My research focuses on the fabrication and characterization of nanometer-size optoelectronic devices.  The ability to engineer materials and devices at the nanoscale has opened myriad possibilities to accelerate progress in information technology, energy harvesting, chemistry, and biology.  My current research is aimed at the development of Si-based nanophotonic functionality and plasmonic devices.

I’m an Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. My research interest lies in the nanoscale materials design for energy, environment, topological insulator and biotechnology.

Awards:

2015 Resonate Award, from California Institute of Technology’s Resnick Sustainability Institute.

I am interested in materials where surprising behavior emerges from a dynamic, and sometimes subtle, interplay between many degrees of freedom.  A fundamental understanding of these emergent properties is key to designing new devices and tailoring materials with beneficial properties for energy production, harvesting, and storage.  The complexity of these systems means that large-scale, numerical simulations are crucial to an understanding of the root causes of material properties and their expression in different experimental probes.  I work closely with experimental groups who utilize leading light sources, such as SSRL and LCLS here at Stanford, to image electron dynamics through photon spectroscopies and use simulations to better interpret the results and guide future research.

In recent years my research focus has been in various aspects of Biophysics. My group uses synchrotron x-rays to obtain structural information about proteins and RNA in solution. Currently we are exploring new ways to study structure of biomolecules at the very high x-ray flux of the LCLS at SLAC.

In our group we study materials with unconventional magnetic and/or electronic properties, with the aim of better understanding emergent behavior in strongly correlated systems. We employ a combination of thermodynamic, transport and scattering measurements, often in high magnetic fields, and use a variety of techniques to grow high quality single crystals of the materials that we study. Current interests include superconductivity, aspects of quantum magnetism, the behavior of electrons in low-dimensional materials, and topological insulators.

The unsolved problems that show up in high-temperature superconductors are fascinating challenges. I look for clues by trying to reconcile the diverse properties of these superconductors, and try to resolve them by synthesis of film and crystals.

My research interests are mostly focused on the field of mesoscopic physics, which explores length scales between the microscopic size of individual atoms and the macroscopic scale of everyday objects. Over the last decade, mesoscopic physics has forced us to grapple with new ways of thinking about quantum mechanics, measurement, and dephasing, especially for systems of interacting particles.

In my lab, we approach the mesoscopic regime in semiconductor devices, where electrons can be confined to small “boxes” and thus are restricted to discrete quantized states (instead of being able to move freely) in one, two, or even all three spatial dimensions.

My interests include biomaterials in regenerative medicine, engineered proteins with novel assembly properties, microfluidics and photolithography of proteins, and synthesis of materials to influence stem cell differentiation. Currently, my group is designing proteins that self-assemble into unique nanostructures that can guide the synthesis of inorganic materials.

Our research is in materials physics: Probing correlated electrons at artificial interfaces and in confined systems; Atomic scale synthesis and control of complex oxide heterostructures; Low-dimensional superconductivity; Novel devices based on interface states in oxides.

2015 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize

Awarded by the American Physics Society

Our group’s general aim is to contribute to the understanding of current problems in Physics including gravitational physics, quantum physics and condensed matter physics of strongly correlated electron systems. We use novel experimental techniques that are mostly developed in our laboratory.

Member, National Academy of Sciences 2010

I am interested in the qualitative understanding of the macroscopic and collective properties of condensed matter systems, and on the relation between this and the microscopic physics at the single electron or single molecule scale.

I have been particularly interested in exploring the spectacular consequences of strong correlation effects in electronic materials and devices where the low energy properties are qualitatively different from those of a non interacting electron gas. This field of study has been made particularly rich and exciting by the seemingly non-ending sequence of unexpected experimental discoveries that have occurred in over the past couple of decades — discoveries which undermine accepted beliefs and raise conceptually deep questions concerning the emergent behavior of systems with many strongly interacting degrees of freedom.

The Lee group seeks to develop a deeper understanding of quantum materials through research activities involving neutron scattering, x-ray scattering, and crystal growth. We are particularly interested in novel many-body states such as quantum spin liquids, exotic superconductivity, and topological phases of matter.

My academic career at Stanford has been focused on research efforts to understand the electronic properties of semiconductor surfaces and interfaces on an atomic scale using synchrotron radiation of importance for the development of modern electronic devices. I have taken a great interest in the development of synchrotron radiation and free electron laser facilities and instrumentation, and research policies for large scale facilities. I have been (and still am) a member/chairperson of a large number of review and advisory committees.

Awards and Honors

Fellow of the American Physical Society

Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

I am interested in the ultrafast properties of materials, using atomic-scale real-time probes to visualize and control processes of relevance to energy conversion and information processing.

I am currently a senior staff scientist at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource and the leader of the soft X-ray staff scientist group in the Material Science Division. My research goal is to utilize synchrotron related techniques to investigate the strongly correlated electron systems.

What new science and technologies lurk at the smallest scales of condensed matter?  How does physics change in lower dimensions?  My experimental research group combines condensed matter physics, nanoscale science and technology, and atom manipulation to address these and related questions.  We focus on ultra-high resolution quantum imaging and probes of interesting electronic systems.  We also specialize in the science of atomic and molecular manipulation for atom-by-atom assembly of exotic nanostructures and artificial materials.

The main focus of my research lies in understanding the behavior of materials under compression. High pressure science is exceedingly multidisciplinary. Pressure induces dramatic changes in materials, adding a new dimension to applications in Earth, planetary, environmental, energy-related, biological, electromagnetic, optical, superhard and nano- materials, and contributing to our fundamental understanding of condensed-matter physics and chemistry. Pressure is also a clean, continuous, tuning knob for fundamental scientific research: testing theories, discovering new phenomena and novel materials.

My research group embraces the challenge of developing new materials for harvesting solar energy and turning it into electricity. Through collaborations with our colleagues at Stanford we are able to design new molecules, self assemble nanostructures, characterize the structure of films at all of the important length scales and understand why our materials have special properties.

Electrons create magnetic fields, so materials that manifest quantum mechanical and strongly correlated electron behavior must have magnetic signatures. Although distinctive, interesting, and informative, these signatures are hard to measure. Twelve years ago, I set out to build a group based on the strategy of specialized magnetic nanoprobes for basic condensed matter studies. This strategy enables the advances in knowledge described in the publications section of my group’s web site, as well as in my ongoing work and the ongoing work of my group alumni in their current positions.

Joseph W. Orenstein earned his Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980. He received an IBM Postdoctoral Fellowship 1978-79, and was a Member of the Technical Staff at the AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1981 to 1989. In 1989, he was made a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff. He joined the Physics Dept. at UC Berkeley in 1990. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

I am a condensed matter theorist. One of the main goals of condensed matter physics is to discover new states of matter. At this moment I am mainly interested in the theoretical prediction and characterization of topological states of matter. I am also interested in quantum entanglement as a new tool for the understanding of condensed matter systems.

I am an experimentalist who studies dynamics that occur on extremely short time and distance scales. My background is in the areas of ultrafast laser, high field, accelerator, x-ray and condensed matter physics.

My main research interest lies in the area of condensed matter and materials physics. The questions that motivate my research are: what is the nature of quantum matter? How does complexity give rise to unusual and extreme properties?

My research lab is engaged in projects that address fundamental chemical and physical processes that underlie a range of key biological mysteries and cutting-edge material applications. Research projects within our lab fall within three broad themes: DNA biophysics, charge transport in conjugated polymers, and protein self-assembly.

I work at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource conducting research into the relationship between materials physical structure and functional properties. I focus on materials used for sustainable energy generation, transmission, storage and usage with an emphasis on inexpensive, earth abundant materials.

Europhysics Prize 2010
Awarded by the European Physical Society.

Oliver Buckley Prize 2012
Awarded by the American Physical Society.

Dirac Medal and Prize 2012
Awarded by the International Center for Theoretical Physics.

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics 2015
Awarded by The Franklin Institute