Metasurfaces for Flat Optics

Conventional optical components including lenses based on refraction suffer from functional degradation as the device size decreases as well as other limitations. Metasurfaces consisting of subwavelength optical antenna arrays have emerged as planar optical devices that can overcome many of the limitations of conventional lenses. Such metasurfaces enable many promising applications in lenses, holograms, and optical cloaks. These metasurfaces have been developed for their specific functionalities by exploiting new materials and design algorithms. Various optical properties such as amplitude, phase, and even frequency can be tuned by adjusting the physical shape of individual antennas and their arrangement.

The articles in the March issue of MRS Bulletin overview recent progress in and the state-of-the-art of metasurfaces and their novel applications in optics and photonics.

This webinar featured three talks from experts in the field. A Q&A session was held with each speaker at the conclusion of their talks.

Talk Presentations:

  • Metasurface optics for imaging applications
    Byoungho Lee, Seoul National University
    Talk begins at 10:16
       
  • Machine learning for nanophotonics
    Michael Mrejen, Tel Aviv University
    Talk begins at 41:38
       
  • Data driven methods for electromagnetics design
    Jonathan Fan, Stanford University
    (Q&A with Evan Wang, Stanford University)
    Talk begins at 1:10:05
       

Sponsored by American Elements

custom image


New ceramic electrode materials for rechargeable lithium and sodium-ion batteries

Co-presented with ACerS, the American Ceramic Society

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LIB) is one of the key enablers of the modern digital age. With an unrivaled combination of portability and energy density, LIBs are ubiquitous in consumer electronics such as cell phones and laptops and are the leading energy storage candidate for the clean energy grid and the electrification of transportation. Nevertheless, the quest for LIB materials with higher energy density, improved safety and better sustainability continues remains a topic of great research interest.

This webinar will feature three talks from experts in the field covering various topics in state-of-the-art LIB research. A Q&A session will be held with each speaker at the conclusion of their talks.

Talk Presentations:

  • Defect and Interface Engineering of Ceramic Electrode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries
    Claire Xiong, Boise State University
    Talk begins at 9:45
      
  • Molecular Precursor-Derived Ceramics as Li-Ion Battery Anodes
    Gurpreet Singh, Kansas State University
    Talk begins at 37:25
      
  • Leverage Reversible Chemistry for Sustainable Energy Storage
    Zheng Chen, The University of California, San Diego
    Talk begins at 1:11:15

Advanced Materials for Transient Electronic Devices

Transient electronics, that can disappear, dissolve, or degrade in a controlled manner over time, has been attracting significant attention as a new and emerging technology. Transient electronics has unique applications, such as bioresorbable medical devices that can provide short-/medium-term diagnosis and treatment without removal surgery, environmentally friendly devices that can physically decompose within a specific timeframe and produce no waste, and self-destructing devices for non-recoverable IT and military security systems.

The February, 2020 issue of MRS Bulletin highlighted recent progress in transient electronics, focusing on materials aspects, including characterization, fabrication, and applications. This webinar featured three talks from well-known experts in the field. A Q&A session was held with each speaker at the conclusion of their talks.

Talk Presentations:

  • Inorganic Materials for Transient Electronics in Biomedical Applications
    John A. Rogers, Northwestern University
    Talk begins at 11:19
       
  • Energy Materials for Transient Power Sources
    Lan Yin, Tsinghua University
    Talk begins at 48:35
       
  • Material Strategies for On-Demand Smart Transient Electronics
    Yongfeng Mei, Fudan University
    Talk begins at 1:18:36
       

Sponsored by American Elements

custom image


Cryogenic Electron Microscopy in Materials Science

Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy is simply transmission electron microscopy conducted on specimens that are cooled in the microscope. The ability to probe chemistry, structure, and bonding on the atomic scale in the temperature range from a few Kelvin to room temperature in structural and functional materials in a variable temperature transmission electron microscope is an intriguing prospect that will open up many new areas of materials research. The articles in the December 2019 issue of MRS Bulletin explore the current capabilities, future developments, and opportunities for cryogenic electron microscopy in materials science.

This webinar complemented the December 2019 issue of MRS Bulletin and featured talks from experts in the field. A Q&A session was held with each speaker at the conclusion of their talks.

Talk Presentations:

  • Soft matter and nanomaterials characterization by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy
    John Daniel Watt, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    Talk begins at 11:45
      
  • Cryogenic Specimens for Nanoscale Characterization of Solid-Liquid Interfaces
    Michael Zachman, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    Talk begins at 46:36
       

Sponsored by American Elements

custom image


Materials for Hot-Carrier Chemistry

The January, 2020 issue of MRS Bulletin examines the generation and relaxation of hot electrons in typical nanoparticle systems and the flow of hot electrons across the surfaces of the nanoparticles. The promise of hot-electron chemistry (and the complementary hot-hole chemistry) is supported by its application in many important reactions, including CO2 reduction, water splitting, hydrogenation, and coupling reactions, highlighting its great potential in achieving high energy-conversion efficiency and product selectivity.

This webinar featured three talks from experts in the field. A Q&A session was held with each speaker at the conclusion of their talks.

Talk presentations:

  • Nanodiode-based hot electrons: Influence on surface chemistry amd catalytic reactions
    Jeong Young Park, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Talk begins at 10:37
       
  • Plasmonic Metal–Semiconductor Heterostructures for Hot-Electron-Driven Photochemistry
    Jiawei Huang, University of Florida
    Talk begins at 49:28
       
  • Hot-Carrier Dynamics in Catalysis
    Jonathan Foley, William Paterson University
    Talk begins at 1:12:48
         

Sponsored by American Elements

custom image


High-Temperature Materials for Structural Applications

Advances in metallurgy and metal mixology, together with high-performance computing, high-resolution microscopy, and advanced spectroscopy methods, reveal the potential of multicomponent advanced metals, such as multicomponent bulk metallic glasses and advanced high-entropy alloys for high-temperature structural applications. The November, 2019 issue of MRS Bulletin overviews the progress and directions for these multicomponent alloys for high-temperature structural applications.

This webinar featured three talks from experts in the field. A Q&A session was held with each speaker at the conclusion of their talks.

Talks:

  • VULCAN: A "hammer" for high-temperature materials research
    Ke An, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    Talk begins at 6:53
       
  • Modelling twinning, detwinning and dynamic recrystalization
    Huamiao Wang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Talk begins at 29:32
       
  • Precipitation-hardened high-entropy alloys for high-temperature applications: A critical review
    Boxuan Cao, City University of Hong Kong
    Talk begins at 52:56

   

Sponsored by American Elements

custom image


Three-Dimensional Architected Materials and Structures

The principles of optimally engineering structures, integrating materials and architectural features at multiple length scales, are now being applied to the design and manufacture of three dimensional architected materials with properties determined a priori and attained through multiscale approaches. These materials embody the characteristics of both the constituent material, which brings the effects of its microstructure and ensuing properties at the relevant characteristic length scales, as well as the structure, which is driven by the architected design. The new 3D architected hierarchical materials offer breakthrough advances in many applications ranging from ultra-lightweight and damage-tolerant structural materials to safe and efficient energy storage, biomedical, biochemical and nanophotonic devices as well as micromechanical sensors and actuators.

This webinar expanded upon and complemented the October 2019 MRS Bulletin issue, and an interactive Q&A session with the speakers was held at the conclusion of the presentations.

TALKS

  • The Extreme Mechanics of Micro- and Nanoarchitected Materials
    Lucas Meza, University of Washington
    Talk begins at 9:01
       
  • Imperfect Architected Materials: Mechanics and Topology Optimization
    Damiano Pasini, McGill University
    Talk begins at 42:13
       
  • Architected materials for advanced electrochemical systems
    James H. Pikul, University of Pennsylvania
    Talk begins at 1:16:17
       

Sponsored by American Elements

custom image


Careers in Entrepreneurship (Spoiler Alert: There’s more here than launching your own start-up!)

Fancy a career in entrepreneurship? There are many pathways to explore. Yes, you can launch your own start-up or consultancy, but you can also find and create exciting careers that nurture entrepreneurship in areas as diverse as tech transfer, marketing, venture capital, and product development. In this workshop, we discussed the multitude of professional avenues you can pursue if you want to go into entrepreneurship, and how to access, position yourself for success, and advance in these roles and ecosystems. Of course, we also explored the career path of entrepreneur as well, and discussed various aspects of being a start-up success.

Talk begins at 4:19
   


Career Paths in Materials Science and Engineering

What is your future in Materials Science and Engineering? Tenured professor, laboratory researcher, industrial engineer, advocate, journalist—so many choices!

Join this panel of scientists – from Academia, Industry, Government Agencies, Non-profit and beyond – who will share insights about the role of materials science and engineering in their organizations and address existing career paths to explore.

Some of the many topics that the panelists will discuss include:

  • How and why they selected their chosen career path.
  • What challenges have they faced and what has helped them get to where they are.
  • What do they like most (and least) about working in their particular sector.
  • Job opportunities that are available in each sector.



Phase-change Materials in Electronics and Photonics

The rapidly growing demand for data storage and processing, driven by artificial intelligence and other data-intensive applications, is posing a serious challenge for current computing devices based on the von Neumann architecture. For every calculation, data sets need to be shuffled sequentially between the processor, and multiple memory and storage units through bandwidth-limited and energy-inefficient interconnects, typically causing 40% power wastage. Phase-change materials (PCMs) show great promise to break this bottleneck by enabling nonvolatile memory devices that can optimize the complex memory hierarchy, and neuro-inspired computing devices that can unify computing with storage in memory cells.

The articles in the September, 2019 issue of MRS Bulletin highlighted recent breakthroughs in the fundamental materials science, as well as electronic and photonic implementations of these novel devices based on PCMs.

This webinar expanded upon the Bulletin issue, and an interactive Q&A session with the speakers was held at the conclusion of the presentations.

Talks

  • Phase-change materials: Empowered by an unconventional bonding mechanism
    Matthias Wuttig, RWTH Aachen
    Talk begins at 7:37
       
  • Integrated phase-change photonic devices & systems
    C. David Wright, University of Exeter
    Talk begins at 40:43
       
  • Harnessing Machine Learning Potentials to Understand the Functional Properties of Phase-change Materials
    Gabriele C. Sosso, University of Warwick
    Talk begins at 1:09:53
       

Sponsored by American Elements and J.A. Woollam Company



custom image


J.A. Woollam logo, links to www.jawoollam.com