Travis works jointly with the Synchrotron Studies of Materials group and the Quantum Materials group (Center for Molecular Engineering), using coherent and ultrafast x-ray techniques to characterize nanoscale and quantum materials. Leveraging both the APS synchrotron and international x-ray free electron laser user facilities, Travis performs time-resolved x-ray diffraction, nanodiffraction imaging, and Bragg coherent diffraction imaging to characterize novel materials for both fundamental discovery, and next-generation technology. Travis is also interested in developing multimodal x-ray-optical characterization techniques for host materials for defect-based quantum sensing.

Travis has expertise in ultrafast lasers, coherent diffraction of short wavelength light, nanoscale effects on thermal and elastic properties, and high harmonic generation. His research interests include phononic metamaterials, nanomaterials, non-diffusive thermal transport, ultrafast dynamics, coherent x-ray diffraction and imaging, quantum sensing, and advanced and multimodal measurement techniques.

Selected Publications

• T. D. Frazer, Yi Zhu, Zhonghou Cai, Donald A. Walko, Carolina Adamo, Darrell G. Schlom, Eric E. Fullerton, Paul G. Evans, Stephan O. Hruszkewycz, Yue Cao, Haidan Wen, ​“Optical transient grating pumped x-ray diffraction microscopy for studying mesoscale structural dynamics,” Sci. Rep. 11(1), 19322 (2021).
• T. D. Frazer, J. L. Knobloch, J. N. Hernández-Charpak, K. M. Hoogeboom-Pot, D. Nardi, S. Yazdi, W. Chao, E. H. Anderson, M. K. Tripp, S. W. King, H. C. Kapteyn, M. M. Murnane, and B. Abad, ​“Full characterization of ultrathin 5-nm low-k dielectric bilayers: Influence of dopants and surfaces on the mechanical properties,” Phys. Rev. Mater. 4(7), 073603 (2020).
• T. D. Frazer, J. L. Knobloch, K. M. Hoogeboom-Pot, D. Nardi, W. Chao, R. W. Falcone, M. M. Murnane, H. C. Kapteyn, and J. N. Hernández-Charpak, ​“Engineering nanoscale thermal transport: Size- and spacing-dependent cooling of nanostructures”, Phys. Rev. Appl. 11(2), 024042 (2019).
• F. Bencivenga, R. Mincigrucci, F. Capotondi, L. Foglia, D. Naumenko, A. A. Maznev, E. Pedersoli, A. Simoncig, F. Caporaletti, V. Chiloyan, R. Cucini, F. Dallari, R. A. Duncan, T. D. Frazer, G. Gaio, A. Gessini, L. Giannessi, S. Huberman H. Kapteyn, J. Knobloch, G. Kurdi, N. Mahne, M. Manfredda, A. Martinelli, M. Murnane, E. Principi, L. Raimondi, S. Spampinati, C. Spezzani, M. Trovò, M. Zangrando, G. Chen, G. Monaco, K.A. Nelson, and C. Masciovecchio, ​“Nanoscale transient gratings excited and probed by extreme ultraviolet femtosecond pulses”, Sci. Adv. 5(7), eaaw5805 (2019).
• R. M. Karl, G. F. Mancini, J. L. Knobloch, T. D. Frazer, J. N. Hernández-Charpak, B. Abad, D. F. Gardner, E. R. Shanblatt, M. Tanksalvala, C. L. Porter, C. S. Bevis, D. E. Adams, H. C. Kapteyn, and M. M. Murnane, ​“Full-field imaging of thermal and acoustic dynamics in an individual nanostructure using tabletop high harmonic beams,” Sci. Adv. 4(10), eaau4295 (2018).