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Research Interests

  • Nanoscale thermal, fluid, and mass transport
  • Molecular dynamics simulation
  • Laser-based materials characterization
  • Field-directed patterning for nanofabrication
  • Flow measurement in confined geometries
  • Micro- and nanoscale engineering

Research Overview

Nanotubes, nanowires, quantum dots, thin solid films and other nanostructures transport heat much differently than structures with macroscopic characteristic dimensions. As a result, interest in assembling these nanostructures to build new composite 'metamaterials' with extreme thermal conductivities has increased dramatically in recent years in application areas ranging from electronics thermal management to thermoelectric alternative energy generation. We investigate the size dependence of thermal transport properties in nanostructures, the fundamental phonon transport mechanisms governing these properties, and the emergent behavior arising from thermal coupling between individual nanostructures.

Also of interest is the unusual fluid and mass transport behavior observed at the nanoscale. We investigate this behavior using a combination of computer modeling and experimental techniques, with a view toward developing new approaches for nanofabrication.


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