What is our logo?
Our MRSEC logo shows the arrangement of atoms at the surface of a crystal. Crystals are made up of layers, or "planes" of atoms, perfectly stacked in an ordered pattern. Because this surface has been cut at a slight angle to the crystal planes, it appears "stepped" (we call this type of surface a vicinal surface). Modern scanned-probe microscopes, such as the STM, allow us to see the atoms at the surface of a crystal, producing images very similar to this one.

University of Maryland

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

International Collaborations

Einstein, Phaneuf, Weeks, and Williams, along with collaborator Pimpinelli celebrate Maryland notation for step coordinates at the Cargese summer school (July 2008).

International collaborations have played major roles in the research and educational missions of both IRGs. A few foreign individuals are regular participants in our investigations, and many more are involved on a more occasional basis. Our collaborations channel some of our best graduate students and postdocs to Maryland. We have played an active role in organizing international workshops, both at Maryland and overseas.

Research Collaborations Involving Travels by Senior Personnel

• Characterization of fluctuations and growth of complex interfaces
  Alberto Pimpinelli (U. Blaise Pascal, Clermont-2, France), T.L. Einstein, E.D. Williams, et al. (MRSEC-1)
  This collaboration studies equilibrium and growth properties of steps, islands, and capture zones on flat and vicinal surfaces.
• Surface-state mediated interactions
  Per Hyldgaard (Chalmers U. of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden) and T.L. Einstein (MRSEC-1)
  Role of interactions mediated by metallic surface states on adsorbate arrangements and on distributions of terrace widths.
• Scanning tunneling luminescence and enhanced fluorescence
  R. Cingolani & R. Rinaldi (National Nanotech Lab, Lecce, Italy) and Phaneuf (MRSEC-1)
• Theory of the statics and dynamics of multiferroics
  M. Mostovoy (U. Groningen) and D. Khomskii (U. Cologne) and Drew and Cheong
• Multiferroic nano-sensors
  Takeuchi and V. Nagarajan (U. New South Wales), Y. Matsumoto (Tokyo Institute of Technology), and M. Lippmaa (U. Tokyo) [co-funded by NEDO, Japan]
• Single-crystal multifunctional materials
  Y. Mukovskii (Moscow State Steel and Alloys Institute) and Drew and Lynn
• Far IR of oxide optical properties
  E. Choi (U. Seoul) and Drew

Exchange of Junior Personnel

• Graduate student M. Yamamoto transferred to UMD due to Williams's collaboration with H. Iwasaki (Osaka)
• Hammouda (Pimpinelli's Ph.D. student, Clermont) became postdoc with Einstein (now collaborates as junior faculty at U. Monastir, Tunisia)
• E. Choi sends his students to work in Drew's lab on multiferroics

Organization of International Workshops

• Nonequilibrium Interface and Surface Dynamics: Theory, Experiment and Simulation from Atomistic to Continuum Scales, College Park, 2007
  Coorganizers: Einstein, Margetis, R. V. Kohn, and Williams
  MRSEC invited lecturers: Einstein, Margetis, Phaneuf, Weeks, and Williams
• NanoSteps: Self-organized nanostructures on crystal surfaces, Cargèse, 2008
  MRSEC members of scientific committee: [Pimpinelli], Weeks, and Williams
  MRSEC invited lecturers: Einstein, Phaneuf, [Pimpinelli], Weeks, and Williams
• 1st APCTP Workshop on Multiferroics Pohang, South Korea, Dec., 2008
  MRSEC invited lecturers: Cheong, Takeuchi and Khomskii
• Twice-yearly workshops on multiferroics
  Rutgers, Maryland and Rowan teams plus external speakers

Coordinator of International Activities:

Theodore Einstein

Professor, Physics