Experimental Solid State Physics Lab
The experimental solid state physics lab is devoted to the synthesis and characterization of bulk, thin film, and nanocrystalline materials. Characterization includes structural, electrical, and thermal properties. Currently focus is on energy conversion devices including photovoltaics and thermoelectrics, particularly those incorporating novel nanoscale technologies.
Facilities include: a UHV e-beam thin film deposition system, a 1200 C tube furnace, a hydraulic press, a diamond saw, a planetary ball mill, a metal evaporation system, and an assortment of advanced electronic and vacuum equipment.
Research Projects
- semiconducting thermoelectric superlattices
- magnetic superlattices
- the development of a new nanotechnology that enables
for the first time the ability to produce two- and three-structures on the nanoscale - structural determination of boron carbide using recently developed techniques at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Lab.
Presentations
- “Photovoltaics for Today and Tomorrow,” Illinois Section of the American Association of
Physics Teachers, Fall Conference, Illinois State University, October 11, 2008. - “Structure of Boron Carbide: Where’s the Carbon?,” David T. Marx, Gerald Seidler, Timothy
Fister, Kenneth Nagle, and Carlo Segre, March Meeting of the American Physical Society,
New Orleans, LA, March 10-14, 2008. - “Si-Ge Thermoelectric Junctions,” DT Marx, S-F Ren, W Cheng, B Tweedt, KR Roos, D
Silvius, and E Bloomberg, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts,
November 27 – December 2, 2005.
Publications
- “Non-Resonant X-ray Raman Scattering Studies of B12−xC3−x,” D. T. Marx, G.T. Seidler,
T.T. Fister, Kenneth Nagle, and Carlo U. Segre. To be submitted to Phys. Rev. B, January
2009. - “Microscopic Modeling of Phonon Modes in Semiconductor Nanocrystals,” Wei Cheng, SF
Ren, and DT Marx. Nanomaterials, ed. Donglu Shi, January 2009 (in press) by Springer-
Verlag. - “Microscopic Phonon Theory of Si/Ge nanocrystals,” Wei Cheng, DT Marx, and SF Ren.
Front. Phys. China, 3 (2), 165 (2008).
16. “Application of Fractals to the Contact of Carbon-carbon Surfaces,” David T Marx, Eng-
Keng Khor, and Tod Policandriotes. Journal of Applied Physics 100, 124913-22 (2006). - “Measurement of Interfacial Temperatures during Testing of a Subscale Aircraft Brake.”
David T Marx, Tod Policandriotes, Su Zhang, Jeremy Scott, Ralph B Dinwiddie, and Hsin
Wang. J. Physics D 34, 976 (2001). - “Mechanical Properties of Carbon-Carbon Composite Components Determined using
Nanoindentation.” David T Marx and Laura Riester. Carbon 37, 1679 (1999).
Images and Movies
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