Research Area
The area of my research is the characterization of surfaces of complex metallic alloys which are interested in fundamental research and applications such as catalysts, corrosion resistance, and thin film growths. Initiated with the study of quasicrystals, the current research focuses on a wide range of complex intermetallic compounds. There are three areas of interest:
- Macroscopic properties of intermetallic catalysts. This involves the understanding of the catalytic activity of intermetallics at the atomic level using the surface science approach.
- Use of intermetallics as substrates for thin film growth of molecules and metallic elements. The study is driven by the fundamental interest in understanding the factors which influence the ordering processes, but also by the realization that ordering of molecular layers can increase performance in applications: for example, the efficiency of polymer-based solar cells has been shown to improve with improved molecular ordering.
- Surface properties of new intermetallic materials. The study of surface properties such as surface atomic structure, electronic structure, and adsorption behavior is essential for the understanding of the analogous physical properties of these compounds, including magnetic properties.
Ultra High Vacuum Chamber Equipped with STM and LEED
Hem Raj Sharma, PhD 