Background

I began my work with the Wright group as an REU student in the summer of 2011.  At that time, I worked extensively on the synthesis of PbSe quantum dots for multidimensional spectroscopic analysis.  The summer before enrolling at UW, I again worked within the Wright group, focusing on the synthesis of novel ligands posessing electron and hole trapping capabilities for quantum dot functionalization.  My synthetic involvement within the Wright group has always been supported through collaborations with the Song Jin group, and thus offered a natural opportunity to become a coadvised graduate student between the Wright and Jin groups during my first year at UW.  As a coadvised student, I am heavily involved in the synthesis and spectroscopy of novel systems which exhibit promise as solar energy materials.

Kyle Czech

Education

B.A. Concordia College-Moorhead, Chemistry, 2012
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2012-Present

Research

I am primarily interested in understanding the relationship between structural and electronic properties of bulk and quantum-confined semiconductors. The compositional and structural properties of semiconductors such as size, lattice strain, and the presence of surface defects or ligands drastically impact the electronic properties they exhibit. This poorly understood relationship is of great importance in successfully engineering semiconductors for uses in high-performance solar, computer, and medical applications.

Currently, I am synthesizing thin-film layered semiconductors such as MoS2 and WSe2 for spectroscopic analysis. The most recent experiments I have conducted include the use of ultrafast 2D electronic transient grating spectroscopy to measure the various excited-state lifetimes of MoS2 and WSe2.