Dr. Khan Alam

Chairman

Dr. Mohammad F. Al-Kuhaili
Chairman
Thin Films and Material Science

6/225 966-1-860-3747 kuhaili@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Distinguished Professor

Dr. Mohammad A. Gondal
Distinguished Professor
Laser Physics and Spectroscopy

6/259B 966-1-860-2351/3274 magondal@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Chair Professor

Name: Khan Alam

Title: Assistant Professor

Brief research interests: Growth and characterization of advanced materials for spintronics, energy storage, and quantum applications

Research Areas: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics

Office: 6/121

Tel: 966-1-860-3869

email: khan.alam@kfupm.edu.sa

Website: https://faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/phys/khan.alam

Lab(s) 1. Lab 6-250: Advanced Materials Research Lab

2. Lab 6-247: Magnetism and Charge Transport Properties Lab

3. Lab 15-4201: Thin Film Growth and Characterization Lab

Affiliated Center(s): IRC-Sustainable Energy Systems

: IRC-Advanced Quantum Computing

Research Interests

Dr. Khan Alam is engaged in multidisciplinary research across departments and centers, focusing on advanced materials growth and characterization for spintronics, energy storage, and quantum applications.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Khan Alam, Assistant Professor at KFUPM, specializes in experimental condensed matter physics. He earned his Ph.D. from Ohio University and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory. During his Ph.D., he received a Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute Fellowship and was recognized as a National Science Foundation research scholar. Earlier in his academic career, he was awarded a Gold Medal for his M.Sc. at the University of Peshawar and received multiple Merit Scholarships during his M.Phil. studies at Quaid-i-Azam University.

AWARDS & HONORS

Gold Medal (2007), Best Poster Award (2014), Condensed Matter and Surface Science Fellowship (2015), American Chemical Society Editors’ Choice (2015), Argonne Gold Spot Award (2017), Second Poster Award (2024), First Poster Award (2025)

KEY PUBLICATIONS

A. Majeed, A. Ali, M. S. Khan, M. B. Haider, M. A. Gondal, K. Alam*. "Supercapacitor Dynamics in Magnetic Fields: Mechanisms and Performance Insights." J. Phys. Chem. Solid., 208, 113230, (2026).
W. Akhter, H. Rashid, A. Ullah, A. D. Khan, Z. Umar, M. K. Khan, K. Alam*. "Study of Phase, Dielectric and Electrical Properties of (Bi_0.5Na_{0. 5})_0.935Ba_0.065Ti_{1− x}Mg_xO₃ Ceramics." J. Alloys Compd. 1039, 183044, (2025).
A. Sulieman, A. Rajjash, E. Abualgassem, A. Safwan, K. Alam, K. Ziq, and M. B. Haider. "Magnetoresistance as a function of manganese doping in Mn-zinc nitride thin films." Results Phys., 76, 108391, (2025).
O. A. Saleh, S. G. Rao, K. Alam, and M. Felemban. "Mitigation of oxide growth on aluminum thin films: The role of self-assembled monolayers in superconducting quantum circuits." AVS Quantum Sci. 7, 026802 (2025).
K. Alam “Synthesis and Study of Correlated Phase Transitions of CrN Nanoparticles” Inorganics, 12, 247 (2024).
K. Alam "Open air X-ray diffractometer for crystallography, compression, contraction, and structural phase transitions with variable temperature capabilities." MethodsX 12, 102703 (2024).
W. S. Kamoru, M. B. Haider, B. U. Haq, S. H. Aleithan, A. M. Alsharari, S. Ullah, K. Alam* “Structural, Electronic, and Optical Properties of Chromium Oxynitride Thin Films Grown by RF Magnetron Sputtering” Results Phys., 57, 107387 (2024).
B. U. Haq, Se-Hun Kim, S. AlFaify, M. A. Javed, R. Ahmed, K. Alam, A. R. Chaudhry “Physical properties 211-type of MAX phases based on Mn2AlX (X = C, N, and F) through first-principles approaches” Mater. Today Commun., 37, 107384 (2023).
K. Alam, R. Ponce-Pérez, K. Sun, A. Foley, N. Takeuchi, and A. R. Smith " Study of the Structure, Structural Transition, Interface Model, and Magnetic Moments of CrN Grown on MgO(001) by Molecular Beam Epitaxy." J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A: Vac. Surf. Films, 41, 053411 (2023).
B. U. Haq, Se-Hun Kim, S. A. Tahir, R. Ahmed, S. AlFaify, K. Alam, A. R. Chaudhry “Theoretical investigations of O-and F-surface functionalization of MXenes based on Cr2M (M= C, N).” Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process. 168, 107837 (2023).
S. Ullah, A. Ahmad, K. Alam, M. Usman, S. Khan, A. M. Alanazi, F. Khan “First-principles calculations to investigate optical properties of topological semimetal MX compounds (M= Ti, Zr, Hf and X= S, Se, Te)” Mater. Today Commun. 35, 106001 (2023).
B. U. Haq and K. Alam*, M. B. Haider, A. M Alsharari, S. Ullah, Se-Hun Kim “Structural, Magnetic and Optical Properties of Exfoliated CrN Ultrathin Film” Physica E Low Dimens. Syst. Nanostruct., 150, 115697 (2023).
S. Shabbir, A. Alqahtani, M. A. Javed, R. Ahmed, K. Alam, Se-Hun Kim, Y. A. H. Obaidat, A. R. Rasool, B. U. Haq “Predictions of Novel Polymorphs of Boron Nitride: A First-principles Study” Eur. Phys. J. Plus., 23, 1239 (2023).
· S. H. Aleithan, K. Al-Amer, Z. H. Alabbad, M. M. Khalaf, K. Alam, Z. Alhashem, H. M. Abd El-Lateef “Highly Scalable Synthesis of MoS2 thin films for carbon steel coatings: influence of synthetic route on the nanostructure and corrosion performance” J. Mater. Res. Technol., 23, 1239 (2023).
S. H. Aleithan, S. A. Ansari, M. Y. Perdana, K. Alam, Z. Alhashim, and K. Al-Amer. "The Controllable Ratio of the Polyaniline-Needle-Shaped Manganese Dioxide for the High-Performance Supercapacitor Application." Nanomater. 13, 101 (2023).
E. Abualgassem, M. Maarouf, A. Bake, D. Cortie, K. Alam, and M. B. Haider. "Magnetic Properties of TiN:Cr Thin Films Grown by RF/DC Magnetron Sputtering." Phys. Status Solidi (a), 220, 2200544 (2023).
S. H. Aleithan, K. Al-Amer, Z. Alhashem, N. A. Alati, Z. H. Alabbad, and K. Alam, “High-quality MoS2 Mono and Few-Layers Film Growth on Different Substrates” AIP Adv., 12, 075220 (2022).
A. M. Alsharari, S. I. Qashou, T. A. Hamdalla, N.S. Alatawi, M. A. Alsharif, K. Alam, I. A. M. Mihaina, H. Qaessy, I. S. Yahia, and A. A. A. Darwish, “Tailoring the structural, electrical, and optical features of Erbium (III)-Tris (8-hydroxyquinolinato) nanostructured films for optical applications: effect of film thickness.” J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron., 33, 9966 (2022).
K. Alam*, M. B. Haider, M. F. Al-Kuhaili, K. A. Ziq, and B. Ul Haq, "Electronic phase transition in CrN thin films grown by reactive RF magnetron sputtering." Ceram. Int., 48, 17352 (2022).
E. Abualgassem, M. Maarouf, A. Bake, D. Cortie, K. Alam, and M. B. Haider. "Optical and Magnetic Properties of Cobalt Doped TiN Thin Films Grown by RF/DC Magnetron Sputtering." J. Magn. Magn., 550, 169023 (2022).
B. Ul Haq, S. AlFaify, R. Ahmed, F. K. Butt, K. Alam, Z. Tariq, and S. Ur Rehman. "Structural, electronic, and optical properties of the pressure‐driven novel polymorphs of gallium nitride: first‐principles investigations." Int. J. Energy Res., 46, 2361 (2022).
K. Alam, R. Ponce-Pérez, K. Sun, A. Foley, N. Takeuchi, and A. R. Smith. "Investigating the magnetic and atomic interface configuration for a model Fe/CrN bilayer system." J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A: Vac. Surf. Films, 39, 063209 (2021).
B. Chakrabarti, H. Chan, K. Alam, A. Koneru, T. E. Gage, L. E. Ocola, R. Divan et al. "Nanoporous dielectric resistive memories using sequential infiltration synthesis." ACS nano 15, 4155 (2021).
K. Alam, K-Y Meng, R. Ponce-Pérez, G. H. Cocoletzi, N. Takeuchi, A. Foley, F. Yang, and A. R. Smith. "Exchange bias and exchange spring effects in Fe/CrN bilayers." J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 53, 125001 (2020).
R. Ponce-Pérez, K. Alam, G. H. Cocoletzi, N. Takeuchi, and A. R. Smith, “Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of CrN (001) surface: First principles studies,” App. Surf. Sci. 454, 350 (2018).
B. Haq, S. AlFaify, R. Ahmed, A. R Chaudhry, A. Laref, F. K. Butt, and K. Alam. "Thermoelectric properties of the novel cubic structured silicon monochalcogenides: A first-principles study." J. Alloys Compd., 769, 413 (2018).
J. Lin, K. Alam, L. Ocola, Z. Zhang, S. Datta, S. Ramanathan, and S. Guha. "Physics and Technology of Electronic Insulator-to-Metal Transition (E-IMT) for Record High On/Off Ratio and Low Voltage in Device Applications," IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), pp. 23-4. IEEE, (2017).
K. Alam, Y. Ma, A. Foley, S. M. Disseler, W. D. Ratcliff, J. A. Borchers, A. Richard, D. Ingram, and A. R. Smith “Structural and Magnetic Phase Transitions in Chromium Nitride Thin Films Grown by RF Nitrogen Plasma Molecular Beam Epitaxy,” Phys. Rev. B 96, 104433 (2017).
A. Foley, J. Corbett, K. Alam, A. Richard, D. C. Ingram, L. Zhao, J. C. Callagher, F. Yang, and A. R. Smith, “Contribution From Ising Domains Overlapping Out-of-Plane to Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy in Mn4N Thin Films on MgO(001)” J. Magn. Magn., 439, 236 (2017).
A. Foley, J. Corbett, A. Richard, K. Alam, D. C. Ingram, and A. R. Smith, “Structural and Magnetic Properties of Ferrimagnetic ϵ-phase Mn₄N and Antiferromagnetic ζ-phase Mn₁₀N Thin Films on MgO(001),” J. Cryst. Growth 446, 60 (2016).
K. Alam, A. Foley, and A. R. Smith, “Native Gallium Adatoms Discovered on Atomically Smooth Gallium Nitride Surfaces at Low Temperature,” Nano Lett. 15, 2079 (2015).
Awards & Media News: Selected as ACS Editors’ Choice by NanoLetters || NQPI Spring 2015 Newsletter “Atomic Sleuthing Converts Calibration Mystery into Discovery”|| Ohio University Research News “Smith Article Named ACS Editors’ Choice”

W. Lin, A. Foley, K. Alam, K. Wang, Y. liu, T. Chen, J. Pak, and A. R. Smith, “Facility for Low-Temperature Spin-Polarized-Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies of Magnetic/Spintronic Materials Prepared In-Situ by Nitride Molecular Beam Epitaxy,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 043702 (2014).
Media News: Front page news on NQPI Fall 2013 Newsletter “Hybrid SP-STM/MBE/PLE System Achieving Results”

Book Chapter

M. B. Haider, S. Kunwar, and K. Alam, "Applications of Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy in Corrosion Research." In Recent Developments in Analytical Techniques for Corrosion Research, pp. 151-165. Springer, Cham, 2022.

Patents

K. Alam, M. B. Haider, K. A. Ziq, and B. Ul Haq, “Method for forming a chromium nitride/oxide film” Patent No. US12404578, 2025.
K. Alam, M. B. Haider, K. A. Ziq, and B. Ul Haq, “Low pressure closed chamber method for forming chromium nitride thin film” Patent No. US12378658, 2025.
K. Alam, M. B. Haider, K. A. Ziq, and B. Ul Haq, “Metal Nitride Thin Films and Methods of Preparation Thereof” Patent No. US12305272, 2025.

Dr. Khan Alam Assistant Professor 6/121 966-1-860-3869 khan.alam@kfupm.edu.sa Website

Professor

Dr. Fahhad Alharbi
Professor
Optics and Photonics

59-2082 966-1-860-2337 fahhad.alharbi@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Hocine Bahlouli
Professor
Condensed Matter

6/221 966-1-860-2097 bahlouli@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Khalil A. Ziq
Professor
Superconductivity

6/259F 966-1-860-3761 kaziq@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Khalil Harrabi
Professor
Mesoscopic physics and Superconductivity

6/151 966-1-860-2239 harrabi@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Zain Hassan Yamani
Professor
Condensed Matter

15/3102, 6/227 966-1-860-4363/4328 zhyamani@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Associate Professor

Dr. Abdelkrim Mekki
Associate Professor
Material Science

6/219 966-1-860-4292 akmekki@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Abdul-Aziz Al-Jalal
Associate Professor
Laser Physics and Spectroscopy

6/117 966-1-860-1017 aljalal@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Ashraf Mohamed Samir Farahat
Associate Professor
Physics/Space Physics

6-140 966-1-860-7290 ashraf.farahat@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Ayman S. El-Said
Associate Professor
Applied Nuclear Physics (Ion beam modifications)

6/228 966-1-860-7561 elsaid@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Khaled Gasmi
Associate Professor
Laser Spectroscopy and Laser Sensing

6/232 966-1-860-2275 kgasmi@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Muhammad Baseer Haider
Associate Professor
Surface and materials Science

6/143 966-1-860-2371 mhaider@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Nidal Khaled Dwaikat
Associate Professor
Nuclear and Radiation Physics

06/217 966-1-860-2872 ndwaikat@kfupm.edu.sa
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Dr. Saeed Al-Marzoug
Associate Professor
Bose Einstein Condensate and nonlinear physics

6/220 966-1-860-7316 marzoug@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Saleem Rao
Associate Professor
Condensed Matter Physics

6/147 966-1-860-1675 saleemg@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Watheq Ahmed Al-Basheer
Associate Professor
Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics/Chemical Physics

6/231 966-1-860-2216 Watheq@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Serdar Elhatisari
Associate Professor

6/115 966-1-860-5868 Serdar.Elhatisari@kfupm.edu.sa
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Assistant Professor

Dr. Tariq Al-Abdullah
Assistant Professor

6/259E 860-2260 tariq.alabdullah@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Sabri Elatresh
Assistant Professor
Theoretical and Computational Condensed Matter Physics

6/139 966-1-860-2860 sabri.elatresh@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Raditya Weda Bomantara
Assistant Professor
Condensed Matter and Quantum Computing

6-145 966-1-860-1170 raditya.bomantara@kfupm.edu.sa
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Dr. Michael Vogl
Assistant Professor
Condensed Matter

6/222 966-1-860-4056 michael.vogl@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Khan Alam
Assistant Professor
Experimental Condensed Matter Physics: Thin Films

6/121 966-1-860-3869 khan.alam@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Jihad Al- Sadah
Assistant Professor
Medical physics

6/230 966-1-860-4893 jhalsadah@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Faris Ahmed Al-matouq
Assistant Professor

6\259G 966-13-860-5606 faris@kfupm.edu.sa
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Dr. Burhan Saifaddin
Assistant Professor

6/226 966-1-860-1340 burhan.saifaddin@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Adel Abbout
Assistant Professor

6/259-A 966-1-860-1426 adel.abbout@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Abdulwahab Abdulrahman Al Luhaibi
Assistant Professor

6/146 966-1-860-3752 aalluhaibi@kfupm.edu.sa
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Dr. Abdulaziz Husain M. Al-Aswad
Assistant Professor
Dean, Academic Development

6/224 966-1-860-2637 abdu@kfupm.edu.sa
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Dr. Abdallah M. Al-Zahrani
Assistant Professor
Gravitational Physics

6/229 966-1-860-3468 amz@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Lecturer

Mr. Muhammad Dastageer
Lecturer
Laser Molecular Spectroscopy

28/134 966-1-860-4574 makader@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Mogtaba B. Mekki
Lecturer
Self-organized of Nano-structures, Numerical Solution of PDE with Noise, Nano-Scale Magnetism

6/134 966-1-860-4697 mogtaba@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Mr. Khateeb-Ur-Rehman
Lecturer
Nuclear Physics

6/152 966-1-860-2798 khateeb@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Mr. Ayman Ghannam
Lecturer
Superconductivity

6/141 966-1-860-1597 ghannama@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Dr. Ahmed F. Salem
Lecturer
Superconductivity

6/122 966-1-860-1253 afsalem@kfupm.edu.sa Website
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Faculty

Chairman

Distinguished Professor

Chair Professor

Professor