Dr. Young Min Kim, Assistant Professor of Physics:
The research led by Dr. Kim focuses on exploring optically active impurities or defect-centers within low-dimensional solid-state structures, including two-dimensional materials and quantum-dot (QD) heterostructures in semiconductors. This project aims to elucidate the role of defects and impurities within various solid-state quantum structures, analyzing the resulting optical properties that have potential applications in quantum information technologies, such as quantum sensing and communication using electron spin-based qubits. The study is currently advancing through three primary research directions:
Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR): This aspect investigates the use of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond and boron-vacancy (BV) centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), along with their associated color centers. These defect-centers are examined for their optical properties and potential applications in quantum sensing and communication.
Defect Creation and Tolerance under High-Energy Exposure: This direction explores the impact of high-energy particle irradiation on the formation of defects and evaluates the stability and tolerance of defect-centers when exposed to such conditions. The research aims to understand how defect formation influences material properties and how these defects can be utilized for various quantum applications.
Defects in Two-Dimensional Materials for Energy Applications: This avenue focuses on leveraging defects in two-dimensional materials for potential applications in metal-ion batteries and hydrogen storage, aiming to enhance energy storage capacity and efficiency.
Dr. Renwu Zhang, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry:
Dr. Zhang's current research focuses on three major projects. The first aims to develop ultrathin organic ferroelectric films and characterize their physical and ferroelectric properties at the nanoscale, with Dr. Cousins conducting theoretical simulations and calculations to explore the underlying mechanisms. The second project involves formulating polymeric composites by mixing the ferroelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with croconic acid, followed by various physical and mechanical treatments to enhance ferroelectricity and flexibility for industrial applications. The third project seeks to develop highly porous polymers by integrating elements with high electronegativity and incorporating light metal ions to improve hydrogen storage capacity for next-generation energy resources. These projects will provide MS students with hands-on experimental experience in Dr. Zhang's lab and a strong theoretical foundation in Dr. Cousins' lab.
Dr. Kimberly Cousins, Graduate Coordinator:
Dr. Cousins' materials research is using first principles density functional theory calculations, to predict material properties. These calculations are often linked to experimental research being conducted in other laboratories at CSUSB. For example, DFT calculations have supported the stability of different polymorphs of solid crystalline materials; likely mechanisms for organization of croconic acid thin film deposition (experimental work conducted in the Zhang lab) and examining the molecular requirements for hydrogen storage in MOF (molecular organic framework) systems from known structures, as well as in porous organic systems studied in the Zhang lab. A new collaboration with Dr. Kim's lab in physics involves studying defects in boron nitrides computationally.