Colloquium: Dr. Kun Wang | Mississippi State University

TITLE: Probing and Controlling Quantum Transport and Energy Conversion at the Molecular Scale

ABSTRACT: Molecules - the smallest unit of matter - have been playing a pivotal role in today’s materials science, nanotechnology, and quantum science. The capability to manipulate physical and chemical behaviors of single molecules and understand how they respond to external stimuli represents important opportunities for optoelectronics, energy, and quantum applications. In this colloquium, I will talk about my recent studies on developing experimental tools to probe quantum transport in molecular-scale systems and further leveraging them to address challenges in molecular optoelectronics, energy conversion, and nano-sensing. First, I will introduce strategies to construct molecular scale electronic devices, such as diodes and transistors. Second, I will discuss my work on developing new experimental approaches to interrogate thermoelectric energy conversion in molecular junction devices, which points to new opportunities for energy harvesting and refrigeration. Third, I will describe how single molecules can be used as nanoscopic quantum sensors to directly access plasmonic hot carriers and how the experimental approach developed in my work will enable systematic study of plasmon-driven physics and chemistry in many plasmonic systems. Finally, I will give an overview for my future research directions.