Seminars
Seminars occur on Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific in ISB 130 with a hybrid option over Zoom unless otherwise posted. To join the mailing list, please contact Prof. Christopher Smallwood at christopher.smallwood@sjsu.edu with the words "Seminars and Events" included in the subject heading.
This Week
Tunneling Two-Level Systems in Amorphous Oxide Films
Donez J. Horton-Bailey, UC Berkeley
Wednesday, 9/24/2025, 12:00-1:00pm Pacific
Abstract: Much of our current knowledge of solid-state physics comes from studying materials
in their crystalline form, taking advantage of their long-range periodic structure
and reciprocal lattice to derive many material properties. Non-crystalline materials,
such as glasses, possess universal properties that are not seen in their crystalline
counterparts, and that cannot be explained using the same mathematical techniques
used for studying crystals. Understanding these properties allows us to use glasses
in a variety of applications, such as building low mechanical loss mirrors for laser
interferometers used in gravitational wave detection. I first present a brief overview
of important aspects of glass physics and what makes glasses unique. I then talk about
our experimental techniques for growth and characterization of simple metal-oxide
films. I will conclude with results of work done so far and future outlooks.
Bio: Donez Horton-Bailey completed his undergraduate studies in Applied Physics and Linguistics at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC). After graduating he then spent three years working in education as a learning skills advisor and secondary instructor for the Academic Excellence (ACE) Program at UCSC, providing extra support for typically underrepresented students in calculus and introductory physics courses. Donez is currently a PhD candidate in Physics at UC Berkeley, studying low-temperature properties of amorphous metal-oxide films with Prof. Frances Hellman. He is also an active member of the Access Network, a group of students, faculty and professionals from universities across the country dedicated to fostering a more diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible STEM community. In his free time, Donez enjoys playing music, and he serves as the principal bassoonist of the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra.
