About

Professor Lane W. Martin is a Principal Investigator at Rice University, affiliated with the Rice Advanced Materials Institute and the Departments of Materials Science & NanoEngineering, Chemistry, and Physics and Astronomy. His research focuses on advanced materials, likely involving the development and understanding of materials at the nano-scale, as suggested by his association with materials science and nanoengineering. His work contributes to the broader field of materials science, aiming to innovate and improve materials for various technological applications. Further details about his specific research interests, background, and key contributions are not provided in the available page text.

Research topics

• Physics
• Condensed matter physics
• Materials science
• Optoelectronics
• Quantum mechanics
• Chemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Computer Science
• Biology
• Electrical engineering
• Optics
• Genetics
• Electronic engineering
• Engineering physics

Selected publications

• Strong intrinsic multiferroism and magnetoelectric coupling in (1– <i>x</i> )BiFeO ₃ –( <i>x</i> )BaTiO ₃ films

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2026-04-28

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The coexistence of ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic order in BiFeO 3 makes it promising for next-generation magnetoelectric devices. But, single-phase multiferroics with robust room-temperature polarization and magnetization are rare. Here, enhanced, room-temperature ferroelectric polarization (≈ 120 µC cm –2 ), saturation magnetization (≈ 40 emu cm –3 ), and strong magnetoelectric coupling (≈ 400 mV cm –1 Oe –1 ) are observed in epitaxial (1– x )BiFeO 3 –( x )BaTiO 3 thin films. These values of magnetization and magnetoelectric coupling are, respectively, one- and two-orders of magnitude larger than those same properties in the widely studied parent material BiFeO 3 . This sought after combination of properties is found in a distinct tetragonal phase, which is different from rhombohedral and super-tetragonal variants of BiFeO 3 , that emerges at x = 0.2 to 0.3 via combined chemical substitution and epitaxial strain. Structural and physical-property characterization, along with first-principles calculations, reveal a transition from monoclinic to tetragonal symmetry and suggest that short-range ordering of the titanium in the tetragonal phase results in ferrimagnetic spin ordering. This work demonstrates a unique single-phase multiferroic combining strong polarization, magnetization, and magnetoelectric coupling achieved through manipulation of the coupled chemical order and spin order; thereby addressing a major challenge in multiferroics research and providing a path toward practical room-temperature, efficient charge-to-spin and spin-to-charge conversion technologies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author Correction: Magnon confinement in epitaxial antiferromagnetic oxide heterostructures

  Nature Materials · 2026-04-23

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Phase Boundary Enabled High Dielectric Tunability in Ba ₁ ₋ _x Sr _x TiO ₃ Thin Films and their Integration on Silicon

  Advanced Materials · 2026-04-21

  article

  ABSTRACT Achieving ultra‐high dielectric tunability with robust temperature and frequency stability poses a key challenge for next‐generation microwave electronics and telecommunications devices. Likewise, the integration of such materials with silicon is critical for scalability, yet it remains a complex task. This work addresses these challenges by engineering high‐quality, lead‐free Ba 1‐ x Sr x TiO 3 (BST; x = 0.2–0.8) epitaxial thin films. Through systematic control of composition and epitaxial strain, we have experimentally revealed the coexistence of cubic, tetragonal, rhombohedral, and orthorhombic phases, forming a mixed‐phase state analogous to a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). This phase coexistence results in exceptional dielectric properties, including ultra‐high tunability (∼91%) and a high breakdown electric field (∼800 kV/cm) at room temperature (10 kHz). The films exhibit good thermal (from 330 to 473 K) and frequency (10 kHz–1 MHz) stability. The robust dielectric tunability being associated with a diffuse‐phase transition at higher strontium concentrations, arising from dipole dispersion, leading to relaxor‐like behavior. Theoretical studies using effective‐Hamiltonian approaches confirm the emergence of the MPB‐like state and its role in enhanced dielectric permittivity and tunability. Finally, integration of these BST thin films onto silicon is demonstrated, highlighting the potential for scalability. These findings bridge the gap between material innovation and industrial implementation.

  PublisherDOI

• Unleashing the Electromechanical Response of Ferroelastic Domain Reorganization in Mixed‐Phase Tetragonal Ferroelectric Multilayers

  Advanced Materials · 2026-01-08 · 1 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT There is considerable interest in thin‐film electromechanical materials due to the prospect for device miniaturization for an array of applications. The electromechanical response of thin films, however, is generally limited by substrate clamping and electrical breakdown. This work designs thin‐film piezoceramics with sub‐100‐nm thickness that address the limitations of clamping and breakdown strength and, as a result, produces films that rival or surpass their bulk piezoceramics counterparts in terms of performance. In the tetragonal ferroelectric PbZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 , strain‐induced mixtures of in‐ and out‐of‐plane oriented domain structures are leveraged to achieve the ferroelastic interconversion of in‐plane‐polarized a domains to out‐of‐plane‐polarized c domains, opening a pathway to enhanced electromechanical response (1.25%, = 170 pm/V). Operando second harmonic generation and scanning transmission electron microscopy studies confirm the a ‐to‐ c ferroelastic conversion, and establish the switching from a 1 / a 2 to c / a superdomains as the underlying mechanism for the large response. In turn, PbZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 /0.68PbMg 1/3 Nb 2/3 O 3 ‐0.32PbTiO 3 /PbZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 trilayers are fabricated to improve the electrical‐breakdown strength while maintaining the domain‐structure interconversion, resulting in the enhancement of the electromechanical strain to 2.1%. Overall, by combining domain‐structure optimization and multilayer‐heterostructure design, remarkable electromechanical response can be achieved even in sub‐100‐nm thin films normally subject to clamping effects.

  PublisherDOI

• Decoding THz‐Driven Dynamic Fingerprints of Ferroelectric Nanotwin Networks

  Advanced Materials · 2026-05-02

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT Ultrafast polarization dynamics in ferroelectrics are of considerable interest for high‐speed tunable dielectrics and electro‐optics. Extended domain wall networks formed in ferroelectric twin nanodomains can support collective dynamics in the terahertz regime but require techniques that track polarization and strain evolution driven by ultrafast stimulus. Here, we use multi‐modal probing of THz‐pulse‐driven excitations in PbTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices by combining X‐ray free electron laser measurements that directly tracks lattice changes, with optical second harmonic generation that tracks the electronic potential coupled with the lattice potential. Dynamical phase‐field modeling enables fingerprinting of these collective modes as superpositions of domain “breathing” through wall oscillations and polarization “rotations” with still walls. Ultrafast domain wall motion at 0.1–0.5 THz is observed at practical fields of 100 kV/cm with wall velocities of &gt;4000 m/s, approaching typical speed of sound in PbTiO 3 . A unique “charging” mode is discovered that can electrically charge and discharge domain walls on ∼4 ps time scale thus dynamically tuning wall conductivity. Integrated experimental and theoretical fingerprinting of the dynamical landscape presented here enables ultrafast control of ferroics for high‐speed microelectronics and optical applications.

  PublisherDOI

• Bridging experiment and theory of relaxor ferroelectrics with multislice electron ptychography

  Science · 2026-04-30

  article

  Introducing structural and/or chemical heterogeneity into otherwise ordered crystals can dramatically alter material properties. Lead-based relaxor ferroelectrics such as 0.68Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -0.32PbTiO 3 are prototypical examples. We performed three-dimensional (3D) volumetric characterization using multislice electron ptychography (MEP) and bond valence molecular dynamics (BVMD) simulations. Real-space comparisons between the two under varying strain states revealed a coherent 3D view of the “polar slush.” Dipolar correlations from the atomic to domain scales are shown to be jointly modulated by strain and chemical configurations, with the best agreement found in a model accounting for both overall chemical disorder and residual short-range order. Together, MEP and BVMD provide a framework for linking atomic-scale heterogeneity in complex materials by means of complementary 3D imaging and predictive modeling.

  PublisherDOI

• Tuning Relaxor-Antiferroelectric Order in (1 – <i>x</i>)PbMg_1/3Nb_2/3O₃-(<i>x</i>)PbZrO₃ Thin Films

  ACS Nano · 2025-08-07

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Relaxor antiferroelectrics offer potential advantages such as enhanced energy-storage capacity and improved electromechanical properties over antiferroelectrics or relaxors alone. The fundamental nature of and mechanisms leading to these enhanced properties, however, are understudied. Here, epitaxial thin films of the relaxor-antiferroelectric (1 – x)PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-(x)PbZrO3 (1 ≥ x ≥ 0.86) are studied to understand the evolution of the crystal and domain structure and dielectric and polarization properties. X-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy studies show a structural transition with increasing PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 content, from an orthorhombic (Pbam) antiferroelectric phase (x = 1) to an intermediate state of coexisting phases (x = 0.96–0.92) characterized by relaxor-like regions in the antipolar ground state that grows into a rhombohedral (R3m) relaxor phase (x = 0.86, with more randomly arranged dipoles). This transition corresponds to increasing dielectric response and reducing polarization-electric field hysteresis. These relaxor-antiferroelectric films also have 1.5–1.8-times larger electrical breakdown fields than PbZrO3, resulting in enhanced maximum electromechanical strains (as large as 1.6% and ∼60% larger) and energy-storage density (∼86% larger) and efficiency (∼33% larger) as compared to PbZrO3. Overall, this study elucidates the fundamental nature of thin-film relaxor antiferroelectrics in terms of their macro- and nanostructures, and corresponding evolution of electrical, electromechanical, and other properties.

  PublisherDOI

• Domain-Wall Enhanced Pyroelectricity

  Physical Review X · 2025-03-18 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Ferroelectric domain walls are not just static geometric boundaries between polarization domains; they are, in fact, dynamic and functional interfaces with the potential for diverse technological applications. While the roles of ferroelectric domain walls in dielectric and piezoelectric responses are better understood, their impact on pyroelectric response remains underexplored. Here, the pyroelectric response of (001)-, (101)-, and (111)-oriented epitaxial heterostructures of the tetragonal ferroelectric <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mrow><a:msub><a:mrow><a:mi>PbZr</a:mi></a:mrow><a:mrow><a:mn>0.2</a:mn></a:mrow></a:msub><a:msub><a:mrow><a:mi>Ti</a:mi></a:mrow><a:mrow><a:mn>0.8</a:mn></a:mrow></a:msub><a:msub><a:mrow><a:mi mathvariant="normal">O</a:mi></a:mrow><a:mrow><a:mn>3</a:mn></a:mrow></a:msub></a:mrow></a:math> is probed. These differently oriented heterostructures exhibit the same type of 90° ferroelastic domain walls, but their geometry and density vary with orientation. In turn, piezoresponse force microscopy and direct pyroelectric measurements reveal that (111)-oriented heterostructures exhibit both the highest density of domain walls and pyroelectric coefficients. By varying the thickness of these (111)-oriented heterostructures (from 100 to 280 nm), the density of domain walls can be varied, and a direct correlation between domain-wall density and pyroelectric coefficients is found. Molecular-dynamics simulations confirm these findings and reveal a novel domain-wall contribution to pyroelectric response in that the volume of the material in or near the domain walls exhibits a significantly higher pyroelectric coefficient as compared to the bulk of the domains. Analysis suggests that the domain-wall material has a higher responsivity of the polarization to both external fields and temperature. This study sheds light on the microscopic origin of domain-wall contributions to pyroelectricity and provides a pathway to controlling this effect.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Highly Tunable Relaxors Developed from Antiferroelectrics

  Advanced Materials · 2025-05-29 · 7 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Highly responsive, voltage‐tunable dielectrics are essential for microwave‐telecommunication electronics. Ferroelectric/relaxor materials have been leading candidates for such functionality and have exhibited agile dielectric responses. Here, it is demonstrated that relaxor materials developed from antiferroelectrics can achieve both ultrahigh dielectric response and tunability. The system, based on alloying the archetypal antiferroelectric PbZrO 3 with the dielectric BaZrO 3 , exhibits a more complex phase evolution than that in traditional relaxors and is characterized by an unconventional multi‐phase competition between antiferroelectric, ferroelectric, and paraelectric order. This interplay of phases can greatly enhance the local heterogeneities and results in relaxor characteristics while preserving considerable polarizability. Upon studying Pb 1‐ x Ba x ZrO 3 for x = 0‐0.45, Pb 0.65 Ba 0.35 ZrO 3 is found to provide for exceptional dielectric tunability under low bias fields (≈81% at 200 kV cm −1 and ≈91% at 500 kV cm −1 ) at 10 kHz, outcompeting most traditional relaxor ferroelectric films. This high tunability is sustained in the radio‐frequency range, resulting in a high commutation quality factor (&gt;2000 at 1 GHz). This work highlights the phase evolution from antiferroelectrics (with lower, “positive” dielectric tunability) to relaxors (with higher, “negative” tunability), underscoring a promising approach to develop relaxors with enhanced functional capabilities and new possibilities.

  PublisherDOI

• Colossal and tunable dielectric tunability in domain-engineered barium strontium titanate

  Nature Communications · 2025-09-26 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Realization of tunable materials that are multifunctional and maintain high performance in dynamically changing environments is a fundamental goal of science and engineering. Tunable dielectrics form the basis of a wide variety of communication and sensing devices and require breakthrough performance improvement to enable next-generation technologies. Using phenomenological modeling, film growth, and characterization, we show that devices consisting of domain-wall-rich Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 films close to a polar-domain-variant phase boundary exhibit colossal dielectric tunability of 100:1 (99%) at a voltage (electric field) of ~15 V (750 kV/cm), resulting in a tunability-quality factor product figure of merit that rises to nearly 105, two orders of magnitude higher than the best previous reported values. Remarkably, varying the amplitude of alternating-current bias enables modulation of this tunability by 50%, owing to domain-wall motion. These results suggest that domain engineering is a powerful approach for achieving excellent modulation of functional properties in ferroelectric films. In advancing the design of electronic devices, the dielectric tunability of barium strontium titanate is enhanced by an order of magnitude relative to the previously reported values through the manipulation of polar domain characteristics.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• CAREER: Enhanced Pyroelectric and Electrocaloric Effects in Complex Oxide Thin Film Heterostructures

  NSF · $550k · 2012–2014

• Collaborative Research: Design and Demonstration of Persistent Spin Textures in Ferroelectric Oxide Thin Films

  NSF · $330k · 2021–2025

• Beyond Binary: Understanding Multi-State Stability in Ferroelectrics

  NSF · $480k · 2017–2022

• CAREER: Enhanced Pyroelectric and Electrocaloric Effects in Complex Oxide Thin Film Heterostructures

  NSF · $333k · 2014–2018

• Collaborative Research: Chemisorption-Induced Ultraviolet Quantum Well Optoelectronic Materials

  NSF · $300k · 2016–2020

Frequent coauthors

• R. Ramesh

  314 shared

• Ying‐Hao Chu

  National Tsing Hua University

  170 shared

• Anoop R. Damodaran

  University of Minnesota

  134 shared

• R. Ramesh

  124 shared

• Darrell G. Schlom

  Leibniz Institute for Crystal Growth

  110 shared

• Ruijuan Xu

  100 shared

• Venkatraman Gopalan

  97 shared

• Sujit Das

  Robert Bosch (Germany)

  90 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering

  University of California Berkeley

  2008

• M.S., Materials Science and Engineering

  University of California Berkeley

  2006

• B.S., Materials Science and Engineering

  Carnegie Mellon University

  2003

Awards & honors

• Fellow, Materials Research Society (MRS) (2024)
• Fellow, American Ceramics Society (ACerS) (2023)
• Fellow, American Physical Society (APS) (2022)
• Defense Science Study Group (DSSG) (2022-2024)
• Distinguished Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Compute…