Please consider attending the following: MATERIALS ENGINEERING SEMINAR "Growth Mechanisms and Growth Kinetics for Oxide-Oxide Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite Thin Films" By Di Zhang Purdue MSE Ph.D. Preliminary Exam Advisor: Professor Haiyan Wang ABSTRACT In this review article, the strain states and growth mechanisms of oxide-oxide vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) thin films are discussed. The VAN films have highly tunable strain states including in-plane and out-of-plane strains. By strain tuning good epitaxy of large lattice mismatched materials and variable physical properties could be achieved. Two basic growth mechanisms-(a) nucleation and growth and (b) (pseudo-) spinodal decomposition-and growth kinetics are reviewed respectively with typical examples. After pointing out some discrepancies incurrent growth theories and unresolved questions in VAN research field, several promising techniques and future outlooks of this field are outlined. Key words: strain, growth mechanism, vertically aligned nanocomposite Date:Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Time: 8:30 A.M. Place: ARMS 1028