Delia Milliron
Deputy Director, Molecular Foundry
dmilliron@lbl.gov
510.486.6723
Research Interests
My research is focused on the integration of colloidal nanocrystals into new electronic materials and on understanding the impact of nanometer-size scaling on material properties. New materials are being developed on the basis of both known and innovative building blocks including nanocrystals and soluble inorganic clusters.
Visit The Milliron Research Group
Current projects
- Nanocrystal synthetic development
Our research aims to manipulate the properties of nanocrystals by achieving control over both their geometric parameters and their surface functionalization. These goals require the development of advanced synthetic tools.- Automated Platform for the reproducible synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals
While colloidal nanocrystals hold tremendous potential for both enhancing fundamental understanding of materials scaling and enabling advanced technologies, progress in both realms can be inhibited by the limited reproducibility of traditional synthetic methods and by the difficulty of optimizing syntheses over a large number of synthetic parameters. Here, we describe an automated platform for the reproducible synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals and for the high-throughput optimization of physical properties relevant to emerging applications of nanomaterials. Learn more
- Emory M. Chan, Chenxu Xu, Alvin W. Mao, Gang Han, Jonathan S. Owen, Bruce E. Cohen, and Delia J. Milliron
- Automated Platform for the reproducible synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals
- Inorganic Nanocomposites
Inorganic nanocomposites are an emerging class of materials that are attractive for several applications including energy generation, efficiency and storage. Our new solution-based method provides one of the first approaches for preparing inorganic nanocomposites in which the morphology can be controlled over a wide range of compositions.- Controlling morphology over a wide range of compositions
Inorganic nanocomposites have recently emerged as a means of controlling material functionality by morphology and composition to give combinations of properties not generally found in homogeneous single-phase materials. However, the development of nanocomposites for such applications is hindered by the lack of a general fabrication method capable of controlling morphology over a wide range of compositions. Learn more
- Ravisubhash Tangirala, Jessy L. Baker, A. Paul Alivisatos, and Delia J. Milliron
- Controlling morphology over a wide range of compositions
- Transport in nanostructured materials
Transport in nanostructured materials can differ significantly from typical materials due to size-effects such as carrier confinement, increased interface density, and lattice strain. By controlling the characteristic lengths of our nanomaterials, we can then tune the transport within them. For example, at the interface between two materials, ion concentrations can exceed that of the bulk material. The effective ion concentration of the material and its overall ion conductivity can then by tuned by adjusting the interface density. - Phase change memory materials
Phase Change Memory is a class of electronic storage technology which stores data through the reversible crystalline-amorphous phase transition of the active material. Our group focuses on the synthesis, materials characterization and device incorporation of novel, solution-based phase change materials (PCM).- Solution-phase deposition and nanopatterning of GeSbSe phase-change materials
Although optical data storage is accomplished by laser-induced heating of continuous films, electronic memory requires integration of discrete nanoscale phase-change material features with read/write electronics. Currently, phase-change films are most commonly deposited by sputter deposition, and patterned by conventional lithography. Metal chalcogenide films for transistor applications have recently been deposited by a low-temperature, solution-phase route. Here, we extend this methodology to prepare thin films and nanostructures of GeSbSe phase-change materials. Learn more
- Delia J. Milliron, Simone Raoux, Robert M. Shelb, and Jean Jordan-Sweet
- Solution-phase deposition and nanopatterning of GeSbSe phase-change materials
Selected publications
- E. M. Chan, C. Xu, A. W. Mao, G. Han, J. S. Owen, B. E. Cohen, D. J. Milliron, "Reproducible, High-Throughput Synthesis of Colloidal Nanocrystals for Optimization in Multidimensional Parameter Space," Nano Lett. 10, 1874 (2010).
- R. Tangirala, J. L. Baker, A. P. Alivisatos, D. J. Milliron, "Modular Inorganic Nanocomposites by Conversion of Nanocrystal Superlattices," Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 49, 2878 (2010).
- M. A. Caldwell, S. Raoux, R. Y. Wang, H. S. P. Wong, D. J. Milliron, "Synthesis and Size-Dependent Crystallization of Colloidal Germanium Telluride Nanoparticles," J. Mater. Chem. 20, 1285 (2010).
- H. Moon, J. Urban and D. Milliron, "Size-Controlled Synthesis and Optical Properties of Monodisperse Colloidal Magnesium Oxide Nanocrystals," Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 48, 6278 (2009).
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D. J. Milliron, S. Raoux, R. M. Shelby, J. Jordan-Sweet, “Solution-phase deposition and nanopatterning of GeSbSe phase change materials,” Nature Mater. 6, 352 (2007).
Education
A.B. Chemistry, Princeton University, Profs. Jeffrey Schwartz and Antoine Kahn
“Charge Injection and Chemistry at the Indium Tin Oxide-Organic Interface”
Ph.D. Physical Chemistry University of California, Berkeley Prof. A. Paul Alivisatos
“New Materials for Nanocrystal Solar Cells”
Past Positions
Postdoctoral Fellow IBM TJ Watson Research Center Dr. David Mitzi
Research Staff Member IBM Almaden Research Center
