Qifang is a PhD candidate working on ferroelectric materials and graphene. In essence, she is aiming to create a reasonable energy gap for graphene via periodic potential modulations.
Graphene, discovered in 2004, marked a new phase of condensed matter. It is the first example of two-dimensional materials. Despite being one atom thick, the material exhibits distinct and superior electrical conductivity compared to conventional metals and semiconductors, but with no band gap. Owing to the tremendous efforts by other in probing ferroelectric materials, Qifang is able to manufacture periodic structures using Piezoresponse Force Microscopy so as to induce an energy gap in graphene. Qifang is a proficient user of Atomic Force Microscopy, Piezoresponse Force Microscopy, Kelvin Probe Microscopy and a range of clean room fabrication techniques including but not limited to E-beam lithography and evaporation.
Qifang has completed an MEng in Engineering at the University of Cambridge prior to her PhD studies. For her Masters thesis she was investigating ferroelectric materials for application in non-volatile memory devices.
You are invited to connect with Qifang on LinkedIn.
Durkan Lab 