Professor Thompson and his students carry out research on thin films and nanostructures for use in micro- and nano-systems, especially electronic, electromechanical and electrochemical systems. His group carries out basic research on structure evolution during deposition and post-deposition processing of thin films. The latter includes research on templated solid-state dewetting of thin films and nanostructures, for development of new patterning methods and for basic studies of capillary-driven morphological evolution. Prof. Thompson's group also carries out research on the mechanisms of carbon nanotube growth and metal-catalyzed etching for creation of semiconductor nanowire arrays. Carbon nanotubes are also used in research on metal-air batteries and capacitive desalination devices, and nanowires are used in research on solid state supercapacitors. Thin film Li-ion microbatteries and thermogalvanic energy harvesting devices for applications in autonomous microsystems are also under investigation.
MEMS,Nanotechnology,Interfaces and Thin Films