FengPic

Feng Liu

Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah

email: fliu@eng.utah.edu

Tel: 801-587-7719

Fax: 801-581-4816

Mail: Room 414, 122 S. Central Campus Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Research Interest

Our research interests lie in the materials modeling and simulation from the atomic to mesoscopic scales. We develop and apply both first-principles computational methods and phenomenological theoretical models to study a wide spectrum of materials properties in various materials systems. Most recently, we have focused on modeling and simulation of properties of surfaces and interfaces, growth mechanisms of thin films, and self-assembly and self-organization of nanostructures.

Click here to see more details of our research.

Selected Recent Publications

  1. “Theory of Directed Nucleation of Strained Islands on Patterned Substrates” H. Hu, H.J. Gao and Feng Liu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 216102 (2008). (pdf)
  2. “Dual-surfactant effect on enhancing p-type doping in III-V semiconductor thin films” Junyi Zhu, Feng Liu, G.B. Stringfellow, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 196103 (2008). (pdf)
  3. “Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes by Rolling Up Patterned Graphene Nanoribbons Using Selective Atomic Adsorption”, Decai Yu and Feng Liu, Nano Lett. 7, 3046 (2007). (pdf)
  4. “Mechanism for Nanotube Formation from Self-Bending Nanofilms Driven by Atomic-Scale Surface-Stress Imbalance”, Ji Zang, Minghuang Huang, and Feng Liu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 146102 (2007). (pdf)
  5. “Quantum Size Effect on Adatom Surface Diffusion”, Li-Ying Ma, Lin Tang, Ze-Lei Guan, Ke He, An Kang, Xu-Cun Ma, Jin-Feng Jia, Qi-Kun Xue, Steve Huang, and Feng Liu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 266102 (2006). (pdf)
  6. “Surface Mobility Difference between Si and Ge and its Effect on Growth of SiGe Alloy Films and Islands”, Li Huang, Feng Liu, Guang-Hong Lu and X. G. Gong, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 016103 (2006). (pdf)
  7. “Nanomechanical Architecture of Strained Bilayer Thin Films: from design principles to experimental fabrication”, Minghuang Huang, C. Boone, M. Roberts, D. E. Savage, M. G. Lagally, N. Shaji, H. Qin, R. Blick, J. A. Nairn, and Feng Liu, Adv. Mater. 17, 2860 (2005). (pdf)
  8. “Towards Quantitative Understanding of Formation and Stability of Ge Hut Island on Si(001)”, G.H. Lu and Feng Liu, Phys. Rev. Lett 94, 176103 (2005).(pdf)
  9. “Self-Organized Quantum-Wire Lattice via Step Flow Growth of a Short-Period Superlattice”, L. Bai, J. Tersoff, and Feng Liu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 225503 (2004). (pdf)
  10. “Geometry Constant Defining Shape Transitions of Carbon Nanotubes under Pressure”, Ji Zang, Andrejs Treibergs, Y. Han, and Feng Liu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 105501 (2004). (pdf)

Selected Book/Encyclopedia Chapters and Reviews

  1. "Modeling and Simulation of Strain-Mediated Nanostructure Formation on Surface", Feng Liu, in "Handbook of Theoretical and Computational Nanotechnology", eds. M. Rieth and W. Schommers, Chapter 10, 577-625 (2006). [Abstract] [Read]
  2. “Surfaces and Interfaces, Structure of”, Feng Liu, M. Hohage, and M.G. Lagally, Encyclopedia of Appl. Phys., eds. H. Immergut and G. Trigg, Supplement Volume, 321-352 (1999). [Abstract] [Read]

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This book chapter provides an overview of the progress made in the last decade on theoretical modeling and computer simulation of strain-mediated formation of nanostructures on surface, focusing on strain-induced self-assembly and self-organization of two-dimensional patterns and structures. As part of a handbook, the main objective is to provide a general introduction of the basic concepts and physical models along with some relatively detailed discussion of mathematical derivations and technical treatments so that readers, especially graduate students who are interested in this topic can use this chapter as a guide and reference to start their own modeling and simulation.

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This encyclopedia article gives an overview of basic concepts and fundamental principles underlying the structure of solid surfaces and interfaces. A brief discussion of surface thermodynamics is provided in the context of the Gibbs model, and the relationship between surface stress and surface tension for a solid surface is established. Basic definitions and notations of surface crystallography are introduced for the description of structures of single-crystal surfaces. Surface relaxation and surface reconstruction are discussed in detail and illustrated with examples of semiconductor and metal surfaces. Underlying physical mechanisms relating the atomic structure to the electronic structure are summarized. A qualitative description of the morphology of real surfaces, interfaces, and thin films is provided.

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