The Center for Condensed Matter Sciences (CCMS), established in October 1992, is an interdisciplinary research institute reporting directly to the President of National Taiwan University. The overall goal of CCMS is to be a leading research institute engaged in frontier basic research and technology development. It emphasizes the development of specialized technical expertise and the establishment of advanced facilities to promote the research and technological accomplishments through collaborations with outstanding domestic and international research groups.
The fields of research in CCMS encompass physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, etc. Expertise of research groups and labs includes electron microscopy, magneto-electronics, semiconductor physics, organic polymer materials, inorganic materials, laser spectroscopy and surface science. Currently, we have 12 regular research faculty members (and/or professors), 7 additional faculty members through joint appointments, 2 NSC research scholars, more than 20 postdoctoral associates, and over 100 graduate students and assistants. In the last five years, over 100 research projects have been completed, and over 100 students have obtained M.S. and Ph.D. degrees based on studies carried out at CCMS. More than 200 scholars from various departments and universities have participated in various projects. In recent years, the research work at CCMS has been focused in the following two areas: (1) emergent materials and advanced devices, and (2) spectro-microscopy. The research groups under these two thrust areas are:
1. Emergent Materials and Advanced Devices
(1) Inorganic Materials Group
Synthesis and applications of low dimensional nano-materials including nitride semiconductors, carbon materials as well as their composites which exhibit special optical and electrical properties. Developments of new advanced bulk materials for frontier research in materials physics.
(2) Thin Film Heterostructures & Spintronics Group
Development of advanced magneto-electronics materials and study of their electronic transport and magnetic properties in the form of thin film and nanoparticles. The major applications we intend to pursue include the magnetic random access memory (MRAM), resistance random access memory (RRAM), and various spin-tronic devices involved with the incorporation of superconductivity and magnetism.
(3) Semiconductor Physics ＆Nano Electronics Group
Design and growth of advanced semiconductor structures, optical and electrical measurements under extremely low temperature and high magnetic field conditions, and also the development of far infrared light source and detectors, and future generation transistor heterostructures.
(4) Organic Polymer Materials Group
Desian, synthesis, quantum chemistry, and theoretical modeling of hyper-structured materials based on functionalized C60 and polymer for possible applications in industry, agriculture and medicine.
(5) Theoretical Modeling and Materials Computations
Theoretical and computational studies of physical and chemical properties of a wide range of materials. Development of molecular theories for non-linear spectroscopy.
2. Spectro-Microscopy
(1) Electron Microscopy Group
Study of the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of novel oxide and nano-structured materials by various techniques associated with electron microscopy, and the development of frontier techniques in transmission electron microscopy, such as electron energy-loss spectroscopy, electron tomography and electron holography.
(2) Laser Spectroscopy Group
Development of frequency-and-time-resolved laser spectroscopic techniques for the study of static properties and dynamical behaviors of various materials with potential electronic and optoelectronic applications.
(3) Surface Science Group
Physics and chemistry of material interfaces, surface analytical spectroscopy and development of scanning probe techniques, with emphasis of applications on novel materials and nano-structures.
(4) Nano-Physics Group
Focus on nano-scale novel phenomena including photonics, electronics, mechanical and thermal properties as well their potential applications.