Publications
A 330μm×90μm opto-electronically integrated wireless system-on-chip for recording of neural activities
Recording neural activity in live animals in vivo poses several challenges. Electrical techniques typically require electrodes to be tethered to the outside world directly via a wire, or indirectly via an RF Coil [1], which is much larger than the electrodes themselves. Tethered implants result in residual motion between neurons and electrodes as the brain moves, and limits our ability to measure from peripheral nerves in moving animals, especially in smaller organisms such as zebra fish or fruit flies.
Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Interfacial Polymerization of Covalent Organic Framework Films
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline polymers with covalent bonds in two or three dimensions, providing pores 1–5 nm in diameter. COFs are typically isolated as microcrystalline powders, which are unsuitable for many applications that would leverage their tunable structures, such as optoelectronic devices and nanofiltration membranes. Here, we report the interfacial polymerization of polyfunctional amine and aldehyde monomers with a Lewis acid catalyst, Sc(OTf)3. Immiscible solutions segregate the catalyst from the monomers, confining polymerization to the solution interface.
Pseudogap temperature T∗ of cuprate superconductors from the Nernst effect
We use the Nernst effect to delineate the boundary of the pseudogap phase in the temperature-doping phase diagram of hole-doped cuprate superconductors. New data for the Nernst coefficient ν(T) of YBa2Cu3Oy (YBCO), La1.8-xEu0.2SrxCuO4 (Eu-LSCO), and La1.6-xNd0.4SrxCuO4 (Nd-LSCO) are presented and compared with previously published data on YBCO, Eu-LSCO, Nd-LSCO, and La2-xSrxCuO4 (LSCO).
Quantum oscillations in insulators with neutral Fermi surfaces
We develop a theory of quantum oscillations in insulators with an emergent Fermi sea of neutral fermions minimally coupled to an emergent U(1) gauge field. As pointed out by Motrunich [Phys. Rev. B 73, 155115 (2006)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.73.155115], in the presence of a physical magnetic field the emergent magnetic field develops a nonzero value leading to Landau quantization for the neutral fermions. We focus on the magnetic field and temperature dependence of the analog of the de Haas-van Alphen effect in two and three dimensions.
Fast Low-Current Spin-Orbit-Torque Switching of Magnetic Tunnel Junctions through Atomic Modifications of the Free-Layer Interfaces
Future applications of spin-orbit torque will require new mechanisms to improve the efficiency of switching nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), while also controlling the magnetic dynamics to achieve fast nanosecond-scale performance with low-write-error rates. Here, we demonstrate a strategy to simultaneously enhance the interfacial magnetic anisotropy energy and suppress interfacial spin-memory loss by introducing subatomic and monatomic layers of Hf at the top and bottom interfaces of the ferromagnetic free layer of an in-plane magnetized three-terminal MTJ device.
Band offset and electron affinity of MBE-grown SnSe2
SnSe2 is currently considered a potential two-dimensional material that can form a near-broken gap heterojunction in a tunnel field-effect transistor due to its large electron affinity which is experimentally confirmed in this letter. With the results from internal photoemission and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy performed on Al/Al2O3/SnSe2/GaAs and SnSe2/GaAs test structures where SnSe2 is grown on GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy, we ascertain a (5.2 ± 0.1) eV electron affinity of SnSe2.
Graphene-based bimorphs for micron-sized, tautonomous origami machines
Origami-inspired fabrication presents an attractive platform for miniaturizing machines: thinner layers of folding material lead to smaller devices, provided that key functional aspects, such as conductivity, stiffness, and flexibility, are persevered. Here, we show origami fabrication at its ultimate limit by using 2D atomic membranes as a folding material. As a prototype, we bond graphene sheets to nanometer-thick layers of glass to make ultrathin bimorph actuators that bend to micrometer radii of curvature in response to small strain differentials.
Characterization of chromium compensated GaAs as an X-ray sensor material for charge-integrating pixel array detectors
We studied the properties of chromium compensated GaAs when coupled to charge integrating ASICs as a function of detector temperature, applied bias and X-ray tube energy. The material is a photoresistor and can be biased to collect either electrons or holes by the pixel circuitry. Both are studied here. Previous studies have shown substantial hole trapping. This trapping and other sensor properties give rise to several non-ideal effects which include an extended point spread function, variations in the effective pixel size, and rate dependent offset shifts.
Electrical Tuning of Interlayer Exciton Gases in WSe2 Bilayers
van der Waals heterostructures formed by stacking two-dimensional atomic crystals are a unique platform for exploring new phenomena and functionalities. Interlayer excitons, bound states of spatially separated electron-hole pairs in van der Waals heterostructures, have demonstrated potential for rich valley physics and optoelectronics applications and been proposed to facilitate high-temperature superfluidity. Here, we demonstrate highly tunable interlayer excitons by an out-of-plane electric field in homobilayers of transition metal dichalcogenides.
Measuring and Manipulating the Adhesion of Graphene
We present a technique to precisely measure the surface energies between two-dimensional materials and substrates that is simple to implement and allows exploration of spatial and chemical control of adhesion at the nanoscale. As an example, we characterize the delamination of single-layer graphene from monolayers of pyrene tethered to glass in water and maximize the work of separation between these surfaces by varying the density of pyrene groups in the monolayer. Control of this energy scale enables high-fidelity graphene-transfer protocols that can resist failure under sonication.