Electric-field tunable spin valves are being investigated
Piezoeletric materials are used for a variety of actuator and sensor applications. Finding a Pb-free replacement for the popular Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 has been a major challenge for the community.
Normally, well, flaws are bad.
Thin-film transistors, already indispensable in a number of portable electronics, would benefit from optical transparency and compatibility with flexible, lightweight plastics.
Oxide ceramics are ubiquitous in modern society- ranging from capacitors in electronic gadgets to high-tech displays. In numerous future technologies, it is necessary to "pattern" ceramic oxides in various forms, e.g., dots and lines, at the nanometer scale.
The recent MRSEC Teacher Workshop at UCSB was a Great Success. Junior High and High School math and science teachers from Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties visited the UCSB Materials Research Laboratory for a day of curriculum presentations and workshops.
To a packed audience of over 200 students and local residents, the UCSB MRL supported a public lecture on the subject of solid state lighting, emphasizing the promise of a much cleaner, more efficient, and longer-lasting lighting source. Santa Barbara architect Barry Winick presented the unusual ways that compact, efficient sources of light can be used in commercial (retail) architecture.
