November 27 - December 4, 2020
November 27 - December 4, 2020 (Virtual)
2020 MRS Spring/Fall Meeting

Symposium S.NM06-Theory and Characterization of 2D Materials—Bridging Atomic Structure and Device Performance

This symposium will center around atomic structure engineering of 2D materials, with a focus on improvements in fundamental understanding and control of atomic-scale structure and how it can be used to tune functional properties on the device scale. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as a frontier of materials science: they are an ideal platform for fundamental science, represent the atomically-thin limits for miniaturizing electronic devices, and are ideal high-surface area materials for energy conversion and storage. For each of these applications, it is critical to develop an atomic-scale understanding and control of the structure of 2D materials - including their defects, alloys, strain, phase transformations, interfacial interactions both in 2D compounds as well as in monoelemental 2D crystals such as silicene, phosphorene, stanene, borophene, etc. In particular, atomic structure engineering can be used to tune the functional properties 2D materials across diverse areas, from controlling their surface chemistries for energy conversion/storage to controlling band structure through stacking faults, moiré structures and strain engineering.

Achieving the rational design of 2D materials and devices will require the development of new methods to synthesize, characterize, integrate, and model 2D materials. First, advanced characterization techniques are critical to measuring the structure of 2D materials with atomic precision and understanding variations in device performance. Meanwhile, theoretical and computational methods with different scales provide a fundamental backbone for connecting structure property relations. Finally, methods to scalably synthesize, interface, and integrate 2D materials as well to tune, pattern, and switch their properties are important for applying atomic-scale insights to improve device performance.

Quantum and topological properties of 2D materials are better suited for other symposium. MXene materials are also better suited for another symposium unless the focus is strictly on atomic structure (and related theory/characterization)

Topics will include:

  • Advanced characterization methods for linking atomic structure and device scale performance: aberration-corrected electron microscopy and spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy, optical spectroscopy, in-situ characterization methods, and methods to probe functional properties on the atomic and nanoscale
  • Theory and computational methods for 2D materials: electronic structure theory and calculations, atomistic and larger-scale modeling, high-throughput calculation and data mining
  • Methods for synthesis and integration of 2D materials: wafer-scale methods, heteroepitaxial growth methods, integrating hybrid and heterostructure devices for functional systems
  • Methods to control, pattern, and switch local structure: defects, strain engineering, surface functionalization, phase transformations, and moiré engineering
  • 2D materials for energy conversion and storage, including electro- and photo-catalysts, batteries, and supercapacitors

Invited Speakers:

  • Cinzia Casiraghi (University of Manchester, United Kingdom)
  • Judy Cha (Yale University, USA)
  • Manish Chhowalla (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
  • Aron W. Cummings (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain)
  • Xiangfeng Duan (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
  • Enrico Gnecco (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany)
  • Kenan Gundogdu (North Carolina State University, USA)
  • Mark Hersam (Northwestern University, USA)
  • Libai Huang (Purdue University, USA)
  • Ute Kaiser (Ulm University, Germany)
  • Elad Koren (Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Israel)
  • Steven Louie (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
  • Thomas Muller (Technische Universität Wien, Austria)
  • Shizhang Qiao (University of Adelaide, Australia)
  • Archana Raja (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
  • Evan Reed (Stanford University, USA)
  • Arend van der Zande (University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, USA)
  • Miriam Vitiello (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy)
  • Han Wang (University of Southern California, USA)
  • Fengnian Xia (Yale University, USA)
  • Yong Xu (Tsinghua University, China)
  • Hua Zhang (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
  • Yong-Wei Zhang (A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore)
  • Houlong Zhuang (Arizona State University, USA)

Symposium Organizers

Yuanyue Liu
The University of Texas at Austin
Texas Materials Institute & Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
USA

Linyou Cao
North Carolina State University
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
USA

Pinshane Huang
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
USA

Alessandro Molle
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems
Italy

Topics

electronic material energy generation energy storage