1. National Science Foundation Outcome: Unique vertical aligned nanocomposite thin films with multifunctionalities Impact: Highly strained and ordered nanostructured thin films for microelectronics and ferroelectronics, solid oxide fuel cells, and thin film solar cells. Explanation: Prof. Wang is supervising graduate students in conducing pulsed laser depositions of VAN films. The system consists of a vacuum chamber and a high energy laser. Materials World Network: Novel Interface and Strain Control in Epitaxial Nanocomposite Films Haiyan Wang, Texas A&M University, DMR 1007969 This NSF project explores the growth, structure and physical properties of vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) systems in epitaxial thin film form. The VAN thin films exhibit a highly ordered vertical columnar structure with high epitaxial quality. We demonstrate that the strains of the two phases in both out-of-plane and in-plane directions can be tuned by the deposition parameters during growth, e.g. deposition frequency and film composition of the nanocomposite. Using this unique VAN structure, ordered nanoporous structures have been processed. This study suggests a promising avenue in achieving tunable strain in functional oxide thin films by using VSCN structures. This project involves extensive collaboration between Texas A & M University (Dr. Wang) and the University of Cambridge (Dr. Driscoll).

2. National Science Foundation Materials World Network: Novel Interface and Strain Control in Epitaxial Nanocomposite Films Haiyan Wang, Texas A&M University, DMR 1007969 Frequency dependence of (a) the maximum LFMR, (b) T C and (c) T MI for LSMO: ZnO, LSMO:CeO 2 and LSMO:Mn 3 O 4 nanocomposite films. * Z. Bi, et al, J. Appl. Phy., 109, 054302 (2011). * A. Chen, et al. Adv. Funct. Mater., 21, 2423 (2011). * A. Chen, Z. Bi, H. Wang, Acta Mater., in press, 2012 * A. Chen, et al. Nanotechnology, 22, 315712 (2011) ★ All VAN films exhibit enhanced low field magnetoresistance (LFMR) effect, compared to pure LSMO films. ★ The maximum LFMR in VAN films increase with increasing deposition frequency. ★ T C and T MI reduce with the increase of deposition frequency. ★ All VAN films exhibit enhanced low field magnetoresistance (LFMR) effect, compared to pure LSMO films. ★ The maximum LFMR in VAN films increase with increasing deposition frequency. ★ T C and T MI reduce with the increase of deposition frequency.

3. National Science Foundation Materials World Network: Novel Interface and Strain Control in Epitaxial Nanocomposite Films Haiyan Wang, Texas A&M University, DMR 1007969 One of the REU students worked in Wang’s thin film lab presented his research findings at the poster session in summer 2011. One of the thin film lab tours to high school students from Houston school district for encouraging them to attend engineering program and materials science.