Faculty

Khairul Alam

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 01 Jan 2000 06:00:00 GMT

Moss Professor (Mechanical Engineering)

O: Stocker Center 263
T: 740-593-1558
F: 740-593-0476
E: alam@ohio.edu

Dr. Alam has served on the Ohio University faculty since 1983. He has produced more than 70 research publications and 2 patents. Dr. Alam's major research interests include material processing, CVD, ceramics, thin films, composites, heat and mass transfer, powder synthesis, solidification, aerosols, combustion, and air pollution.

Gerardine G. Botte

Mala Braslavsky — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:56:40 GMT

Professor (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)

Office: Stocker Center 165
Telephone: 740-593-9670
Email: botte@ohio.edu

Dr. Botte and members of her research group are working on projects in the areas of electrochemical engineering, power sources and fuel cells, numerical methods, mathematical modeling, material science, and electro-catalysis. Their research consists in the application of chemical engineering principles to study fundamental problems associated with electrochemical technologies. They use experimental techniques combined with mathematical modeling to gain insight and understanding of electrochemical systems and to predict information required for their optimization and improvement. The work on numerical methods consists on the development of efficient subroutines to solve the equations that described the transport phenomena and thermodynamics that occur in electrochemical systems. Current research has to do with the understanding, the development, and the design of fuel cells, hydrogen generators, and advance battery systems.

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Ido Braslavsky

Clayton Burnett — Fri, 01 Jan 1999 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

Currently on leave from Ohio University
Performing research at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

O: Clippinger 155
T: 740-597-3011
F: 740-593-0433
E: braslavs@ohio.edu

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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Many organisms are protected from freezing by antifreeze proteins (AFPs), which bind to ice, modify its morphology, and prevent its further growth. Since the initial discovery of AFPs in fish, they have been found in insects, plants, bacteria and fungi. These proteins have a wide range of applications in cryomedicine, cryopreservation and frost protection for transgenic plants and vegetables. AFPs also serve as a model for understanding biomineralization, the processes by which proteins help form bones, teeth and shells. Yet the mechanism of action of different types of antifreeze proteins is incompletely understood.

In Braslavsky’s group, the kinetics of the interaction between AFP and ice is monitored by fluorescence microscopy. Several types of AFPs labeled with a fluorescent marker have been prepared mainly by our collaborator Peter Davies. By putting a fluorescent tag on a fish AFP, we were able to directly visualize AFP binding to ice and demonstrate, by lack of recovery after photo-bleaching, that a fish AFP from ocean pout (type III) adheres irreversibly to ice surfaces. Additionally, we observed fluorescently labeled hyperactive insect antifreeze protein from spruce budworm on ice crystals. We find that differences between antifreeze protein types are manifested not only by the shape of the ice crystals but also in the way proteins interact with the ice.

We are currently developing devices that can monitor the fluorescently labeled proteins with high sensitivity. Braslavsky’s group developed microfluidic devices in which the composition of the solution around tiny ice crystals can be changes. We plan to use these devices soon to further explore the behaviors of the antifreeze proteins and their interaction with ice. The system of AFPs and ice can be used as a model platform to understand bio-mineralization processes and thus its importance for future nanotechnology applications. This project is sponsored by NSF. Currently the research is conducted at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at Rehovot, Israel. Research position at the level of Master or PhD are available. The research will be conducted in Israel, while course studies will be at Ohio University.

Horacio Castillo

Clayton Burnett — Thu, 01 Jan 1998 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 242B
T: 740-597-2562
F: 740-593-0433
E: castillh@ohio.edu

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Nanoscale properties of glassy materials:

As the temperature of a supercooled liquid is lowered, its relaxation time can increase by many orders of magnitude in a relatively narrow temperature interval. When the relaxation time becomes longer than the experimental time, the material “falls out of thermodynamic equilibrium” and we say that it has become a glass. Being out of equilibrium gives rise to the appearance of “physical aging”: the material relaxes more slowly as more time has passed since it has entered the glass regime. The glass transition is usually accompanied by the presence of strong fluctuations (“dynamical heterogeneities”) spanning regions of size of the order of a few times the individual molecule size (or a few particle diameters for the case of colloidal glasses).

These fluctuations are believed to be responsible for the presence of anomalous transport properties and non-exponential relaxation. They are now being directly observed by experiments probing nanoscale regions, such as atomic force microscopy for glassy polymer films, or confocal microscopy for colloidal glasses. Our group performs theoretical calculations and numerical simulations to study non-equilibrium structural relaxation in glasses, and in particular the presence of nanometer-scale dynamical heterogeneities in glassy materials. The analytical approaches include working with Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations, or using the path-integral Martin-Siggia-Rose formalism, sometimes combined with Renormalization Group techniques, to study non-equilibrium dynamics in systems under the presence of disorder and thermal fluctuations. The numerical techniques include classical Molecular Dynamics and dynamical Monte Carlo simulations.

Gang Chen

Mala Braslavsky — Sat, 01 Feb 1997 06:00:00 GMT

Assistant Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 167
T: 740-593-9610
F: 740-593-0433
E: cheng3@ohio.edu

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Nanoscale confinement is an interesting physical phenomenon that is based on constraint of materials in nanosized cages. Materials under such condition exhibit novel physical and chemical properties that could lead to new applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The Chen research group uses a bottom-up approach to synthesize materials with periodically-arranged nanosized pores (i.e., mesoporous materials). These porous materials are ideal hosts for studying the nanoscale confinement due to their diverse pore morphology and tunable pore sizes. Our focus of guest materials is mainly on semiconductors that possess interesting thermal and electric properties. The long-term goal of our research is to understand and utilize the novel structures and properties of confined materials for solving energy and environmental problems.

In order to study the structures and properties of materials under nanoscale confinement, we apply bench-top as well as synchrotron x-ray techniques. At Ohio University, we use a small-angel x-ray scattering system to characterize the nanostructure of materials. Off campus, we utilize the synchrotron facility at Argonne National Laboratory to study the atomic structure of materials. Examples of the synchrotron x-ray techniques are x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray nanoprobe, and wide-angle x-ray scattering. Materials properties such as phase-transition behavior and mechanical properties can also be studied by these x-ray techniques.

Douglas J. Goetz

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 03 Jan 1995 06:00:00 GMT

Professor (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)

O: Stocker Center 180
T: 740-593-1494
F: 740-593-0873
E: goetzd@ohio.edu

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Cell to cell adhesion plays a critical role in physiology and pathology. For example, cell adhesion is central to normal development, wound healing, atherogenesis and cancer. Our lab seeks to unravel the complex physical and molecular mechanisms that govern cell adhesion and to develop novel adhesion based diagnostics and therapeutics. The latter effort involves advancing vascular targeted drug delivery, and the identification and characterization of small molecule inhibitors of adhesion. This work is conducted in collaboration with Drs. Monica Burdick, Kelly McCall, Leonard Kohn, Ramiro Malgor, Steve Bergmeier, Mark McMills, David Tees, and Frank Schwartz.

Alexander Govorov

Clayton Burnett — Mon, 02 Jan 1995 06:00:00 GMT

Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 368
T: 740-593-9430
F: 740-593-0433
E: govorov@ohio.edu

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Theoretical studies of nanoscale phenomena including: optical and electronic properties of nanostructures; quantum dots and rings; plasmonic nanocrystals and molecules; exciton-plasmon interactions; optical activity and chirality in hybrid systems.

Saw-Wai Hla

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 01 Jan 1994 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 252C
T: 740-593-1727
F: 740-593-0433
Email: hla@ohio.edu

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Program Scope:
The needs to develop smaller devices with higher functionalities continue to dominate research in large sector of nanoscience. If the current miniaturization trends were to continue, the scale of devices will soon reach to that of single atoms and molecules. It is therefore vital to investigate properties of single atoms and molecules to develop novel device architectures with useful functionalities. The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) manipulation, imaging, and tunneling spectroscopy enable to probe properties of individual atoms and molecules on surfaces at an atomic limit. Using STM tip as an analytical or engineering tool, artificial structures can be constructed, novel quantum phenomena can be probed, and properties of single atoms and molecules can be studied at the atomic level. STM is not only an instrument used to “see” individual atoms by means of imaging, but also a tool used to “touch” and “take” atoms and molecules or to “hear” their vibration by manipulation. In this perspective, STM can be considered as the “eyes,” “hands” and “ears” of the scientists connecting our macroscopic world to the exciting atomic and nanoscopic world.
In our research projects, we combine atom/molecule manipulation schemes with a variety of tunneling spectroscopy measurements to investigate properties specific to the type of atoms on molecules on surfaces. The innovative experiments are tailored to address several critical issues covering both for fundamental understanding, and for the development of novel atoms/molecules based nano-devices. Our research areas include atom/molecule manipulation, molecular spintronics, molecular electronics, molecular switches, molecular nano-machines, nanobiotechnology, and nano-materials for the atomistic for alternative energy.

David C. Ingram

Clayton Burnett — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:46:04 GMT

Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

Office: Edwards Accelerator Lab 115A
Telephone: 740-593-1705
Fax: 740-593-0433
Email: ingram@ohio.edu

Beam methods in structure characterization, diamond like carbon and carbon nitride films.

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Wojciech Jadwisienczak

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 01 Jan 1991 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)

O: Stocker Center 363
T: 740-593-2067
F: 740-593-0007
E: jadwisie@ohio.edu

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Dr. Jadwisienczak's research group focuses on the synthesis, processing, consolidation and applications of rare earth impurities doped semicondictor nano-particles and low dimensional quantum structures. The group's primary interest is in the fundamental optical and magnetic properties of III-N semiconductor materials. These materials play a central role in a number of modern technologies such as optoelectronics, displays, telecommunications, data storage and sensors. Research effort is concentrated on developing an in-depth understanding of the excitation mechanisms in the photo-, cathodo- and electroluminescence of rare earth ions incorporated into semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), quantum wells (QWs) and superlattices (SLs). Furthermore, a new research effort concentrating on magneto-optics of rare earth doped III-N semiconductors was recently commenced for studying diluted magnetic semiconductor systems.

Savas Kaya

Clayton Burnett — Mon, 01 Jan 1990 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)

O: Stocker Center 361
T: 740-597-1633
F: 740-593-0007
E: kaya@ohio.edu

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The Nanoelectronic Devices group at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is led by Dr. Savas Kaya. Focusing largely on silicon-based device technologies, the group has expertise and facilities for both simulation/modeling and fabrication of novel silicon devices, nanoscale prototype circuits, integrated nano-opto-bio systems and microfluidic systems.

- The ongoing acceleration of silicon CMOS scaling and its likely demise in the next decade guides the diverse range of device studies in the group. In addition to device studies, we also aim at integrating such novel devices in mixed-signal systems, chemical and electrical sensors, system-on-chip and lab-on-a-chip applications.

- Nanoelectronic Devices such as decanano MOSFETs with multiple gates or channels are expected to bring new opportunities and paradigms in device design and operation. To extend CMOS device performance and functionality, we search for novel device architectures as well as using non-conventional materials such as strained Si/SiGe/Ge heterochannels.

- Reconfigurable Nanocircuits based on nano-scale MOSFETs are expected to maximize the opportunities arising at the end of Silicon roadmap as a result of novel device physics and architectures. Our group specializes on CMOS circuits built with new device paradigms such as double-gate (DG) MOSFETs and optimized for mixed-signal (analog & digital) systems on ultra-thin SOI substrates. Performance leverage through such reconfigurable circuits requires deep insight into device physics and accurate models. We aim at extending Moore’s scaling trends by use of better circuit engineering, giving more time for more revolutionary devices to be developed, while also saving area and power.

- Biomolecular Devices for Logic and Storage: Molecular electronics has attractive features such as self-assembly, thermodynamic efficiency and multi-functionality. As a result, they are expected to impact post-CMOS device technologies. Following this trend, our group is currently focusing on transmembrane proteins (ion pumps and ion channels) to study their device applications but experimentally and theoretically. In particular we focus on SERCA (Ca pump) and Na-K ion pumps as these utilize chemical energy liberated from hydrolysis of ATP. Exact operation and structure of these molecules are still under investigation, which can be aided by our simulation studies using molecular dynamics (MD) tools and simplified continuum models to be refined by actual experiments carried out by Rakowski group at the department of Biological Sciences.

- Micro and Nanofabrication facilities in our group has reached recently a critical mass, enabling us to pursue a number of competitive device ideas and technologies. In particular we are interested in developing

sub-100nm double-gate MOSFETs on SOI substrates,
microfludic devices for lab-on-a-chip applications
2D nanostructures of silicon using self assembled alumina nanopores.

Preliminary results on above fabrication processes have been achieved. Over the next year, we expect to produce prototype devices in all three fronts above.

Marcia Kieliszewski

Clayton Burnett — Thu, 01 Jun 1989 05:00:00 GMT

Professor (Chemistry and Biochemistry)
Office: Biochemistry Research Center 110
Telephone: 740-593-9466
Fax: 740-593-0148
Email: kielisze@ohio.edu

Researching structural proteins found in plant cell walls. Glycosylation and HRGP function at the molecular level. HRGP contribution to cell wall networks and other supramolecular structures. Design of new gums and other hydrocolloids.

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Martin Kordesch

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 01 Jan 1989 06:00:00 GMT

Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 158
T: 740-593-1730
F: 740-593-0433
E: kordesch@ohio.edu

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Tadeusz Malinski

Clayton Burnett — Sat, 03 Jan 1987 06:00:00 GMT

Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Office: Biochemisty Research Facility 124
Telephone: 740-597-1247
Fax: 740-597-1247
Email: malinski@ohio.edu

Regulatory role of nitric oxide, superoxide and peroxynitrate in the cardiovascular system at the level of receptors and signalling pathways, submicron-sized sensors implantable in a single cell or neurons, novel strategies for drug and gene delivery, new strategies for transplant organ preservation, new electrically conductive polymeric materials, lithium ion batteries for hybrid vehicles, nanobatteries for medical applications.

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Eric Masson

Mala Braslavsky — Fri, 02 Jan 1987 06:00:00 GMT

Assistant Professor (Chemistry and Biochemistry)

Office: 181 Clippinger Laboratories
Telephone: 740-593-9992
Fax: 740-593-0148
Email:masson@ohio.edu

Research in the Masson group is at the crossroads of physical organic,bioorganic and medicinal chemistry. We are especially interested in host-guest supramolecular chemistry and in the mechanisms involved in non-covalent interactions. These interactions are tremendously important factors affecting the fascinating shape of large molecular assemblies such as proteins and DNA. Moreover, a myriad of non-covalent interactions between proteins play crucial roles in cellular pathways,such as growth and apoptosis regulation. Drug design also relies on such interactions to disrupt protein/protein or protein/DNA assemblies,in order to inhibit a specific cellular pathway.

Current projects include:
•    The construction of stimulus-sensitive nanostructures and molecular machines.
•   The design, synthesis and evaluation of new rotaxanes and otherinterlocked structures, and their applications as molecular machines.
•   The disruption of protein/protein interactions with new potentanti-cancer agents generated by dynamic combinatorial chemistry.
•   The synthesis and evaluation of planar substrates designed to bind tothe minor groove of DNA. Applications will be oriented towards malariatreatment.
•    The elucidation and applications of the mysteriousanion-pi interaction phenomenon. While such interactions have beenshown to be highly favorable in silico, their existence in solution isyet to be demonstrated.
•    The regioselective functionalization ofaromatic and heteroaromatic coumponds using “green polar organometallicchemistry” on solid phase

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Jeffrey J. Rack

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:17:12 GMT

Associate Professor (Chemistry and Biochemistry)

Office:
Telephone: 740-593-9702
Fax: 740-593-0148
Email: rackj@ohio.edu

The Rack research group is interested in the design and characterization of inorganic molecules with specified electronic structure demands for applications in energy storage, solar energy conversion and electron transfer. A major thrust of our group focuses on the preparation and examination of molecular photochromic and electrochromic compounds. Typically, our strategy employs molecules exhibiting Charge-Transfer (CT) photochemistry, an isomerizable ligand, and a metal atom capable of one electron redox chemistry. The remaining ligands modulate the spectroscopic properties of the complex. The mode of action in these complexes is an electron-transfer triggered linkage isomerization which results in a dramatic change in both the absorption spectrum and the reduction potential of these complexes. Typical characterization techniques in the group are electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, UV-vis absorption, variable-temperature emission (steady-state and time resolved) and transient absorption spectroscopy as well as other instrumentation for routine analysis (NMR, IR, X-ray crystallography). While we are ultimately interested in device applications for these compounds, our initial interest is in the design of photochromic and electrochromic compounds. As a result, many of the group members embrace an iterative synthesis and characterization approach in the design of target molecules.

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Nancy Sandler

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 01 Jan 1985 06:00:00 GMT

Assistant Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 368C
T: 740-593-9434
F: 740-593-0433
E: sandler@ohio.edu

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Theoretical condensed matter physics.

Tatiana Savin

Mala Braslavsky — Sun, 15 Jan 1984 06:00:00 GMT

Assistant Professor (Mathematics)

O: Morton 550
T: 740-593-1279
F: 740-593-9805
E: savin@ohio.edu

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Dr. Savin has served on the Ohio University faculty since 2006. Her research interests include:

mathematical modeling of formation of nanostructures
quantum dots
nanowires
feedback control in crystal growth
Cahn-Hilliard type models
Hele-Shaw flows
propagation of singularities in materials science and fluid dynamics

Allan M. Showalter

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 01 Jan 1984 06:00:00 GMT

Professor (Environmental and Plant Biology)

O: Porter Hall 504
T: 740-593-1135
F: 740-593-1130
E: showalte@ohio.edu

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Molecular biology and biochemistry of plant cell wall proteins and the enzymes that glycosylate them; molecular adaptations of halophytes to saline environments; DNA barcoding and plant identification.

Arthur Smith

Clayton Burnett — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:11:09 GMT

Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

Office: Clippinger 165
Telephone: 740-597-2576
Fax: 740-593-0433
Email: smitha2@ohio.edu

The Smith Lab research group focuses on surfaces and interfaces of magnetic and spintronic materials. This includes ferromagnetic layers as well as antiferromagnetic layers on semiconductor and oxide substrates. The general approach of the research is to grow the magnetic layers using epitaxial growth techniques like molecular beam epitaxy, and then to transfer the as-grown samples into an adjoining scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) facility. With STM we perform the investigation of the clean surface structure of the material.

In order to study the magnetic properties of surfaces with sub-nanometer scale spatial resolution, we utilize the technique of spin-polarized (SP)-STM. SP-STM is a powerful method for obtaining spin (magnetic) resolution on surfaces down to even the atomic scale, as we have demonstrated on antiferromagnetic manganese nitride. We imaged the Mn3N2 (010) surface using magnetic-coated STM tips and were able to resolve the alternating magnetization of the atomic row structure of the surface.

We apply STM and SP-STM to a wide variety of materials that may find use in 'spintronics' - a new kind of electronics making use of the spin, as much as the charge, of the electron. For example, we have investigated the surface of magnetic-doped gallium nitride, including Cr-doped GaN and Mn-doped GaN. These materials may allow the achievement of room-temperature ferromagnetism in semiconductors and could be important for room-temperature spintronic devices.

We have also investigated the growth of ferromagnetic layers on gallium nitride for spintronics, including recently the successful growth of d-MnGa/GaN. Delta-phase manganese gallium (d-MnGa) is a ferromagnet with high magnetic moment. Furthermore, we found that d-MnGa has an ideal epitaxial matching relationship to GaN and that the magnetization of the d-MnGa layer can be controlled by monitoring the reconstruction during growth.

In addition to studies of magnetic-related materials for nanomagnetism and nanospintronics applications, the Smith group also investigates nitride surfaces in general. Transition metal nitrides form a very interesting group of materials ranging from metallic to semiconducting, magnetic to non-magnetic. Their surfaces are equally interesting, as we have shown in the cases of scandium nitride, manganese nitride, and chromium nitride.

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i. Education

Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO Physics B.S. 1987
University of Texas at Austin Physics Ph.D. 1995
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Physics Post-Doc 1996 - 1998

ii. Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 2003-present.
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 1998-2003.

iii. Publications

a. Closely related to this project

Reconstruction Control of Magnetic Properties during Epitaxial Growth of Ferromagnetic Mn3-dGa on Wurtzite GaN(0001), Erdong Lu, David C. Ingram, Arthur R. Smith, J. W. Knepper, and F. Y. Yang, Physical Review Letters 97, 146101 (2006).
Energy-dependent contrast in atomic-scale spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy of Mn3N2(010): Experiment and first-principles theory, Rong Yang, Haiqiang Yang, Arthur R. Smith, Alexey Dick, and Joerg Neugebauer, Physical Review B 74, 115409 (2006).
Recent Advances in Atomic-Scale Spin-Polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Arthur R. Smith, Rong Yang, Haiqiang Yang, Alexey Dick, Joerg Neugebauer, Walter R. L. Lambrecht, Microscopy Research & Technique 66(2-3), 72 (2005).
Aspects of Spin-Polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscopy at the Atomic Scale: Experiment, Theory, and Simulation, Arthur R. Smith, Rong Yang, Haiqiang Yang, Walter R. L. Lambrecht, Alexey Dick, and Joerg Neugebauer, Surface Science 561(2-3), 154 (2004).
Atomic-Scale Spin-Polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Applied To Mn3N2 (010), Haiqiang Yang, Arthur R. Smith, Margarita Prikhodko, and Walter R. L. Lambrecht, Physical Review Letters 89, 226101 (2002).

b. Other significant publications

Atomic-Scale Spin-Polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy: a Review, Arthur R. Smith, Journal of Scanning Probe Microscopy 1(1), 3 (2006).
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Surface Simulation of Zinc-Blende GaN(001) Intrinsic 4x Reconstruction: Linear Gallium Tetramers?, Hamad A. H. AL-Brithen, Rong Yang, Muhammad B. Haider, Costel Constantin, Erdong Lu, Arthur R. Smith, Nancy Sandler, and Pablo Ordejon, Physical Review Letters 95, 146102 (2005).
Ga/N Flux Ratio Influence on Mn Incorporation, Surface Morphology, and Lattice Polarity During Radio Frequency Molecular Beam Epitaxy of (Ga,Mn)N, Muhammad B. Haider, Costel Constantin, Hamad Al-Brithen, Haiqiang Yang, Eugen Trifan, David Ingram, Arthur R. Smith, C. V. Kelly and Y. Ijiri, Journal of Applied Physics 93(9), 5274 (2003).
Reconstructions of the GaN(000-1) Surface, A. R. Smith, R. M. Feenstra, D. W. Greve, J. Neugebauer, and J. E. Northrup, Physical Review Letters 79, 3934 (1997).
Formation of Atomically Flat Silver Films on GaAs with a “Silver Mean” Quasi Periodicity, A. R. Smith, K.-J. Chao, Q. Niu, and C.-K. Shih, Science 273, 226 (1996).

iv. Synergistic Activities

Reaching out to K-12 (e.g. through K-12 presentations & activities, such as nanoscience essay writing contests) supported by an NSF NIRT award (http://nsnm.phy.ohiou.edu/).
Training the next generation of science journalists from the Scripps School of Journalism through selective nanoscience-writing internships (see article: http://nsnm.phy.ohiou.edu/educ_spin.php).
Serving as an Executive Committee Member of the American Vacuum Society’s Magnetic Interfaces & Nanostructures Division (MIND), beginning Fall 2005.
Directing Ohio University’s Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute (NQPI), established in 2001 and now having 26 faculty members across 7 Departments and 2 Colleges.
Expanding our understanding of electronic and magnetic nitrides’ surface structure (i.e. to date, the surface structures of w-GaN, c-GaN, ScN, MnN, Mn3N2, CrN, MnGaN, CrGaN, and MnScN).

v. Collaborators and Other Affiliations

a. Collaborators

Dr. Julie Borchers, (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD)
Dr. Ronald Cappelletti (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD
Dr. Daniel Gall (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY)
Dr. Saw-Wai Hla (Ohio University, Athens, OH)
Dr. Yumi Ijiri (Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH)
Dr. David Ingram (Ohio University, Athens, OH)
Dr. Walter Lambrecht (Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH)
Dr. John Markert (University of Texas at Austin)
Dr. Joerg Neugebauer (Fritz-Haber Institute, Berlin, Germany)
Dr. Charles J. O’Connor (University of New Orleans)
Dr. Pablo Ordejon (ICMAB – CSIC, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain)
Dr. Toshio Sakurai (Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan)
Dr. Nitin Samarth (Pennsylvania State University)
Dr. Nancy Sandler (Ohio University, Athens, OH)
Dr. Kai Sun (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor)
Dr. Sergio Ulloa (Ohio University, Athens, OH)
Dr. Mark Vaudin (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD)
Dr. Fengyuan Yang (Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

b. Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors

Dr. Randall Feenstra, postdoctoral advisor (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA)
Dr. Chih-Kang Shih, Ph. D. thesis advisor (University of Texas at Austin)

c. Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars Advised

Graduate Students

Hamad Al-Brithen – graduated w Ph.D. Fall ’04 (Ohio University)
Muhammad Haider – graduated w Ph.D. Fall ’05 (Ohio University)
Costel Constantin – graduated w Ph.D. Fall ’05 (Ohio University)
Rong Yang – graduated w Ph.D. Summer ’06 (Ohio University)
Wenzhi Lin, Kangkang Wang, Abhijit Chinchore, current Ph.D. students (Ohio University)

Postdoctoral Scholars

Dr. Erdong Lu, June 2004 to present (Ohio University)
Dr. Haiqiang Yang, September 2000 – December 2002 (Ohio University)

Eric Stinaff

Clayton Burnett — Fri, 01 Jan 1982 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor
(Physics and Astronomy)
Office: Clippinger 368D
Telephone: 740-597-2567
Fax: 740-593-0433
Email: stinaff@ohio.edu

Dr. Stinaff’s research investigates the optical and electronic properties of novel semiconductor nanostructures and nanostructure based devices. The lab utilizes optical techniques to study the properties such as spin coherence and control, quantum mechanical tunneling, entanglement, photon-nanostructure interactions, charging behavior, interactions with the environment, and device characteristics. The primary optical and spectroscopic techniques include photoluminescence (PL), magneto-photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation (PLE), time-resolved photoluminescence, resonant laser spectroscopy, and coherent optical manipulation. Through the detailed spectroscopic study of individual nanostructures this research aims to facilitate various applications such as quantum information processing, single-photon sources, novel detectors, and lasers.

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David F. J. Tees

Clayton Burnett — Thu, 01 Jan 1981 06:00:00 GMT

Associate Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 357A
T: 740-593-1694
F: 740-593-0433
E: tees@ohio.edu

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There are two ongoing research areas in my lab. Both involve bioadhesion and both involve observing cell-cell interactions one cell (or particle) at a time.

The first area is on the single cell-scale, but uses adhesion molecules as a link to the molecular scale. Capillaries (the smallest blood vessels in the body) are significantly smaller than most of the blood cells that have to flow through them. During inflammation and bacterial infection, white blood cells can get trapped in capillaries, especially in the lung. The biophysics of the process is still poorly understood. Based on the physics of the capillary environment, it is hypothesized that cell arrest in capillaries can involve both mechanical and biochemical adhesive forces. To test this hypothesis, an adhesion assay has been developed in which cells are sucked into small, capillary-sized glass tubes (called micropipettes) that we coat with adhesion molecules. This "flow chamber for the capillary microcirculation" will help to resolve basic questions on the mechanisms of cell trapping in capillaries under many different physiological conditions. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Ph.D. student Prithu Sundd works on this project. This work is done in collaboration with Douglas J. Goetz and Monica Burdick in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The work has been supported by an award from the American Heart Assocation and is now supported by a NSF CAREER grant to the PI.

The second involves single molecule forced unbinding of receptor-ligand bonds with microcantilever biosensors and optical tweezers. Since the function of adhesion molecules is to hold cells together, the biophysics of adhesion can be studied by pulling interacting molecules apart. The fiber biosensor is a long (mm), thin (µm) piece of optical fiber that acts as a highly sensitive spring to apply small, biologically relevant forces to the bonds. The fiber is coated with adhesion molecules and so are latex spheres. Beads are moved into contact with the fiber using optical tweezers. This allows the formation of a small numbers of bonds. When the bead is pulled away, the fiber deflects from its original position if a bond is present. The amount of deflection (which is seen under the microscope) is a measure of the force on the bonds.

Sergio Ulloa

Clayton Burnett — Tue, 01 Jan 1980 06:00:00 GMT

Professor (Physics and Astronomy)

O: Clippinger 368B
T: 740-593-1729
F: 740-593-0433
E: ulloa@ohio.edu

Links
Department Page

Personal Home Page

Condensed Matter Physics Theory: Nanostructures, transport and optical properties, Coulomb blockade, excitons and electrons in low-dimensional systems, optical response of surfaces and clusters.

Ralph Whaley

Clayton Burnett — Sun, 01 Jan 1978 06:00:00 GMT

Assistant Professor (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)

Office: Stocker Center 377
Telephone: 740-593-2462
Fax: 740-593-0001
Email: whaleyr@ohio.edu

The research group of Professor Ralph Whaley, SEECS, is currently investigating the use of nanostructured amorphous silicon (a-Si) and amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) as a disruptive technology for photonics integration. Whereas the electronic and photovoltaic properties of a-Si have been studied extensively, the use of a-Si, doped with H2 and N2, for use as an optoelectronic integration platform, has not. The salient feature of this technology is the wide refractive index tunability of a-Si (2.5 – 3.6), which is unparalleled in competing technologies. Central to this research is the development of ultra-low loss, nanoscale optical waveguides, with large optical modes closely matched to standard fiber optics. Such a waveguide is termed a low optical overlap mode (LOOM) guide and has the potential for optical propagation losses below 0.1 dB/cm – well beyond the industry standard of 1 dB/cm using silicon on insulator (SOI) technologies. Because the LOOM guide supports such an extended, low-loss mode, the potential impact of this technology in chemical and bio-species sensing, through the development of high-Q, LOOM resonators, is significant. Naturally, the flexibility of the a-Si platform has great promise for the promotion and integration of emerging photonics technologies currently being investigated at Ohio University such as rare-earth doped films, carbon and silicon nanotubes, silicon nanocluster light sources and others.