Tsun-Kong (T.K.) Sham

Dr. Sham’s research interests are materials and the development and application of synchrotron radiation, especially in materials design, and electronic structure-functionality correlation. Expertise includes nanomaterial synthesis, bimetallic and semiconductor materials, surface and interface, photoemission, X-ray absorption, photon-in photon-out techniques (X-ray emission, X-ray excited optical luminescence, resonant and non-resonant inelastic X-ray scattering) and X-ray microscopy. Recent interests are nanostructure phase transition, nano-heterostructures and nanocomposites, in situ/operando synchrotron studies of energy devices (batteries, fuel cells, catalysis and light emission), X-ray excited optical luminescence in the energy and time domain, nanomaterials for drug delivery, microbeam analysis of tissues, and cultural heritage materials.

Major ongoing thrusts are (1) synthesis, assembly and characterization of nanomaterials, heterostructures in the nanodomain and composites; (2) development and applications of synchrotron capabilities at the Canadian Light Source, a national facility in Saskatoon and the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory.

Dr Sham has engaged over one hundred Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) at all levels (PhD, MSc, BSc, PDF, visiting scientist and international collaborator) in research. Many of them are now holding key positions in academia, industry, and government.