The experimental condensed matter research distinguishes between the bulk of matter, its surface and interface, and proceeds in close partnership with theory and computational studies. Of interest are new concepts, materials, and techniques for nanotechnology and green technology such as renewable energy, energy conservation and conversion, storage, and delivery. Some projects are interdisciplinary and take part in dedicated Centers across the Institute, including the Center for Computational Innovation (CCI), which hosts one the fastest supercomputers in Academia. One fundamental research area is machine learning applied to energy-related material. Another aspect of current study is low-dimensional materials systems, including 2D layered materials and one-dimensional nanoribbons. Another project aims at improving our understanding of materials, their structure, and devices. Experimentally, the metals, semiconductors, and insulators are prepared in thin film deposition (including oblique angle deposition) and epitaxial growth (including van der Waals epitaxy). Their structural, electronic transport, spin, and optical properties are characterized and compared to theoretical and computational investigations. Other studies include wide band gap semiconductors, photonic crystals, polymers, semiconductor nanoparticle composites, dielectrics, magnetic, metallic thin films, two-dimensional layered materials, plasmonics and nanostructures. The department makes use of state-of-the-art characterization techniques such as electron, x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, Raman, terahertz, and scanning probe spectroscopies and microscopies. Local facilities include the Mirco and Nano Fabrication Clean Room and the Electron Microscope Laboratory.