Faculty Directory
Jon Ihlefeld headshot
JI

Jon Fredrick Ihlefeld

Associate Professor
+1 (434) 924-5822
Unit: School of Engineering and Applied Science
Department: Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Office location and address
Wilsdorf Hall, Room 122
395 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Education
B.S., Materials Engineering, Iowa State University, 2002
M.M.S.E., North Carolina State University, 2005
Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2006
Post-Doc at The Pennsylvania State University, 2006-2008
Biography

Jon Ihlefeld is an Associate Professor in the Materials Science and Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments at the University of Virginia. He joined UVa in 2017 following a career at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM where he held positions of Senior, Principal, and Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff in the Materials Science and Engineering Center. His research group studies the linkage between processing, structure, and resulting properties in ferroelectrics, dielectrics, and ion-conducting thin films. His group then utilizes this understanding to enable materials integration resulting in novel electronic, thermal, or optical functionality and devices. This includes demonstration of active phonon transport regulation using ferroelectrics, methods to interrogate nanoscale ferroelectric domain structure in active devices, property enhancement via improved material integration, and fast ion conducting thin films for energy storage, among others.

Recent sponsored awards as provided by ResearchUVA:
Grain Boundary Orientation Impacts on Internal Resistance in Solid State Lithium Ion Conductors
Source: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
July 15, 2021 – June 30, 2024
DMREF: Collaborative Research: GOALI: Accelerating Discovery of High Entropy Silicates for Extreme Environments
Source: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
October 01, 2019 – September 30, 2023
Resilient epitaxial gate oxides for high performing wide band gap semiconductor devices
Source: U.S. DOD - Navy - Spawar Systems Center Pacific
August 25, 2020 – August 24, 2022
Center for 3D Ferroelectric Microelectronics
Source: Pennsylvania State University
August 01, 2020 – July 31, 2022
EAGER: Chemical Order/Disorder Enabled Phononic Memory in PbSc0.5Ta0.5O3
Source: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
December 01, 2019 – May 31, 2022
Deposition-Based Control of Ferroelectric Hafnia for Phase Purity and Enhanced Performance
Source: Semiconductor Research Corporation
January 01, 2019 – December 31, 2021
Metal Foam-Based Capacitors
Source: Gxm Consulting LLC
June 01, 2021 – August 31, 2021
Negative Differential Capacitance FETs
Source: U.S. DOE - National Lab - Sandia
March 22, 2018 – September 30, 2020
Optical Property Sculpting with Phonons
Source: U.S. DOE - National Lab - Sandia
November 09, 2018 – September 15, 2020
Growth of Pyrochlore Iridate Thin Films using Pulsed Laser Deposition
Source: U.S. DOE - National Lab - Sandia
November 09, 2018 – September 15, 2019
Smart Sensors Technologies
Source: U.S. DOE - National Lab - Sandia
March 26, 2018 – September 30, 2018
Recent courses as listed in the Student Information System (SIS) Course Catalog:
MSE 3101: Materials Science Investigations
Credits: 3
The course amplifies topics covered in introductory materials science through laboratory demonstration and experimentation. An understanding of modern instruments and experimental techniques including x-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy is gained through lecture and laboratory experience. Experimental determination of the processing, structure, property relationship is emphasized. Laboratory report writing skills are developed. Prerequisite: MSE 2090
ECE 4501: Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Credits: 1–4
A fourth-level undergraduate course covering a topic not normally covered in the course offerings. The topic usually reflects new developments in the electrical and computer engineering field. Offering is based on student and faculty interests.
MSE 4592: Special Topics in Materials Science
Credits: 3
Advanced undergraduate course on topics not normally covered in other course offerings. The topic usually reflects new developments in the materials science and engineering field. Offerings are based on student and faculty interests.
ECE 6501: Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Credits: 3
A first-level graduate course covering a topic not normally covered in the graduate course offerings. The topic will usually reflect new developments in the electrical and computer engineering field. Offering is based on student and faculty interests. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MSE 6592: Topics in Material Science
Credits: 3
A study of special subjects related to developments in materials science under the direction of members of the staff. Offered as required under the guidance of a faculty member.
MSE 7140: Physics of Materials
Credits: 3
Basic course dealing with the physical principles governing the thermal, electronic, optical and magnetic properties of engineering materials. The approach integrates the fundamentals of materials science with essential concepts in solid state and condensed matter physics. Special attention is given to understanding the nature of the crystalline state and wave-particle diffraction with a strong emphasis on the reciprocal lattice concept. Thermal properties are approached by discussing the Einstein and Debye solids and the concept of lattice waves and phonons. The elements of Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics are reviewed leading to the development of an electron theory of solids. The concepts of Fermi surface and Fermi energy, Brillouin zones, valence and conduction bands are discussed extensively. The atomic origin of magnetism and magnetic effects in solids are analyzed as well as magnetic hysteresis and technical magnetic properties. The fundamental electrical and magnetic properties of superconductors are discussed including the new high Tc ceramic materials. Prerequisite: MSE 6140 or equivalent or instructor permission.
ECE 7501: Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Credits: 1–3
A second level graduate course covering a topic not normally covered in the graduate course offerings. Topics usually reflect new developments in electrical and computer engineering and are based on student and faculty interests. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MSE 8999: Masters Degree Research
Credits: 1–12
Formal record of student commitment to master's thesis research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. May be repeated as necessary.
MSE 9999: PHD Dissertation Research
Credits: 1–12
Formal record of student commitment to doctoral research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. May be repeated as necessary.

Richard M. Fulrath Award of The American Ceramic Society 2017

Sandia National Laboratories Special Appointment to Distinguished Staff Member 2017

IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Society Ferroelectrics Young Investigator Award 2016

IEEE Senior Member Elevation 2016

Sandia National Laboratories Postdoctoral Professional Development Program Distinguished Mentorship Award 2015

Sandia National Laboratories Up & Coming Innovator 2015

Sandia National Laboratories Mission Innovator 2015

R&D 100 Award, Solution Deposition Planarization 2010

U.S. Department of Education GAANN Fellow 2002

Iowa State University, Materials Science and Engineering, Most Outstanding Senior Award 2002