Kun Wang

Image of Kun Wang

Kun Wang

Assistant Professor

B.S. in Physics and Microelectronics, Shandong University, 2011 
Ph.D. in Physics, University of Georgia, 2016
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2020

Email

Website CV

Research Interests

Molecules, the fundamental building blocks of matter, are full of amazing chemistry and physics. A functional device made of a single molecule or nanoscale assemblies of molecules not only represents the ultimate device miniaturization, it also holds promise for addressing grand challenges in optoelectronics, computing, energy conversion, and nano-sensing.

Our research focuses on probing charge transport, energy conversion, catalysis, and sensing at the molecular scale, and further engineering the role of molecular building blocks in various nanoscale systems. Specifically, we leverage scanning probe-based techniques in conjunction with other advanced nano-measurement tools to study the transport properties of molecular materials and nanostructures (including single molecules, molecular monolayers/thin films, and molecular assemblies/networks), and how their properties respond to different external stimuli (light, heat, electrochemical environment, mechanical modulation and magnetic field). Our experiments will shed light on the fundamental physical and chemical mechanisms that govern the behavior of molecules in nanoscale devices and establish the correlation between molecular structures and desired transport phenomena, while paving the ways for future technological advances.

What makes our research most fun is the opportunity to tackle emerging scientific problems at the intersection and forefront of Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and Nanoscience, and to work/collaborate with leading scientists/researchers in these areas. You are always welcome to checkout our research, join us, collaborate with us, and most importantly have fun with us together.

Open Positions:

Research positions are frequently available to postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. If you are interested in working with us, please do not hesitate to check out our group website and/or email Kun to find out the most updated information and discuss the opportunities.  
If you are a self-funded visiting student or scholar, you are always welcome to join us. Please contact Kun for further details.

 

https://www.physics.msstate.edu/about/faculty-staff/faculty/kun-wang/

 

Selected Publications:

  1. “Molecular rectifier composed of DNA with high rectification ratio enabled by intercalation” C Guo*, K Wang*, E Zerah-Harush, J Hamill, B Wang, Y Dubi, BQ Xu (*equal contribution) Nature Chemistry, 8, 484-490 (2016)
  2. “Peltier cooling in molecular junctions” L Cui, R Miao, K Wang, D Thompson, L Zotti, JC Cuevas, E Meyhofer, P Reddy. Nature Nanotechnology, 13, 122-127 (2018)
  3. “Mapping the details of contact effect of modulated Au-octanedithiol-Au break junction by force-conductance cross-correlation” K Wang, J Hamill, JF Zhou, BQ Xu J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 17406–17409 (2014)
  4. “Side group-mediated mechanical conductance switching in molecular junctions” AK Ismael*, K Wang*, A Vezzoli*, HE Gallagher, IM Grace, CJ Lambert, B Xu, RJ Nichols and SJ Higgins Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56, 15378-15382 (2017)
  5. “Charge transfer complexation boosts molecular conductance through Fermi level pinning” K Wang*, A Vezzoli*, I Grace*, M McLaughlin, RJ Nichols, B Xu, CJ Lambert, SJ Higgins Chem. Sci. 10, 2396-2403 (2019)
  6. “Structure determined charge transport in single DNA molecule break junctions” K Wang, J Hamill, B Wang, CL Guo, S Jiang, Z Huang, BQ Xu Chem. Sci. 5, 3425-3431 (2014)
  7. “Thermal and thermoelectric properties of molecular junctions” K Wang, E Meyhofer, PR Reddy Adv. Funct. Mater. 30, 1904534 (2020)
  8. “Photo-Conductance from Exciton Binding in Molecular Junctions” J Zhou, K Wang, B Xu, Y Dubi J. Am. Chem. Soc. 140, 70-73 (2018)
  9. “Self-Assembly of Concentric Hexagons and Hierarchical Self-Assembly of Supramolecular Metal-Organic Nanoribbons (SMON) at Solid/Liquid Interface” M Wang, K Wang, C Wang, M Huang, XQ Hao, MZ Shen, GQ Shi, Z Zhang, B Song, A Cisneros, MP Song, B Xu and X Li J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138, 9258–9268 (2016)
  10. “Supramolecular Kandinsky Circles with High Antibacterial Activity” H Wang, X Qian, K Wang, M Su, W Haoyang, X Jiang, R Brzozowski, M Wang, X Gao, Y Li, B Xu, P Eswara, X Hao, W Gao, J Hou, J Cai, X Li Nature Communications, 9, 1815 (2018)

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