Duan Research Group

Hetero-integrated Nanostructures and Nanodevices

Welcome to the Duan Lab webpage!

Using two-dimensional layered materials and their heterostructures, we are pushing the electronic and photonic devices towards the ultimate limit of single atomic layer, creating a new generation of devices with unprecedented performance, unique functions and/or extraordinary flexibility.
Combining chemical synthesis and physical assembly approaches, we are developing powerful strategies for the hetero-integration of multi-composition, multi-structure and multi-function at the nanoscale, and by doing so, creating a new generation of integrated materials and nanosystems with unprecedented performance or unique functions to break the boundaries of traditional technologies.
Using two-dimensional layered materials and their heterostructures, we are pushing the electronic and photonic devices towards the ultimate limit of single atomic layer, creating a new generation of devices with unprecedented performance, unique functions and/or extraordinary flexibility.
Through rational design and nanoscale eintegration of highly distinct materials and functions (e.g., light harvesting, charge transport, or catalytic capabilities), we are creating new material systems for highly efficient energy harvesting, conversion and storage.
With comparable size to functional biological building blocks, nanoscale systems are ideally suited for interfacing with biological systems. We are designing nanoscale electrical and optical systems that can greatly expand our capability in probing, imaging, monitoring, and manipulating biological processes with unprecedented resolution, sensitivity and precision.
Through rational design and nanoscale eintegration of highly distinct materials and functions (e.g., light harvesting, charge transport, or catalytic capabilities), we are creating new material systems for highly efficient energy harvesting, conversion and storage.
With comparable size to functional biological building blocks, nanoscale systems are ideally suited for interfacing with biological systems. We are designing nanoscale electrical and optical systems that can greatly expand our capability in probing, imaging, monitoring, and manipulating biological processes with unprecedented resolution, sensitivity and precision.
Combining chemical synthesis and physical assembly approaches, we are developing powerful strategies for the hetero-integration of multi-composition, multi-structure and multi-function at the nanoscale, and by doing so, creating a new generation of integrated materials and nanosystems with unprecedented performance or unique functions to break the boundaries of traditional technologies.

News:

  • 2D semiconductors could make negative conductance devices
    Aug 28, 2017

    Researchers in the US and Saudi Arabia are the first to have observed negative transconductance (NTC) inside multilayer molybdenum-disulphide (MoS2) transistors with optimized graphene/metal hybrid contacts. The NTC behaviour comes about thanks to competition between inter-layer charge transport and charge transport through a vertical potential barrier in the MoS2. This unique effect could be exploited for making frequency doublers and phase-shift keying circuits with only one multilayer transistor – something that would greatly simplify circuit design compared to conventional technology, says the team.

    From nanotechweb.org

  • Changing fuel cell catalyst shape would dramatically increase efficiency, lower cost
    May 25, 2017

    An international team led by researchers at UCLA and Caltech has demonstrated how altering the form of platinum nanoscale wires from a smooth surface to a jagged one could dramatically reduce the amount of precious metal used as catalysts in fuel cells and lower the cost.

    From newsroom.ucla.edu

  • New spectroscopy technique provides unprecedented insights about the reactions powering fuel cells
    May 25, 2017

    Researchers at UCLA’s California NanoSystems Institute have developed a dramatically advanced tool for analyzing how chemicals called nanocatalysts convert chemical reactions into electricity. Current spectroscopy methods require large laboratory machines to measure chemical reactions, but the new technique uses a nanoelectronic chip to do the same thing while the reactions are taking place — which previously was very difficult — with better accuracy, and while gathering a completely new set of data.

    From newsroom.ucla.edu

  • Holey graphene improves battery electrodes
    May 25, 2017

    Electrodes containing porous graphene and a niobia composite could help improve electrochemical energy storage in batteries. This is the new finding from researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles who say that the nanopores in the carbon material facilitate charge transport in a battery. By fine tuning the size of these pores, they can not only optimize this charge transport but also increase the amount of active material in the device, which is an important step forward towards practical applications.

    From nanotechweb.org

  • 2D semiconducting transistor breaks new record
    May 25, 2017

    Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have succeeded in minimizing both the contact resistance and channel length in transistors made from the 2D semiconductor molybdenum disulphide, so making a device that has a high ON current of 0.83 mA/µm at 300K. This new work shows for the first time that 2D semiconducting transistors can compete with silicon-based ones in terms of performance – as defined by the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS).

    From nanotechweb.org

more news

Selected Publications:

UCLA, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 951569
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569
E-mail: xduan@chem.ucla.edu