Arend van der Zande

For More Information

• The van der Zande Lab

Biography

Prof. van der Zande runs an interdisciplinary research group at the nexus of nanotechnology, mechanics, and material physics. He is a team lead on the Illinois Material Research Science and Engineering Center and was recently awarded the 2022 Society of Engineering Science Young Investigator Medal, the NSF CAREER award, and is on the Clarivate Analytics list of the world's most influential researchers in 2018-2022. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal ACS Nano Letters. He earned a Ph.D. in Physics from Cornell University in 2011 and a B.S in Physics and Mathematics from University of California, Santa Cruz in 2003. He then became a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Energy Frontier Research Center at Columbia University. He has published 82+ articles with >29,000 citations in journals including Nature, Science, Nature Materials, Advanced Materials, and Nano Letters.

Academic Positions

• Associate Professor, Department of Material Science and Engineering, UIUC, Jan 2024-Present
• Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, UIUC, Aug 2021-Present
• Affiliate, Materials Research Lab, September 1, 2017 - Present
• Affiliate, Electrical and Computer Engineering, March 18, 2017 - present
• Affiliate, Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, UIUC August 15, 2015 - Present

Research Statement

The overarching focus of our research is on leveraging nanomaterials as nanoscale building blocks to engineer new classes of devices to address grand challenges in health, energy and information. To this end, research efforts have centered on two-dimensional (2D) materials - materials which are stable as monolayers one or a few atoms thick, representing the ultimate limit in thickness for both molecular electronics and mechanical atomic membranes. Our work spans discovering new synthesis and atomically precise fabrication techniques for manufacturing devices from nanomaterials, understanding the atomic-to-device scale origins of the unique mechanical, chemical, electronic, and quantum properties of nanomaterials, and exploring how to leverage these properties for specific applications such as next generation semiconductor electronics, quantum technologies, biosensors, reconfigurable nanoelectromechanical systems, and wearable electronics.

Selected Articles in Journals

• Chen, S., S. Huang, J. Son, E. Han, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, P. Y. Huang, W.P. King, A. M. van der Zande *, and R. Bashir*, "Detecting DNA translocation through a nanopore using a van der Waals heterojunction diode", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122, 18, e2422135122 (2025) Co-corresponding authors
• Chen, S.*, Y. Zhang, W. P. King, Rashid Bashir,* and A. M. van der Zande,* "Extension Doping with Low-Resistance Contacts for P-Type Monolayer WSe2 Field-Effect Transistors" Adv. Electron. Mater. 2024, 2400843, DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202400843
• Zulkarnine, N.H.N, V. Faramazi, S. Huang, N. Chandrasekar, R. S. Perala, J. S. Park, K. Koprowski, S. Chen, Y. Zhang, S. Darsi, M. Adoni, A.Y. Kim, J. Baek, E. Valera, J. Ryu, A. M. van der Zande, I. Park, R. Bashir, and M.T. Hwang, "Multi-modal biosensing enabled by on-chip nano-corrugated graphene" Device 10057 (2024), DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2024.100572
• Chen, S.*, Y. Zhang, W. P. King, Rashid Bashir,* and A. M. van der Zande,* "Edge-Passivated Monolayer WSe2 Nanoribbon Transistors" Advanced Materials 2024, 2313694
• Nahid, S.M, S. Nam, and A.M. van der Zande "Depolarization Field Induced Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Graphene/alpha-In2Se3/Graphene Heterostructures" ACS Nano 2024, 18, 22, 14198-14206
• Zhang, Y., H.L Zhao, S. Huang, M.A. Hossain, and A.M. van der Zande "Enhancing Carrier Mobility in monolayer 2D transistors with process induced strain" ACS Nano (2024) 18, 19, 12377-12385 Exclusively my group
• Kim J., D. Moon, H. Kim, A.M. van der Zande, and G.-H. Lee, Ultrathin and Deformable Etch Mask for Fabrication of 3D Microstructures, ACS Nano (2024) 18, 19, 12325-12332
• Nguyen, K.L., Y. Jiang, C.-H. Lee, P. Kharel, Y. Zhang, A.M. van der Zande, and P.Y. Huang "Achieving sub-0.5-angstrom-resolution ptychography in an uncorrected electron microscope" Science, 383 6685 865-870 (2024)
• Zhang, Y.*, M.A. Hossain*, K.J. Hwang*,, J. Maduzia, T. Pena, S. Wu, E. Ertekin, and A.M. van der Zande "Patternable process induced strain in 2D monolayers and heterobilayers" ACS Nano, 18, 5, 4205�4215 (2024) *Co-First Author
• Kim, H., K. Zhao, and A.M. van der Zande "Stretchable thin-film transistors based on wrinkled graphene/MoS2 heterostructures", ACS Nano Letters, 24, 4, 1454-1461 (2024) Exclusively my group
• Chyczewski, S. J. Shi, H. Lee, P.F. Ferrari, K. Xu, A.M. van der Zande, W. Zhu, "Probing Antiferromagnetism in Exfoliated Fe3GeTe2 using Magneto-transport Measurements" Nanoscale 15, 34, 14061-14067 (2023)
• Ferrari, P.F., S. Kim, A.M. van der Zande "Nanoelectromechanical Systems from Two-Dimensional Materials", Applied Physics Reviews, 10, 031202 (2023) Invited Review
• Han, E.*, S.M. Nahid*, T. Rakib, G. Nolan, P.F. Ferrari, M. A. Hossain, A. Schleife, S. Nam, E. Ertekin, A.M. van der Zande+, P.Y. Huang+ "Bend-induced ferroelectric domain walls in alpha-In2Se3" ACS nano 17 (8), 7881-7888 * Co-first author, + Co-corresponding author
• Kanj, A., P.F. Ferrari, A.M. van der Zande, A. Vakakis, and S. Tawfick, "Ultra-Tuning of nonlinear drumhead MEMS resonators by electro-thermoelastic buckling" Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Volume 196, 2023, 110331,
• Carpenter, J.+, H. Kim+, J. Ma, A.M. van der Zande*, and N. Miljkovic*, "The Surface Energy of Hydrogenated and Fluorinated Graphene", ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2023, 15, 1, 2429-2436 *Co-Corresponding Author, +Co-First Author
• Porras-Gomez M.+, H. Kim+, M.T. Dronadula, N. Kambar, C. Mettelus, A.M. van der Zande*, and C. Leal*, "Multiscale compression-induced restructuring of stacked phospholipids: from buckling delamination to molecular packing" PLOS ONE 17 12 e0275079 (2022) *Co-Corresponding Author, +Co-First Author
• Sarbapalli, D., Y.-H.LIN, S. Stafford, J.Son, A. Mishra, J. Hui, A. Nijamudheen.; A.I.B. Romo, Z.T. Gossage, A. M. van der Zande; J. Mendoza-Cortes, J. Rodríguez-López, "A Surface Modification Strategy Towards Reversible Na-ion Intercalation on Graphitic Carbon Using Fluorinated Few-Layer Graphene" Journal Of The Electrochemical Society 169, 10, 106522 (2022)
• Kafle, P., S. Huang, K.S. Park, F. Zhang, C. Kasprzak, H. Kim, A.M. van der Zande and Y. Diao, "Role of Interfacial Interactions in Graphene-Directed Assembly of Monolayer Conjugated Polymers," Langmuir 2022, 38, 22, 6984–6995,
• Arend M. van der Zande, "From controlling structure to tailoring function of atomic membranes from 2D materials" Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science 26 (3) 2022, 100989 [Editorial for the special topic in COSSMS I guest edited]
• Ryu, H., D.-H. Kim, J. Kwon, S. K. Park, W. Lee, H. Seo, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, S. Kim+, A. M. van der Zande, J. Son*+, and G.-H. Lee*, "Fluorinated graphene contacts and passivation layer for MoS2 field effect transistors" Advanced Electronic Materials, 2022, 8, 2101370 *Co-Corresponding Author, +My student and postdoc, from work started at UIUC and continued after leaving.
• Hwang, M. T., I. Park, M. Heiranian, A. Taqieddin, S. You, V. Faramarzi, A.A. Pak, A. M. van der Zande, N. Aluru, and R. Bashir, "Ultrasensitive detection of dopamine, IL-6 and SARS-CoV-2 proteins on crumpled graphene FET biosensor" Advanced Materials Technologies, 6, 11, 2100712, 2021
• Ferrari P.F., S. Kim, and A.M. van der Zande, "Dissipation From Interlayer Friction in Graphene Nanoelectromechanical Resonators," Nano Letters, 2021, 21, 19, 8058-8065
• Kim, S.+, J. Bunyan+, P.F. Ferrari+, A. Kanj+, A. Vakakis, A.M. van der Zande*, S. Tawfick* "Buckling-mediated phase transitions in nano-electromechanical phononic waveguides" Nano Letters 2021, 21, 15, 6416-6424 *Co-Corresponding Author, + Co-first author
• Lee, J.-Y.+, J. Kim+, Y. Jung, J. C. Shin, Y. Lee, K. Kim, A. M. van der Zande, J. Son*, and G.-H. Lee*, "Evolution of defect formation during atomically precise desulfurization of monolayer MoS2" Communications Materials 2, 80 (2021), +Co-First Author, *Co-Corresponding Author
• Yu, J., M.A. Hossein, S. Kim, P.F. Ferrari, S. Huang, H. Kim, Y. Zhang, D.A. Michel, and A.M. van der Zande, "Mechanically Sensing and Tailoring Electronic Properties with Mechanical Deformations in Two-Dimensional Atomic Membranes," Invited Perspective Article, Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science, 25, 2, 100900 (2021)
• Chen S., J. Son, S. Huang, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, R. Bashir, A.M. van der Zande, and W.B. King, "Tip-Based Cleaning and Smoothing Improves Performance in Monolayer MoS2 Devices" ACS Omega, 6 (5) 4013-4021 (2021)
• Yu, J., E. Han, M.A. Hossain,>/b> K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, E. Ertekin, A.M. van der Zande*, and Pinshane Y. Huang*, “Designing the bending stiffness of 2D heterostructures," Advanced Materials, 2007269, (2021) *Co-corresponding Author
• Son, J., H. Ryu, J. Kwon, S. Huang, J. Yu, J. Xu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, A.M. van der Zande*, and G.-H. Lee*, "Tailoring single- and double-sided fluorination of bilayer graphene via substrate interactions," Nano Letters, 2021, 21, 2, 891-898 *Co-Corresponding Author
• Hossein, M.A., J. Yu, and A.M. van der Zande "Realizing Optoelectronic Devices from Crumpled Two-Dimensional Material Heterostructures" ACS AMI, 2020, 12, 43, 48910-48916
• De, S., A.M. van der Zande, and N. Aluru "Intrinsic dissipation due to mode coupling in two-dimensional material resonators revealed through multiscale modeling," Physical Review Applied 14, 034062 (2020)
• Hwang, M. T., M. Heiranian, Y. Kim, Y. Jing, J. Leem, A.M.A.H. Taqieddin, V. Faramarzi, A. M. van der Zande, S. Nam, N. Aluru, and R. Bashir, "Ultrasensitive detection of nucleic acids using deformed graphene channel field effect biosensors," Nature Communications, 11, 1543 (2020)
• Yu, J., S. Kim, E. Ertekin, and A.M. van der Zande, "Material Dependent Evolution of Mechanical Folding Instabilities in Two-Dimensional Atomic membranes," ACS AMI, 12, 9, 10801-10808 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b20909
• Kim, S., E. Annevelink, E. Han, J. Yu, P.Y. Huang, E. Ertekin, and A.M. van der Zande, "Stochastic stress jumps due to Soliton Dynamics in two-dimensional van der Waals interfaces," Nano Letters, 2020, 20, 2, 1201-1707 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b04619
• Han, E.*, J. Yu*, E. Annevelink, J. Son, D.A. Kang, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, E. Ertekin, P.Y. Huang. A.M van der Zande, "Ultrasoft slip-mediated bending in few-layer graphene" Nature Materials 19, 305–309 (2020) doi:10.1038/s41563-019-0529-7 *Co-First Authors
• Son, J., N. Buzov, S. Chen, D. Sung, H. Ryu, J. Kwon, S. Kim, S. Namiki, J. Xu, S. Hong, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, W.P. King, G.‐H. Lee, and A.M. van der Zande, "Tailoring Surface Properties via Functionalized Hydrofluorinated Graphene Compounds," Advanced Materials 2019, 31 (39) 1903424
• Son, J., J. Kwon, S. Kim, Y. Lv, J. Yu, J.-Y. Lee, H. Ryu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, R. Garrido-Menacho, N. Mason, E. Ertekin, P. Y. Huang, G.-H. Lee, and A. M. van der Zande, "Atomically-precise graphene etch masks for 3D integrated systems from 2D material heterostructures," Nature Communications 9, 3988 (2018)
• Huang, P. Y.*, C. S. Ruiz-Vargas*, A. M. van der Zande*, W. S. Whitney, M. P. Levendorf, J. W. Kevek, S. Garg, J. S. Alden, C. J. Hustedt, Y. Zhu, J. Park, P. L. McEuen, and D. M. Muller, "Grains and grain boundaries in single-layer graphene patchwork quilts," Nature 469, 389-392 (2011). [* Equal Contribution]
• van der Zande, A.M., R.A. Barton, J.S. Alden, C.S. Ruiz-Vargas, W.S. Whitney, P.H.Q. Pham, J. Park, J.M. Parpia, H.G. Craighead, and P.L. McEuen, “Large-scale arrays of single-layer graphene resonators,” Nano Letters, 10(12), 4869-4873 (2010).
• Bunch, J. S., A. M. van der Zande, S. S. Verbridge, I. W. Frank, D. M. Tanenbaum, J. M. Parpia, H. G. Craighead, and P. L. McEuen, “Electromechanical resonators from graphene sheets," Science 315, 490 (2007).

Teaching Honors

• List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent, Spring 2018 (June 2018)
• List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent, Fall 2019 (January 2020)
• List of Teachers Ranked at Excellent, Spring 2021 (Sep 2021)
• List of Teachers Ranked at Excellent, Fall 2021 (Jan 2022)
• List of Teachers Ranked as Outstanding (99th percentile), Fall 2022 (Jan 2023)
• List of teachers Ranked as Excellent, Fall 2024 (Jan 2025)

Research Honors

• Thimann Award for excellence in the sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz (2002-2003)
• Goldwater Award, national undergraduate award for excellence in the Sciences (2003)
• Cornell Graduate Fellowship, Cornell University (2003-2005)
• Energy Frontier Research Center Postdoctoral Fellowship, Columbia University (2012)
• Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher. This list recognizes world-class researchers selected for their exceptional research performance, demonstrated by production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science. One of only 11 researchers at UIUC (2018)
• NSF CAREER award 2019. MOMS program in CMMI Directorate. (2019)
• Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher. This list recognizes world-class researchers selected for their exceptional research performance, demonstrated by production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science. One of only 8 researchers at UIUC. (2019)
• 2021 Dean's Award for Excellence in Research, Assistant Professor (2021)
• Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher. This list recognizes world-class researchers selected for their exceptional research performance, demonstrated by production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science. One of only 8 researchers at UIUC. (2021)
• Society for Engineering Science (SES) 2022 Young Investigator Medal (2022)
• Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher. This list recognizes world-class researchers selected for their exceptional research performance, demonstrated by production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science. One of only 6 current researchers at UIUC. (2022)
• 2024 Dean's Award for Excellence in Research, Associate Professor (2024)