Professor

BA, chemistry, 1976
PhD, physics, 1980 Cambridge University

Contact Info

 

 

Nanoscale and Picoscale Structure and Properties

Research in the Marks group covers a wide range of topic some of which are relatively basic such as Direct Methods, Surface Structures, Quantum Electron Crystallography and Surface Charge Density while others such as Self-Lubricating Cutting Tools, Environmental Catalysis, Tribology and the Nanoscale structure of Cement have a stronger eye on applications; see our research page for more details. Much of the fundamental work involves combining cutting-edge variants of electron microscopy in a unique combination of an electron microscope and surface science system so we can combine more standard surface science probes, such as XPS or Auger, and chambers where samples are grown, all within one unique UHV system. Current projects include:

 

•   Oxide Surfaces: At the current moment it is very hard to predict the structure of oxide surfaces; this is an important problem because these are very important in a large number of different areas ranging from catalysis through new types of oxide devices and corrosion.
  
  
•   Direct Methods for Surfaces: We have recently developed some novel methods for solving surface structures with both x-ray and electron diffraction data, and for bulk materials using electron diffraction.
  
  
•   Hard Coatings: Hard coatings have numberous technological applications, ranging from coatings for cutting tools through protective layers for hard disc drives.
  
  
•   Charge Density Measurements: One of the most fundamental properties of a material is the atomic-scale electron density; if we knew this we would really not need to know where the atoms are.
  
  
•   Nanotribology: The nanoscale processes that occur in tribology (friction) are very poorly understood, particularly the role of dislocations. We are exploring this both theoretically in terms of dislocation drag models, as well as experimentally using a unique holder where we can simultaneously move a tip across a surface and image it inside a transmission electron microscope.
  
  
•   Precession Electron Diffraction: This is a new approach to performing electron diffraction, which looks very promising in terms of solving some of the classical problems in interpretation which have caused problems for many years.
  
  
•   Cement Nanostructures: Cement is one of the most common building materials, and has been used at least as far back as Roman times but, we still do not really understand its nanoscale structure and properties.

Find out more about Professor Marks' Research

Awards

Sloan Foundation Fellowship, 1987

Burton Medal from the Electron Microscopy Society of America for achievements in electron microscopy by a young researcher, 1989

Fellow, American Physica Society, 2002

Selected Publications, more here

Erdman, N., K.R. Poeppelmeier, M. Asta, O. Warschkow, D.E. Ellis, and L.D. Marks, The structure and chemistry of the TiO2-rich surface of SrTiO3(001). Nature, 2002. 419(6902): p. 55-58.

Li, Q., R.Q. Zhang, L.D. Marks, W.J. Zhang, and I. Bello, Reactivity of different tBN environments serving as reaction sites in cBN film deposition. Diamond and Related Materials, 2002. 11(7): p. 1416-1421.

Widjaja, E.J. and L.D. Marks, Microstructural evolution in Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystalline thin films. Thin Solid Films, 2003. 441(1-2): p. 63-71.

Subramanian, A., L.D. Marks, O. Warschkow, and D.E. Ellis, Direct observation of charge transfer at a MgO(111) surface. Physical Review Letters, 2004. 92(2).

Chiaramonti, A.N. and L.D. Marks, Atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy of surfaces. Journal of Materials Research, 2005. 20(7): p. 1619-1627.

Own, C.S., L.D. Marks, and W. Sinkler, Electron precession: A guide for implementation. Review of Scientific Instruments, 2005. 76(3).

Ciston, J., L.D. Marks, R. Feidenhans'l, O. Bunk, G. Falkenberg, and E.M. Lauridsen, Experimental surface charge density of the Si (100)-2x1H surface. Physical Review B, 2006. 74(8).