Our research encompasses a broad range of advanced materials processing and device fabrication techniques for energy applications, including high-temperature superconducting thin-film tapes and photovoltaics, as well as additive manufacturing and flexible electronics. A core capability of our group is the development of single-crystalline-like thin films on inexpensive, flexible substrates using roll-to-roll processing. A major emphasis of our work is the epitaxial growth of oxides, nitrides, silicides, arsenides, phosphides, germanium, silicon, and compound semiconductors on lattice-mismatched, practical substrates. To achieve this, we employ a wide range of thin-film processing technologies, including metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD), magnetron sputtering, e-beam evaporation, inkjet printing, and solution coating. Our laboratories are equipped with unique, state-of-the-art facilities for thin-film and bulk materials processing, electromagnetic characterization under high magnetic fields and low temperatures, and semiconductor property measurements.
One major area of expertise is high-temperature superconducting materials for energy applications. This research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, ARPA-E, the Office of Naval Research, the DOE Office of High Energy Physics, the DOE Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Office, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Through these programs, we have developed superconducting thin-film tapes with record-high performance in high magnetic fields, enhanced current sharing, superior mechanical properties, and low AC losses. These high-performance tapes are designed for many applications including next-generation electric machines, high-power wind turbines, and high-field magnets for fusion reactors, high-energy physics, and superconducting magnetic energy storage.
Another major research focus is high-performance crystalline semiconductors on low-cost, flexible substrates. Using our single-crystalline-like template technology, we develop high-mobility epitaxial semiconductor thin films—including gallium arsenide, silicon, and germanium—on metal and flexible glass substrates. These materials enable the fabrication of high-efficiency, low-cost solar cells and high-performance flexible electronic devices. Our work on high-efficiency GaAs on flexible metal substrates has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative.
Strong industrial partnerships are a hallmark of our program. Many of our funded projects include industrial collaborators, underscoring the practical relevance of our research and facilitating effective technology transfer. In addition, several companies engage with our group through sponsored research to address specific manufacturing challenges. We have also fostered small businesses to commercialize our technologies through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Graduates from our group frequently transition directly into positions at partner companies and startup enterprises.
Our research infrastructure extends beyond the UH campus to the University’s Technology Bridge, where a 17,500-square-foot Energy Devices Fabrication Laboratory has been established. This facility includes cleanroom processing areas, device fabrication and metrology spaces, and a dedicated toxic gas room for safely handling exotic process gases. A unique MOCVD system with dual reactors supports both roll-to-roll and wafer-based processing of compound semiconductors. Research in photovoltaics and flexible electronics is actively pursued in this laboratory using our advanced substrate technologies.
We have also established a university-wide center, the Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI), which serves as a centralized manufacturing research organization for the University of Houston. AMI enables the scale-up of technologies developed by UH faculty toward manufacturing and commercialization. One example is our advanced MOCVD reactor design, which has demonstrated threefold improvements in performance, efficiency, and throughput and is currently being scaled to pilot manufacturing. We have also developed a pilot-scale superconductor manufacturing tool, successfully scaling our tape technology from 0.3 meters to 50 meters. In addition, AMI is developing novel in-line quality control tools using two-dimensional X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and machine vision for high-yield manufacturing, as well as innovative quality assurance techniques for rapid, 100% inspection under device operating conditions. These in-situ metrology tools have recently been extended to metal additive manufacturing through a NIST-funded project.
Our group currently includes more than 20 graduate research assistants, two research faculty and scientists, three facility managers and equipment engineers, and a safety manager. Graduate researchers receive exceptional mentorship in milestone-driven scientific research as well as broad engineering skill development enabled by our unique facilities. Students benefit from daily interaction with experienced faculty, scientists, and engineers, gaining expertise in critical problem-solving, hands-on operation of industry-scale, state-of-the-art equipment, and rigorous safety practices. As a result, our graduates are uniquely prepared to address complex scientific and engineering challenges and are highly competitive for positions in leading companies, national laboratories, and academia. We actively seek additional research assistants to join our group and participate in this stimulating research environment within world-class facilities.