My scientific interest is in addressing outstanding challenges in materials design, processing, and characterization with innovations in synthesis science and in situ measurement. Specifically, I have used metal organic chemical vapor deposition and reactive magnetron sputtering to synthesize a variety of thin film material systems for energy applications including functional complex oxide multilayers to study the fundamentals of ferroelectric switching, semiconducting and transition metal nitrides for solid state lighting applications, and oxide nanocomposites to study the roles that extreme strain and 3-D epitaxy play in material stabilization. An integral part of my research has been to combine novel thin film synthesis with cutting edge synchrotron x-ray techniques including in situ surface scattering, x-ray fluorescence, ultra-fast time resolved x-ray scattering, and coherent diffraction studies. I am currently focused on developing novel materials synthesis techniques and in situ probes of the synthesis environment to better understanding how to fabricate materials with specifically designed properties and tailor materials for targeted energy applications.

Selected Publications  

• S. O. Hruszkewycz, M. J. Highland, M. V. Holt, Dongjin Kim, C. M. Folkman, Carol Thompson, A. Tripathi, G.B. Stephenson, Seungbum Hong, and P. H. Fuoss, Imaging local polarization in ferroelectric thin films by x-ray Bragg projection ptychography, Phys. Rev. Lett. accepted (2013).
• C. M. Folkman, M. J. Highland, E. Perret, S. K. Kim, T. T. Fister, H. Zhou, P. M. Baldo, S. Seifert, J. A. Eastman, P. H. Fuoss and D. D. Fong, Modular chamber mounting system for variable environment in-situ surface X-ray scattering experiments, Rev. Sci. Inst. 84, 025111 (2013).
• D. Daranciang,  M. J. Highland, H. Wen, S. M. Young, N. C. Brandt, H. Y. Hwang, M. Vattilana, M. Nicoul, D. M. Fritz, M. Cammarata, D. L. Zhu, H. T. Lemke, D. A. Walko, E. M. Dufresne, Y. L. Li, J. Larsson, D. Reis, K. Sokolowski-Tinten, K. A. Nelson, A. M. Rappe, P. H. Fuoss, G. B. Stephenson, A. M. Lindenberg, Ultrafast Photovoltaic Response in Ferroelectric Nanolayers, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 087601 (2012).
• S. O. Hruszkewycz, C. M. Folkman, M. J. Highland, M. V. Holt, S. H. Baek, S. K. Streiffer, P. Baldo, C. B. Eom, P. H. Fuoss, X-ray nanodiffraction of tilted domains in a poled epitaxial BiFeO₃ thin film, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 232903 (2011).
• M. J. Highland, T. T. Fister, D. D. Fong, P. H. Fuoss, Carol Thompson, J. A. Eastman, S. K. Streiffer, and G.B. Stephenson, Equilibrium Polarization of Ultrathin PbTiO₃ with Surface Compensation Controlled by Oxygen Partial Pressure, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 187602 (2011).
• G. B. Stephenson, M. J. Highland, Equilibrium and Stability of Polarization in Ultrathin Ferroelectric Films with Ionic Surface Compensation, Phys. Rev. B 84, 064107 (2011).
• D. D. Fong, J. A. Eastman, S. K. Kim, T. T. Fister, M. J. Highland, P.M. Baldo, P. H. Fuoss, In situ Synchrotron X-ray Characterization of ZnO Thin Films Growth by Atomic Layer Deposition Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 191904 (2010).
• M. J. Highland, T. T. Fister, M.-I. Richard, D. D. Fong, P. H. Fuoss, Carol Thompson, J. A. Eastman, S. K. Streiffer, and G. B. Stephenson, Polarization Switching without Domain Formation at the Intrinsic Coercive Field in Ultrathin PbTiO₃, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 167601 (2010) .
• M.-I. Richard, M. J. Highland, T. T. Fister, A. Munkholm, J. Mei, S. K. Streiffer, Carol Thompson, P. H. Fuoss, and G. B. Stephenson, In-Situ Synchrotron X-Ray Studies of Strain and Composition Evolution during Metal-Organic Vapor Deposition of InGaN, Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 051911 (2010).
• R. V. Wang, D. D. Fong, F. Jiang, M. J. Highland, P. H. Fuoss, Carol Thompson, A. M. Kolpak, J. A. Eastman, S. K. Streiffer, A. M. Rappe, and G. B. Stephenson, Reversible Chemical Switching of a Ferroelectric Film, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 047601 (2009).

• Solid State Solutions, Phase Diagrams, and Phase Transitions (Invited) , Second Workshop on Photocathodes: 300-500nm, University of Chicago, June 30, 2012.
• Polarization of Ultrathin PbTiO₃ with Controlled Surface Compensation (Invited) Fundamental Physics of Ferroelectrics and Related Materials, 2012.
• The Growth and Properties of Insulating and Ionically Conducting Overlayers in Ferroelectric Heterostructures Fall MRS Meeting, 2011.
• In-situ X-ray Studies of the Growth and Function of Oxide Heterostructures (Invited) 18^th American Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy, 2011.
• X-ray Scattering Studies of Polarization Switching by Asphyxiation in Ultrathin Ferroelectric Films Materials Science Division Colloquium, 2010.
• Equilibrium Polarization under Ionic Surface Compensation in Ultrathin PbTiO₃ APS March Meeting 2010.
• Oxygen Partial Pressure Dependence of Ferroelectricity in Ultrathin PbTiO₃Aspen Winter Conference on ​”Advances in the Fundamental Physics of Ferroelectrics and Related Materials” 2010.
• Stability and Transition Mechanisms of Polarization States in Ultra-thin PbTiO₃ Controlled by Ionic Surface Compensation Fall MRS Meeting 2009.
• The Role of Substrate Polarity and Epitaxial Strain on Ferroelectricity in PbTiO₃ on DyScO₃ The 17^th American Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy 2009.
• Polarization Switching at the Intrinsic Coercive Field of PbTiO₃ by Changing Oxygen Partial Pressure APS March Meeting 2009.
• Reaching the Intrinsic Coercive Field of PbTiO₃ during Polarization Switching Induced by Changing Oxygen Partial Pressure The 15^th International Workshop on Oxide Electronics 2008.
• Reaching the Intrinsic Coercive Field of PbTiO₃ during Polarization Switching Induced by Changing Oxygen Partial Pressure Fall MRS Meeting 2008.
• Effects of Substrate Polarity, Strain, and Chemical Boundary Conditions on Ferroelectricity in PbTiO₃ on DyScO₃ APS March Meeting 2008.