Matthew Jacobsen

Office: BPB-247

Phone: 895-2674

Email: jacobmat@physics.unlv.edu

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Current Work

My current work is on the high pressure transport properties of materials. This is particularly focused on the study of thermoelectric materials. Thermoelectric materials are materials with the special ability to transform heat to electricity or vice-versa. At the present, my efforts have been useful in the development of a measurement system for high pressure transport properties, integrated with a computer for ease of data collection. In addition to this, effort is currently focused on the development of a high temperature system to be used in conjunction with the high pressure transport system.

Along with the development of the high pressure transport measurement system, I have worked on a cryocooler system in Dr. Cornelius's laboratory. This system is currently capable of electrical measurements between 20 K and 350 K, with temperature controlled using an internal heating element in conjunction with the cooling power of the cryocooler. It also has an externally operated ruby measurement spectrometer for measuring the pressure of diamond anvil cells inside the system during the temperature cycle.

In addition, I work with high pressure x-ray diffraction on various substances utilizing facilities available through HiPSEC at Argonne National Laboratory and cryogenic transport studies using facilities available in our laboratory. I have been working in Dr. Cornelius's Laboratory since August of 2004.

Teaching

To date, I have taught several of the basic lab courses including PHYS 151, 152, 181, 182 and HON 230L.

Educational Background

Ph.D.: Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, expected in 2010.

Proposed Dissertation Title: Measurement System for High Pressure-High Temperature Characterizations of Materials

Advisor: Dr. Andrew Cornelius

M.S.: Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2007.

Thesis Title: Transport and Strucutral Studies of the thermoelectric material, Bi2Te3

Advisor: Dr. Andrew Cornelius

B.S. : Physics, Oregon State University, 2004.

Undergraduate Research Project: Optical investigations of Brewsters Angle

Advisor: Dr. W.M. Hetherington III

Grants

  1. Graduate and Professional Student Association of UNLV, Funded 12/07, $750.00
  2. Graduate and Professional Student Association of UNLV, Funded 5/07, $750.00
  3. Graduate and Professional Student Association of UNLV, Funded 12/06, $690.00

Publications

  1. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L., and Nicol, M.F. Measurement System for High Pressure Thermal and Electrical Characterization, In Preparation.
  2. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar R.S., Cao G., Neumeier, J.J., and Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure Structural Studies on SrRuO3. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 69, 2238(2008).
  3. Cornelius, A.L., Kumar, R.S., Jacobsen, M.K., Bauer, E.D., Sarrao, J.S., and Fisk, Z. Magnetic Ordering in UCu2Si2 at High Pressure. Physica B 403, 940 (2008)
  4. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L., Sinogeiken, S.V, and Nicol, M.F. High Pressure X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Bi(2-x)Sb(x)Te(3) (x=0,1,2). AIP Conference Proceedings 955, 171 (2007).
  5. Hamlin, J.J., Deemyad, S., Schilling, J.S., Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L., Cao,G., Neumeier, J.J. Studies on the weak itinerant ferromagnet SrRuO3. Physical Review B 76, 014432(2007).

Presentations

  1. Jacobsen, M.K., Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure Transport Studies on Bi(2-x)Sb(x)Te3, GPSA Research Forum, UNLV, March 31, 2008, Poster Presentation.
  2. Jacobsen, M.K., Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure Transport Studies on Sb2Te3 and BiSbTe3. March 2008, American Physical Society, Oral Presentation, Session Q28, Talk 3.
  3. Jacobsen, M.K., Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure Transport Studies on Bi(2-x)Sb(x)Te3. February 2008, National Nuclear Security Administration Symposium 2008, Washington, D.C., Poster Presentation.
  4. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure X-Ray Diffraction studies on Bi(2-x)SbxTe3 materials. APS Topical Meeting on Shock Physics of Materials 2007, Kohala Coast, HI, Oral Presentation, Session H5, Talk 2.
  5. Cornelius, A.L., Kumar,R.S., Jacobsen, M.K., Bauer, E.D., Sarrao, J.L., Fisk, Z. Magnetic Ordering in UCu2Si2 at high pressure. SCES 2007, Houston, TX. Poster Presentation.
  6. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure Studies of Bi2Te3, GPSA Research Forum, UNLV, March 31, 2007, Poster Presentation.
  7. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L. High Pressure Characterization of the Thermoelectric, Bi2 Te3, March 2007, American Physics Society, Oral Presentation, Session V23 Talk 11.
  8. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L., and Nicol, M.F. Structural and Transport Changes in Bi2Te3 under pressure, June 2006, Gordon Research Conference: Materials at High Pressure, Poster Presentation.
  9. Jacobsen, M.K., Kumar, R.S., Cornelius, A.L., and Nicol, M.F. Structural Changes in Bi2Te3 under pressure. March 2006, American Physics Society, Poster Presentation.

 

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