Dr. Elisa Miller-Link studies the surface of semiconductors that are applicable for photovoltaics and water splitting. She is interested in manipulating and controlling surface energetics, charge transfer, and surface reactions by doping, surface passivation, straining, and quantum confinement. Her research focuses on transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), quantum dots, perovskites, carbon nanotubes, and other nanocrystalline films. Elisa came to NREL in 2013 as an NREL Director’s Fellowship recipient for her post-doctoral research. In 2016, she continued her research as a staff scientist.

During her undergraduate education, she worked in the lab of Amy S. Mullin, studying the chemical dynamics of high-energy, gas-phase molecules. In 2012, she earned her Doctorate degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder, under the supervision of W. Carl Lineberger. Her doctoral work focused on photoelectron spectroscopy of gas-phase anions and anionic clusters using velocity-map imaging of electrons. She joined NREL in 2013 as an NREL Director's Fellowship recipient, under the mentorship of Jao van de Lagemaat. Her project investigated the energetics of quantum dot, perovskite, and other nanocrystalline films using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Research Interests

Controlling band energetics of nanocrystalline thin films via surface characterization

Chemical vapor deposition growth of 2-dimensional TMDCs

Solution exfoliation of TMDCs

Education

Ph.D. Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder

B.S. Chemistry, Boston University

Featured Work

D.M. Kroupa, M. Vörös, N.P. Brawand, B.W. McNichols, E.M. Miller, J. Gu, A.J. Nozik, A. Sellinger, G. Galli, and M.C. Beard, “Tuning colloidal quantum dot band edge positions through solution-phase surface chemistry modification,” Nature Communications 8, 15257 (2017).

Y. Yang, M. Yang, D.T. Moore, Y. Yan, E.M. Miller, K. Zhu, and M.C. Beard, “Top and bottom surfaces limit carrier lifetime in lead iodide perovskite films,” Nature Energy 2, 16207 (2016).

E.M. Miller, D.M. Kroupa, J. Zhang, P. Schulz, A. Marshall, A. Kahn, J.M. Luther, M.C. Beard, C.L. Perkins, and J. van de Lagemaat, “Revisiting the valence and conduction band size dependence of PbS quantum dot thin films,” ACS nano 10, 3302 (2016).