News 2017

Article Published in Journal of PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED. (09.19.2017)

Our article titled “Enhanced energy storage with polar vortices in ferroelectric nanocomposites” is published in the Journal of Phys. Rev. Applied 8, 034014 (2017). In this article, we utilize Landau phase field computations to show that the switching behavior of the topological structure (vortex and antivortex pair) under an external electric field in BaTiO3 nanowires can be used to enhance the energy-storage efficiency over 95% at a relatively low electric field of 140 MV/m. Our findings demonstrate a  new strategy to enhance the energy-storage density with topological vortex structures in ferroelectric nanocomposites

Article Published in Journal of Physica Scripta.  (10.16.2017)

Our article titled “Pair Distribution Function Analysis applied to Decahedral Gold Nanoparticles” is published in the Journal of Physica Scripta, Vol. 92, number 11(2017). In this article, we explored the sensitivity of existing synchrotron x-ray PDF instruments for distinguishing four different simple models for our gold nanoparticles: a multiply twinned fcc decahedron with either a single gap or multiple distributed gaps, a relaxed body-centered orthorhombic (bco) decahedron, and a hybrid decahedron. PDF measurements provide a statistical description of the pair correlations of atoms within a material, allowing one to evaluate the probability of finding two atoms within a given distance.The data simulations of the models were then compared with experimental data from synchrotron x-ray total scattering. We present our experimentally derived atomistic models of the gold nanoparticles, with surprising results and a perspective on remaining challenges. Our findings provide evidence for the suitability of PDF analysis in the characterization of other nanosized particles that may have commercial applications.

Article Published in Nature Communications.  (08.28.2017)

Our article titled “Three-dimensional imaging of vortex structure in a ferroelectric nanoparticle driven by an electric field” has been published in Nature journal Nature Communications 8, Article number: 280 (2017) doi:10 1038/s41467-017-00318-9. This paper details recent advances in studying Topological defects such as complex and stable configurations of electric polarization on Barium individual Titanate Nanoparticles using Bragg Coherent x-ray diffraction imaging techniques.

Prof. Fohtung presents an invited lecture at the at the 2017 Advance Photon Source/Center for Nanoscale Materials Users Meeting Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL (05.09.2017)

Prof. Edwin Fohtung presents the groups latest results in as an invited lecture titled “Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging of Topological Defects in Hexaferrites”. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE and the DOD AFOSR.

Welcome new group member Binod Paudel (04.05. 2017)

Binod Paudel joins the Fohtung Research Group as a PhD research assistant.

Dmirty Karpov presents a contributed poster at the 2017 COHERENCE WORKSHOP in PETRA IV, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron. Which is a Research Centre of the Helmholtz Association. Hamburg Germany (06.27.2017)

Dima presents the group’s latest results in a poster titled “Nanoscale Imaging and Tracking of Vortex Dynamics in a Single Ferroic Nanoparticle”. This work is a joint collaboration with colleagues at NMSU, UCSD and LANL. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE and the DOD AFOSR.

Dmirty Karpov presents a contributed poster at the 2017 Advance Photon Source/Center for Nanoscale Materials Users Meeting Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL (05.09.2017)

Dima presents the group’s latest results in a poster titled “Small Particles an even Bigger Data Problems in Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging “. This work is a joint collaboration with colleagues at NMSU, UCSD and LANL. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE and the DOD AFOSR.

Congratulations!! Samuel Succesfully defends his M.sc Degree (05.03. 2017)

Sam presents and defends his M.sc  degree in Computer sciences on his research work supported by the DOD and Los Alamos National Laboratory through our research group. In his thesis titled “Software for iterative phase retrieval” Sam  upgraded and designed a user friendly platform for a software capable of tracking dislocation in reconstructed X-ray Bragg  Coherent Diffraction data.

News archive 2016

Prof. Fohtung presents an invited talk titled Birefractive coherent diffractive imaging: novel probe for magneto-electric phases: SPIE – Spintronics-IX, Spin-Orbit Coupling Session: Optics & Photonics Conference, San Diego-CA, August 28th –September 1st 2016.

(08.30.2016)

Prof. Edwin Fohtung presents his groups latest results on a new imaging approach called Birefringent Coherent Diffraction imaging. This techniques takes advantage of the anisotropy of materials at the optical frequencies to provide contrast for magnetic, ferroelectric and defect imaging with sub micron resolution. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE, and DOD.

Prof. Fohtung presents an invited talk titled Probing of Electronic and Magnetic Phases Using Neutron Scattering: Young Researchers Meeting, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge -TN, August 18th –19st 2016.

(08.18.2016)

Prof. Edwin Fohtung presents his groups latest results on probing of magnetic and electronic phases in PZT/LSMO heterostructures using polarized neutron reflectivity at Oakridge national Laboratory. This was a workshop organized by the Quantum Condensed Matter Group at Oakridge National laboratory. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE, and DOD.

Prof. Fohtung presents an invited talk titled Lens-Less Microscopy at Coherent Light Sources: Physics and Theory Colloquium Series, Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM. August 11th 2016.

(08.11.2016)

Prof. Edwin Fohtung presents his groups latest results on probing of soft and condensed matter systems using emergent imaging techniques at a Physics and Theory Colloquium Series, Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE, and DOD.

Our paper on Ab initio study of magnetoelectric coupling in La0.66Sr0.33MnO3 / PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 multiferroic heterostructures is published in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

(08.05.2016)

Prof. Fohtung presents an invited talk titled Towards Sub-nanometer Magnetic Imaging: Coherent Diffraction Imaging Techniques at Light Sources, Santa Fe, NM. July 21st -22nd 2016.

(07.21.2016)

Prof. Edwin Fohtung presents his groups latest results on advances in Coherent Diffraction Imaging Techniques in a MaRIE workshop on the Opportunities for New X-Ray Sources to Shed Light on Mesoscale Functional Materials, Santa Fe, NM. July 21st -22nd  2016 .The work is funded by the LANS/DOE, and DOD.

Prof. Fohtung presents an invited talk titled Coherent diffraction imaging Techniques at 3rd and 4th generation light sources:, Santa Fe, NM. May 16th -18st 2016.

(05.18.2016)

Prof. Edwin Fohtung presents his groups latest results on advances in Coherent Diffraction Imaging Techniques at LANL Workshops on Decadal Challenges of Materials Science and on MaRIE-related Science and Technology. Data Science Optimal Learning for Materials Discovery. The work is funded by the LANS/DOE, and DOD.