Many new electronic devices require sophisticated thin film processing techniques. For example, ultra thin films or superlattices may require the thickness controlled down to one unit cell; other devices may need the lateral dimensions to be patterned down to submicron or smaller sizes. Oxide materials possess an enormous range of electrical, optical, and magnetic properties.

For instance, insulators, high quality metals, dielectrics, ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, semiconductors, ferromagnetics, transparent conductors, colossal magnetoresistance materials, superconductors, and nonlinear optic materials have all been produced using oxide materials.

Therefore, thin films and heterostructures of oxide materials have great potential for novel device applications. His main area of interest is the synthesis and characterization of epitaxial oxide heterostructures uniquely suited for electronic, magnetic, piezoelectric, and high T c superconducting devices. He is also interested in epitaxial oxide superlattices consisting of two or more materials combined at nanoscale thickness.