Prof. Meng’s research focuses on semiconductor crystal growth for optoelectronic device applications and on characterization of materials towards a structure-based understanding of functional properties. There are several central research themes: novel ferroelectrics based on alloys of aluminum nitride, dielectric breakdown and resistive switching, and transmission electron microscopy and other structural characterization techniques. The lab focuses on epitaxial growth of thin films, nanowires, and other nanostructures using chemical vapor deposition. We are also interested in method development for transmission electron microscopy: including the use of 4D-STEM to perform strain mapping, crystallographic orientation mapping, and differential phase contrast imaging; and the use of in-situ electrical biasing to study polarization domains in ferroelectric materials. Target applications include random-access memory devices for neuromorphic computing hardware and piezoelectric sensors/actuators.