Photocurrent along depth of GB’s

GB photocurrents for MAPbI3

Photocurrents are resolved into the depth of a MAPbI3 thin film, allowing isolation of the response for grains and grain boundaries as shown here. This concept features in Nature Communications ('20) and an invited APL article ('21).

Ongoing Research

Professor Bryan Huey's research group develops and applies novel variations of Atomic Force Microscopy. Research topics include:

  • Tomographic AFM (TAFM)
  • Ultra-depth-resolution nano-lithography
  • Switching dynamics in ferroelectric and multiferroic materials.
  • Piezoactuation of novel Piezoelectrics.
  • In-situ imaging of Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems
  • Nanoscale performance mapping of photovoltaics.
  • Photovoltaic reliability and accelerated lifetime testing.
  • Nanomechanical dynamics of tissue and living cells.
  • Characterization of various nanomaterials and structures.
  • Ultrasonic micro-manipulation.
  • Various industrial partnerships.
  • High Speed AFM and combined AFM/optics.

Ferroelectric Domain Switching in Multiferroics

Norm and Lateral BFO domains

Lateral alignment of ferroelectric domains (color) in a BiFeO3 thin film superimposed on the normal alignment of domains (z-scale). This work featured in Nature in 2014.

Teaching topics

 

ENGR 1166 (Intro to Engineering II, 1st year project-based course with specialized MSE content)

Materials Characterization (MSE 5322, MSE graduate elective)

Intro to MSE II (MSE 2002, MSE core course)

Nanoscience and Society (ENGR 2243, MSE undergraduate elective and Honors core course)

Nanomaterials (MSE 4241, MSE undergraduate elective)

Thin Films and Coatings (MSE 4095/5095, MSE graduate elective)

5248nlRPhStackColorRGB
Multivector PFM of PZT nanofiber (400nm x 400nm)

 

Solar Cell Tomography

Solar Cell Tomography

Photocurrents resolved from CT-AFM of a polycrsytalline CdTe solar cell during illumination. This work appears in Nature Energy 2016.

AFM tomography concept

AFM tomography concept

AFM tomography: using the probe to scratch the surface and expose what lies beneath at the nanoscale. Courtesy Jack Dumala, UConn Squared Labs.

Group

Bryan D. Huey

Department Head, Materials Science and Engineering

Centennial Professor, MSE and Institute of Materials Science

Immediate past chair (chair ’22-'23): UMC-association of MSE department heads


postdoc position available (advanced AFM)!


Luis A. Ortiz-Flores (PhD candidate)

Karla Del Cid-Ledezma (PhD candidate)

K.M. Abu Hurayra Lizu (PhD candidate)

Fei Wang (PhD candidate)

Adanma Akoma (PhD candidate)


Jaclyn Grace (BS)

Justin Coe (BS)

Group News

Mar '25: The lab contributes to Huskymania with the world's finest nanolithography of a basketball and a UConn Husky. Just in time for our Big East Champion Men's AND Women's basketball teams.

May '25: Bryan is one of 2 organizers for PacRim 2025 (Vancouver).

Mar '23: Bryan named a Centennial Professor by the College of Engineering

Feb '23: Luis recruiting for UConn in Puerto Rico.

Feb '23: Hurayra and Adanma present at EMA.

Feb '23: Karla, Hurayra, and Bryan present at EMA.

Dec '23: Tom, Karla, and Bryan coauthors in Nature Materials with Morgan Trassin, featuring Tomography of Ultrathin Ferroelectrics.

Dec '23: Karla accepted into Applied Materials Rotational program.

Oct '23: Bryan elevated to fellow of American Ceramic Society.

Fall '23: Karla on internship with Applied Materials.

Jul '23: Will and Bryan coauthors in JACS with Nathan Hohmnan on self-assembling silver n-Alkanethiolates.

Apr '23: Bryan invited to give Otto York Distinguished Lecture at NJIT.

Feb '23: Luis recruiting for UConn in Puerto Rico.

Dec '22: Tom, Luis, and Bryan coauthors with Yang Cao in Advanced Science for nanocoatings enabling Ultrahigh Capacitance.

Fall '22: Bryan joins MRS Strategic Agility Council.

Sep '22: Tom and Bryan coauthors with Dennis Meier in Advanced Materials for TAFM to resolve nanoscale domain curvature in 3 dimensions.

Aug '22: Jaclyn, Fei, and Bryan coauthors in Soft Matter with Xueju Wang on thermochromic liquid crystal elastomers for soft robotics.

Summer '22: Luis on internship with Mott.

May '22: Ramesh, Nick, Jingfeng, and Tom team up for invited Advanced Electronic Materials article on Activation Energy mapping for ferroelectric switching.

Prior news--click here.

 

Ferroelectric Domain Tomography

PNAS2019 BFO Tomography

Piezoresponse for Ferroelectric Domains throughout the thickness of a BiFeO3 thin film. Featured in PNAS 2019, Steffes et al.

uAT: Directed assembly of microparticles

uAT for directed assembly of a monolayer of microparticles.

Focused ultrasound manipulates particles or cells in liquid for suspended monolayer formation.

Funding

Current

AFRL, NIH, UConn-Technion Energy Collaboration Initiative, Industry (NDA protected)

Prior

NSF MWN, NSF ENG:CBET:BME, NSF ENG:CBET:NUE

DOE ESPM, Sunshot/EERE

Villum Fonden, Marie Curie, Fulbright

Murata, Pfizer, various other industry support