Colloquium Prof. Salvador Barraza-Lopes (University of Arkansas)

Speaker: Salvador Barraza-Lopez (University of Arkansas)

Title: Two-dimensional multiferroics: what we know and what lies ahead

Abstract: Not longer than ten years ago, a “ferroelectric” material was an insulating ternary oxide, whose ferroelectric properties died off when thinned down to a few tens of nanometers. Since 2016, new families of ferroic 2D materials (ferroelastic, ferroelectric, (anti)ferromagnetic, and multiferroic) have been deployed. In this talk, I will outline my involvement in the development of a family of ultrathin functional materials–2D ferroelectrics within the IV-VI material family [1-3]. My focus will be on the conceptual issues brought about by these new materials. I will then discuss some concepts behind the creation of multiferroic 2D materials. I will finish by hinting at the directions this new field appears to be heading to.

References:

1. GG Naumis, S Barraza-Lopez, M Oliva-Leyva, & H Terrones. Reports on Progress in Physics 80, 096501 (2017).
2. S Barraza-Lopez, BM Fregoso, JW Villanova, SSP Parkin, & K Chang. Reviews of Modern Physics 93, 011001 (2021).
3. GG Naumis, SA Herrera, SP Poudel, H Nakamura, & S Barraza-Lopez. Reports on Progress in Physics 87, 016502 (2024).

Bio: Salvador Barraza-Lopez received a Degree of Licenciado (Bachelor’s Degree) in Physics and Mathematics from the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City in 2000, and a PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006. He was a Postdoctoral Associate at Virginia Tech (2006-2008) and Georgia Tech (2008-2011). He has been Assistant (2011-2017) and Associate Professor (2017 to date) at the University of Arkansas. Salvador pioneered the concept of two-dimensional structural phase transformations in 2D materials, and has published three review articles on the subject (two in Rep. Prog. Phys. and one at Rev. Mod. Phys). The experimental counterpart of his work is being pursued in China (K. Chang) and Germany (S. Parkin).