Superconducting Films
Superconductors are materials that exhibit absolutely no resistance to electricity flow. Typically these materials demonstrate their unique properties at extremely low temperatures.
We produce cuprate superconducting films via very precise MBE. We mainly grow Yttrium Barium Copper Oxides. Our goal is to improve upon high heat superconducting research through increasingly accurate film deposition.
Manganite Films
In collaboration with Rice University, we produce and study interesting magnetic properties of manganite films.
Mott Insulating Films
Mott insulators are a class of materials that, according to band theory, should be conductors; in reality, they insulate against electrical current. Because band theory does not account for strong electric interactions between charges within a material, it predicts that these materials should conduct. Most modern high-temperature superconductors are, counterintuitively, Mott insulators with other elements substituted into the material.
“In my research, I grow thin films of the Mott insulator lanthanum vanadate (LaVO₃) and observe how substituting La atoms with strontium affects the electronic transport properties of the material in search of a superconducting state.” -Nathan Bairen
Parameters used to make films
Epitaxial Strain
Forces crystal lattice to have unique properties.
Atomic substitution
Isovalent: leads to crystal distortions
Heterovalnet: leads to charge transfer and doping
Atomic layer stacking sequence
Random alloy vs ordered superlattice
