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  2. Taleana Huff

Taleana Huff

Assistant Professor (Cross-appointed from Chemistry)

Physics

Arts & Science

taleana.huff@queensu.ca

613-533-6000 ext. 77513

People Directory Affiliation Category
Faculty

Long-Term Goals

Two broad paradigms dominate nanomaterials manufacturing: top-down approaches, in which bulk materials are patterned into nanoscale structures, and bottom-up approaches, where functional materials or precision devices are assembled piece-by-piece from molecular or atomic building blocks. Our research aims to bridge these strategies through a surface-science-driven approach to bottom-up material creation.

Specifically, we focus on building atomically precise coatings on industry-relevant surfaces (metals and silicon), driving innovation in both traditional and quantum materials manufacturing. In parallel, we target the creation of ultra-precise quantum devices through atom-by-atom placement, where surface structure and reactivity ultimately define device performance.

Short-Term Approaches

To achieve these goals, our group focuses on measuring, understanding, and manipulating the fundamental surface science "rules" that govern on-surface reactivity and assembly at the atomic scale. We leverage:

  • Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to resolve atomic-scale assembly patterns and local electronic structure at surfaces.
  • qPlus atomic force microscopy (AFM) to delineate molecular properties such as charge distribution, bond structure, chemical reactivity, and polarization at interfaces.
  • 脜ngstr枚m-resolved tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) to capture dynamic molecular behavior, including steric hindrance, intermolecular interactions, and reaction pathways on surfaces.

By understanding these processes at the ultimate resolution limit, we aim to translate surface-level "rules" into predictive design principles for targeted reactivity and controlled material synthesis. To expand what can be measured and controlled in these surface science experiments, we actively pursue hardware, methodological, and capability development spanning chemistry, physics, optics, and ultra-high-vacuum instrumentation.