Emergent materials
Significant progress in materials science of the past decade is associated with the emerging paradigm of phase complexity and cross-coupling phenomena in functional complex materials, in which various degrees of freedom are intricately coupled and mutually interacting. Such mutual interactions couple the charge-spin-orbital-lattice and often induce multifunctional phenomena such as multiferroicity in which the magnetism and ferroelectricity coexist and are cross-coupled with each other. Balance between the tightropes of coupled physical degrees of freedom can lead to a plethora of enhanced physical responses to external stimuli, mesoscopic domain structures, or the mesoscopic coexistence of electronic/magnetically-distinct phases.
“Emergent Materials” research will focus on fundamental studies of the principles and properties of cross-coupled multi-functional materials. The main objectives in the emergent materials researches are
- Scientific understanding of multi-functionalities based on mutual interactions of charge/spin/orbital/lattice
- Investigation of multifunctional phenomena induced in nanostructures
- Macroscopic and microscopic analyses for establishments of the theoretical backgrounds and principles of the multi-functionalities
The emergent materials research will be performed through tight collaborations among materials synthesis and macro-/micro-physical property investigations including spectroscopic investigation for electronic structure and magnetic properties and charge/spin/orbital/lattice structural determination and theoretical interpretations using first principles calculations and many-body model Hamiltonian approach.
The “Emergent materials” research group is composed of faculties from the department of physics (Prof. Jae-Hoon Park) and materials science and engineering (Prof. Hyun M. Jang), whose specialties are spectroscopic investigation of the basic properties of emergent materials and synthesis of multiferroic oxides, respectively. Prof. Stefan Kettemann from Germany is a condensed matter theoretical physicist with specialties in mesoscopic theories and critical phenomena.
Self-assembled nano hybrid materials &soft materials
Recent chemical research in materials science mainly attempts to develop innovative and multifunctional materials that may overcome current hurdles in various science and technology fields including energy, electronics, and bioscience/technology. Smart organic, inorganic and organic/inorganic hybrid materials having well-defined structures at nano- to mesoscale levels are very promising candidates for the core functional units which could critically contribute to the developments of high capacity energy storage systems, nanoscale electronic/magnetic device components, and targeted drug delivery vehicles or for disease diagnostics/therapeutics.
Among the many suggested synthetic approaches, self-assembly process has been considered the most efficient and economical way to synthesize such nano- to mesoscale functional molecular structures mainly due to the relative simplicity of the chemical reaction environments as well as the diversity of building blocks constructing the skeletons of the final products. Although numerous examples of self-assembled nano- and meso structures have been introduced in the past decades, ground-breaking synthetic strategies that devastate scientific and technological barriers prohibiting successful utilization in the above-mentioned applications are still not available.
Our strategy to achieve this goal is to construct multi-component hybrid structures, especially among nano hybrid materials such as metal-organic porous materials and metal-organic cages, as well as among soft materials such as carbon and polymer nanostructures. New multifunctional materials having unprecedented and/or highly improved structural, electrical, magnetic, optical and biological properties are highly expected to be realized when they are strategically and systematically coupled into hybrid structures via ‘framework engineering’ and ‘host-guestengineering’
- - Self-assembled nano hybrid materials
- - Self assembled nanomaterials based on organic molecules
- Self-assembled polymer nanostructures
- Self-assembly derived carbon nanostructures
The “Self-assembled nano hybrid materials” research group is led by Prof. Kimoon Kim from department of chemistry, a leading scientist in materials synthesis based on supramolecular chemistry. Prof. Gerard Ferey, a leading scientist in solid state chemistry and porous materials, will join the group from France. Prof. Masaki Kawano from the University of Tokyo is an expert on metal-organic cage molecules and a Russian scientist, Dr. Danil N. Dybtsev specializes in synthesis and applications of coordination polymers.
The “Self-assembled soft materials” research group is composed of Prof. Taihyun Chang and Moonhor Ree from department of chemistry, whose expertise lies in static and dynamic properties of polymeric materials, and synthesis of polymer nanostructure, respectively. Dr. Moon Jeong Park, an expert on the ionic conductivity of polymer electrolytes and their applications will join the group from UC Berkeley.k
Emerging device systems
Research on “Emerging device systems” provides device platforms for test and characterization of the advanced materials, leading to synergetic research on new functional materials. These include researches on new device physics and device developments based on unit materials for novel electronic/optical/magnetic/energy applications and their large-scale self-assembly within the framework of disruptive technology. The main objectives in the Emerging device systems researches are
- - Physical and chemical processes of unit devices at various length scales
- - Large area device developments by self-assembly
- - Disruptive device platforms for novel applications
- - Industrial dissemination for 'National new growth engines'
- - Hybrid nanodevice physics
- - Nano hybrid processing for semiconductor devices
- - Solid-state photonic devices based on compound semiconductors
- - Complex oxides devices for multiferroics and energy conversions
The “Emerging device systems” research group is mainly from department of materials science and engineering. Prof. Jong Lam Lee is a leading scientist in the area of semiconductor photonic devices. Prof. Seung-Hoon Jhi is an expert in the area of theoretical condensed matter physics and nanoscience. Prof. Moon-Ho Jo specializes in low dimensional device physics. Prof. Hee Cheul Choi from chemistry department focuses on carbon-based nanomaterials and their integrated nanoelectronic /optoelectronic devices.
