Mikel “Micky” Holcomb, Ph.D.
Contact
Assistant Professor West Virginia University Department of Physics White Hall 437 135 Wiley Street PO Box 6315 Morgantown, WV 26506
Phone: 304-293-5196 Email: mikel.holcomb@mail.wvu.edu
Visit the Holcomb Group Lab Page
Research
- Second harmonic generation studies of carrier dynamics in oxides, thin films and organics
- X-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray magnetic dichroism (linear and circular)
- Imaging of organics, (anti-)ferromagnetic domains and ferroelectric domains
- Simulation and modeling of expected imaging contrast for different magnetic behaviors
- Exchange bias, coupling between antiferromagnets and ferromagnets
- Multifunctional materials with potential coupling with order parameters
- Electric control of magnetic structure
The long-term research goal of the Holcomb group is to understand the fundamental physics involving complex oxide surfaces and interfaces that will allow the design of better devices. The importance of complex oxides is underscored by the wide range of applications, including reducing of the toxic emission in automobiles, checking on the health of unborn babies by ultrasound, improving the performance of computers and video game consoles, and much more. In addition to being among the most abundant minerals on earth, complex oxides, with their strong oxygen-mediated bonding, manifest some of the most varied and interesting properties, including their use as dielectric and superconducting materials. Recently, magnetoelectricity has become one of the most intriguing properties exhibited in some complex oxides.
