SYMPOSIUM 8 – Complex Oxide Thin Films and Heterostructures

Complex oxide thin films and heterostructures provide a rich platform for discovering and engineering novel electronic, magnetic, ferroic, and quantum phenomena. This symposium will highlight recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and integration of complex oxide thin films, superlattices, and nanocomposites. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding how strain, defects, interfaces, and dimensionality influence structure-property relationships, as well as on efforts that combine theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches. Contributions involving AI-driven autonomous synthesis, machine learning-assisted materials discovery, and advanced data analysis are strongly encouraged. The symposium aims to unite researchers working on epitaxial oxide growth using techniques such as pulsed laser deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, and chemical vapor deposition. Discussions will address opportunities for strongly correlated oxide thin films in microelectronics, quantum technologies, energy systems, extreme environments, and electrocatalytic applications while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation among scientists developing next-generation functional materials, devices, and scalable manufacturing approaches worldwide.

Session Topics:

Epitaxial growth and controlled synthesis of complex oxide thin films, superlattices, and nanocomposites
Functional oxide thin films for device applications
Strain, defect, and interface engineering via epitaxy
Synthesis and functional properties of high-entropy and metastable oxide thin films
In situ and operando characterization: Probing growth mechanisms, defect dynamics, and related functionalities
Theory and modeling of complex oxides: From strain and interface control to defect chemistry and electronic structure
AI/ML-driven autonomous thin film synthesis for accelerated discovery, growth, and characterization

Symposium Organizer(s):

Sundar Kunwar, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA
Le Wang, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA
James Rondinelli, Northwestern University, USA
Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll, University of Cambridge, UK
Hyoungjeen Jeen, Pusan National University, Korea

Point(s) of Contact:

Sundar Kunwar; sundar@lanl.gov

Division Sponsor(s):
Basic Science Division
Electronics Division