Thesis title: Design, synthesis and properties of large-scale nanowire lattices
My project investigates the possibilities for engineering materials properties by directing crystal growth at the nanoscale, particularly tuning the electron-electron interactions which are the dominating driving force for functional materials. By designing ultra-uniform periodic structures of semiconducting nanowire lattices, I will explore the band structure and artificially induced electrons correlations as encoded in the Hubbard model. As an ultimate perspective, one could engineer superconducting or ferromagnetic ground states in otherwise non-interacting semiconductor hosts. However, the individual elements of the lattice, single nanowires and nanowire junctions also need to be thoroughly investigated and understood with respect to their electrostatic charging energies, level spacings and electron coherence lengths. The structural design and the interpretations of the results will be based on theoretical models. Thus, the project will contribute actively to building and improving the models and connecting them to experimental developments.
Start date: 15-12-22
Finish date: 14-12-25
PhD supervisors: Thomas Sand Jespersen, Damon Carrad and Brian Møller Andersen