About

The Engineered Layered Materials (ELM) Laboratory grows and engineers two-dimensional (2D) materials by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with a central focus on controlling their atomic structure and defects. Our platform material is hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), a wide-band-gap 2D insulator whose stacking, polytype, and point defects can be programmed during CVD growth into distinctive functionality. From this atomic-scale control we work across the full chain — from CVD synthesis, through structure and defect engineering, to optoelectronic, quantum, and electronic devices.

hBN thin-film synthesis by CVD

We build chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes that grow wafer-scale, layer-controlled hBN thin films. By tuning precursor chemistry, temperature, and the growth surface, we target uniform thickness, reproducible crystallinity, and precise layer control — the foundation on which the atomic structure and defects can then be engineered by design.

Atomic-structure control

The way individual hBN layers stack — their sequence, polytype, and rotational alignment — determines whether the crystal preserves or breaks inversion symmetry, which in turn governs many of its optical and electronic responses. We control the atomic structure during growth to create deliberately symmetry-engineered crystals and van der Waals heterostructures with tailored functionality.

Defect control

Point defects in hBN can act as bright, room-temperature single-photon emitters and spin-active centers. We study how to create, position, and stabilize these defects by design, turning them from imperfections into functional building blocks with reproducible, controllable properties.

Optoelectronic applications

The wide band gap of hBN makes it a natural platform for deep-ultraviolet light emission and detection. We integrate engineered hBN into ultraviolet emitters and photodetectors, connecting the material’s atomic structure directly to real device performance.

Quantum applications

Engineered defects in hBN serve as quantum-grade light sources and spin hosts. We build these emitters into quantum photonic and quantum-information platforms that operate at, or near, room temperature — bridging materials growth and quantum device physics.

Electronic device applications

Layered hBN and its heterostructures are promising building blocks for memristive, neuromorphic, and next-generation electronic devices. We explore how controlled defects and interfaces enable resistive switching and synaptic behavior for low-power electronics.