Nebraska University Secures $2.5 Million for Quantum Research

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has been awarded a substantial $2.5 million grant to advance research in quantum materials, specifically focusing on the application of ferroelectric oxides. This funding, provided by the Department of Energy through its Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), is aimed at developing innovative methods to explore emergent quantum phases and enhance the design of energy-efficient electronic devices.

Advancing Quantum Research

The research will be led by Xia Hong, a professor of physics and astronomy, alongside a seven-member team. Their goal is to utilize ferroelectric oxides to manipulate oxide and van der Waals materials. This approach aims to achieve remarkable transitions, such as switching materials from a metal to an insulator or altering their magnetic properties. “The overarching goal is to use nanoscale control of ferroelectricity to induce a new state of matter,” said Hong. She emphasized that this research could pave the way for more compact and energy-efficient devices.

This two-year grant marks the third significant funding boost for the university’s Emergent Quantum Materials and Technologies (EQUATE) Center in recent months. Previously, a $1.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation was awarded to a team led by Christian Binek, who is also the EQUATE director. Another international collaboration, spearheaded by Evgeny Tsymbal, received $2 million to innovate in the field of material design.

Fostering Workforce Development

Hong, who is the principal investigator for the DOE EPSCoR award, highlighted that workforce development is a critical aspect of this project, titled “Emergent Interface Phenomena Enabled by Ferroelectric Oxide Thin Films and Membranes.” The initiative includes a partnership with the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and is designed to be renewable for up to four more years.

The EPSCoR program emphasizes developing infrastructure in Nebraska and South Dakota, which will support three early-career scientists: Zuocheng Zhang from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and Tula Paudel and Alexey Lipatov from the South Dakota School of Mines. Each of the seven research team members will also involve graduate and postdoctoral researchers, alongside undergraduate students, in their work.

“The idea with EPSCoR is you’re not just looking into the research, you’re looking into the infrastructure and human resource development,” Hong explained.

The project has three main thrusts. The first focuses on the interface between ferroelectric oxides and strongly correlated oxides, aiming to control quantum phase transitions reversibly. The research team seeks to develop a fully switchable, low-voltage control that could be applicable for binary logic and memory devices, moving away from traditional methods that are often destructive.

The second thrust explores multiferroic systems that exhibit both ferroelectricity and magnetism. By employing various doping methods, the team aims to convert ferroelectric insulators into polar metals, which could enable low-energy data storage through the manipulation of magnetic states.

The third thrust aims to construct superlattices of ferroelectric domains to engineer novel electronic and optical properties in two-dimensional van der Waals materials. By adjusting the rotation angle between two oxide layers using stacking techniques, the team hopes to create new Moiré patterns that induce emergent electronic and magnetic states.

If the research proves successful, it could lead to advancements in smartphones and a plethora of electronic devices. Emerging materials have the potential to revolutionize operating systems, enhancing performance while minimizing energy consumption.

Reflecting on her decision to join the University of Nebraska–Lincoln 15 years ago, Hong noted that the institution’s robust infrastructure and sophisticated instrumentation played a significant role. “That’s the beauty of fundamental science — even if the impact is not immediately apparent, we are driven by curiosity and the allure of nature,” she said.