Quantum functional materials laboratory (QFML) aims at (i) the synthesis of transition-metal oxide (sulfide, nitride) with single crystal, thin film, and nano-particle(rod) forms, (ii) the understanding of their physical (structural, electrical, magnetic, and optical) properties through the close correlation between charge, spin, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom, (iii) the realization of new functional devices related to information technology and energy-harvesting technology.

Transition-metal oxide (sulfide, nitride) is one of the most interesting materials group in nature. Valence electrons of transition metal have d orbital. Due to localized and anisotropic orbital of valence electron and strong Coulomb repulsion, transition-metal oxide (sulfide, nitride) usually show very interesting phenomena like metal-insulator transition, paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition, and paraelectric-ferroelectric transition  and so on. Such huge change of physical property is easily happened through small external stimuli like pressure, magnetic field, and electric field. Due to quite similar crystal structure of transition-metal oxide, heteroepitaxial growth of different material is possible and such heteroepitaxial thin film usually show multifunctionality as well as new phenomena near interface, like the observation of superconductivity in two insulating superlattice thin film.

To understand and apply these intriguing phenomena, it is quite clear that we have to synthesize good samples with various forms like single crystal, thin film, and nano-particle (rod) of transition metal oxide (sulfide, nitride). At current, QFML focus on the growth of perovskite transition metal oxide through the pulse laser deposition, hydrothermal, and sonochemical methods. And, we focus on their structural, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties with varying the temperature, magnetic field, and electric field strength. Through the domestic and international cooperations and competitions, we actively perform the research. For details, feel free to visit our Lab [5N531] and send e-mail to Prof. JongHoon Jung.