BALANDIN GROUP AT UCLA

The Balandin Group conducts fundamental, basic science and engineering research aimed at understanding the properties of strongly correlated quantum materials and developing new electronic, optical, and energy conversion devices based on such materials. The underlying phenomena determining the properties of these novel materials are closely associated with phonons, i.e., quanta of crystal lattice vibrations. The current materials systems of interest include 1D and 2D van der Waals materials, charge-density-wave materials, quantum, topological, and chiral materials, ultra-wide-band-gap semiconductors, antiferromagnetic materials, and composites for thermal and electronic applications.

The research conducted in the group has important engineering applications. Charge-density-wave and strongly correlated materials demonstrate potential for information processing with drastically reduced energy dissipation, which is critical in the age of artificial intelligence. Acoustic phonon characteristics and thermal conductivity of materials are needed for heat removal and thermal management of silicon CMOS and beyond-CMOS electronics. Measurements of low-frequency electronic noise provide information required for applications of novel materials in communications links and sensors, while also allowing for assessing material and device reliability. To investigate the properties of advanced materials, group members fabricate test structures in the UCLA CNSI cleanroom and conduct measurements in the laboratories operated by the group. If you are a student interested in delivering the next breakthrough in materials engineering, which will have a game-changing impact on future electronic and energy conversion devices, this group is for you.

The Balandin Group is internationally recognized for pioneering studies of the thermal properties of graphene and few-layer graphene, the discovery of unique features of phonon thermal transport in 2D materials, and the demonstration of the first thermal management applications of graphene. The spectroscopy-based optothermal technique developed by Professor Balandin for the first measurements of thermal conductivity of graphene has become a standard method for investigating the thermal properties of various 2D materials. The group is known for key contributions to phononics and nanoscale phonon engineering. It accomplished several firsts in the phononics field, including the concept of controlling thermal conductivity via spatial confinement of acoustic phonons, the experimental proof of confined acoustic phonons in semiconductor nanowires, and the demonstration of the charge-density-wave devices functioning at room temperature. In recognition of these discoveries, Professor Balandin received the MRS Medal from the Materials Research Society and the Pioneer of Nanotechnology Award from the IEEE Society.

Presently, the group’s research activities include quasi-1D and quasi-2D van der Waals materials, quantum and strongly correlated materials, low-frequency electronic noise and noise spectroscopy, inelastic light scattering spectroscopy, and heat conduction in composites and nanostructured materials. If you would like to join the research group as a Ph.D. student, you should demonstrate a strong interest in materials engineering, a background in solid-state physics, motivation for graduate education, natural curiosity, and the ability to work independently. As a group member, in addition to all research qualifications, you should be able to enjoy life in neighborhoods around UCLA: Westwood, Hollywood, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and Century City. You should also be ready to endure UCLA’s status as the number one public university in the U.S.A., according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” list, and all that comes with this status, maintained by UCLA for many years. The photos below show happy current group members and illustrate their exciting research.

If you are a current M.S. student at the MSE department interested in the capstone or thesis option, email the PI. Motivated M.S. students from various departments at UCLA who demonstrated potential for doctoral studies via their research contributions have the possibility for a degree objective change to Ph.D. If you are an exceptional student who is interested in a Ph.D. position with the group, apply for the next Fall quarter, and after that, email the PI.

Figure 1: Curious and happy Ph.D. students are loading a test structure, they fabricated in the UCLA cleanroom for electronic transport measurements (left panel). Well-dressed Ph.D. students are using an advanced microscope to visualize the nanostructure they fabricated.   

Figure 2: Ph.D. students in enjoy access to the most advanced nanofabrication tools and materials characterization facilities at UCLA, the number one public university in the U.S.A. for many years in a row.

The Balandin Group operates the Phonon Optimized Engineered Materials (UCLA POEM) Laboratory and the Brillouin – Mandelstam Spectroscopy (BMS) Laboratory at the UCLA California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). The mission of the UCLA POEM Laboratory is to investigate phonon-related strongly correlated phenomena in advanced materials and develop innovative methods for controlling phonon transport and phonon interactions with other elemental excitations in advanced materials. The UCLA POEM Laboratory’s facilities include Raman spectroscopy, Brillouin–Mandelstam spectroscopy, electrical and thermal characterization equipment, electronic noise spectroscopy, microscopy, and other materials characterization equipment. The equipment consists of the van der Waals materials transfer systems, Quantum Design PPMS and Lake Shore testing systems, glove boxes, microscopy equipment, and the low-frequency electronic noise system. The group members have full access to the UCLA Nano-Lab operated by CNSI and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), as well as other advanced user facilities at UCLA. More information about facilities and equipment available in the Balandin Group can be found on the POEM Laboratory page of this website. The image below has been the official logo of the Balandin Group for many years.