale synthesis and characterization of nanoscale materials

SPEAKER: Professor Frank Tsui,

We describe atomic scale synthesis and characterization of novel materials by employing combinatorial molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) techniques. Conventional approach to materials synthesis is serial, one sample at a time, such that search and discovery processes of new materials and properties are slow and tedious. In contrast combinatorial approach allows a large number of samples to be synthesized and studied in parallel. Combinatorial MBE produces a large number of samples on a substrate, the so-call "materials library", and the structural, electrical and magnetic properties in the "materials library" can be "read" using imaging and scanning probe techniques. For instance, a complete phase diagram of a ternary alloy system can be produce from one materials library. Materials systems studied include metallic 'magic' structures on oxide substrates, spin polarized alloys, magnetic glasses, and nanodots and nanotubes. Applications of these materials rely on our ability to control the synthesis and our understanding of fundamental processes in these materials.