Bio: Frank joined UNC as an assistant professor in 1995. Prior to that, he was the Margaret and Herman Sokol Postdoctoral Fellow in the Sciences at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He received his PhD in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1992. His research has been focused on atomic scale synthesis and characterization of nanoscale magnetic materials, including novel high throughput synthesis and characterization of epitaxial magnetic thin films and heterostructures using combinatorial molecular beam epitaxy techniques. Frank now serves as full Professor and Department Chair, Physics and Astronomy at UNC.

Abstract: 

An exciting prospect for exploring new functional materials is the ability to utilize 2D or 3D atomic scale “Lego pieces” in the nonequilibrium synthesis regime to “encode” structures, symmetries, and interactions from bottom up to produce synthetic materials with unique combinations of functionalities. Increasing complexity and diversity may allow materials to be “constructed” to reach a new level of “organization” to meet the future needs of science and technology. In this talk we describe our recent work investigating non-equilibrium MBE synthesis of artificially sequenced complex compounds. The atomic stacking sequences within the unit cell of the novel compounds are “programmed” by sequential deposition of one atomic layer at a time, starting with the model system containing two ternary Heusler compounds (e.g., Co₂MnSi and Fe₂TiSi), and various other atomic stacking sequences involving the same elemental composition. The symmetry of the resulting structure is shown to depend sensitively on the atomic deposition sequence.

Zoom Link: 

https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/95277843786?pwd=cWVNeUM1RXVWTkxPaTdpZlhYeHJaUT09

Meeting ID: 952 7784 3786
Passcode: 062848