Nicholas Strandwitz

Nicholas Strandwitz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Lehigh University, leading the Integrated Nanofabrication and Cleanroom Facility. His research focuses on advanced materials for energy applications, including inorganic semiconductors, photovoltaics, and thin film deposition techniques like atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular layer deposition (MLD). He holds a B.S. in Engineering Science from Penn State, a Ph.D. in Materials from UC Santa Barbara, and a postdoc at Caltech.

Research interests include optimizing material interfaces for photovoltaic efficiency, characterizing semiconductor-dielectric interactions, and developing wear-resistant coatings. His work combines experimental techniques like in situ reflectance spectroscopy and low-energy ion scattering with computational modeling to understand material behavior at nanoscale.

Key contributions include advancements in MoOx-based selective contacts for silicon solar cells and substrate-dependent growth of 2D materials like WTe2 and MoS2. Publications span 15+ recent articles (2022–2025), emphasizing ALD/MLD process optimization, oxidation resistance, and tribological properties. His lab supports nanofabrication infrastructure crucial for Lehigh’s energy and materials research initiatives.