Faculty

Name: Mogtaba Bakheet Mekki

Title: Lecturer

Research of Interests: My field is studying both the induced surfaces' random kinetic morphology and the self-organization of nanoscale surfaces pattern formations by the board ion beam. I am working on the modelling calculations, experimental findings, and simulation results.

Current Research Activity:

Sputtering a solid surface with an ion beam of relatively low energy (order of a few kilo electron volts) can result not only in surface kinetic roughening but also in the self-organization of ordered quasi-periodic nanostructures, such as ripples, dots, and holes under appropriate conditions, as shown in the figure below.

I am studying dynamical non-equilibrium processes, particularly self-organized pattern formation, on solid surfaces induced by irradiation with energetic ions. I employ both experimental and numerical studies to understand the evolution of these structures with the ultimate aim of being able to quantitatively predict pattern formation under specific conditions. 

My focuses on investigating the mechanism underlying ion bombardment induced self-organized nanoscale periodic ripples on monoatomic solid surfaces with fixed experimentally accessible parameters of low ion beam energy, large incidence angle and room temperature. These characterization studies explore and answer key questions about the driving forces behind ripple generation. Linear and nonlinear behaviors are investigated using both experimental approaches and deterministic solutions of a continuum equation which describes the evolution of surface morphology (a special case of Makeev-Cuerno-Barabási (spMCB) continuum equation) such as below PDE equation. 

Experiments are conducted by erosion solid monatomic surfaces with inert gas ions under vacuum conditions. The resulting surfaces are then imaged by Atomic Force Microscopy and the associated micrographs analysed to obtain key parameters associated with surface morphology such as interface width and the wavelength of quasi-periodic features. The continuum equation is evaluated in Fourier space using a custom-written solver on a High-Performance Computing cluster.

The outcomes of these results will enhance theoretical understanding of non-equilibrium surface patterning, ultimately aiming to quantitatively predict the wavelength of quasi-periodic structures and tune their structural coherence for potential applications in diverse fields such as anti-reflective surfaces, optoelectronics, and data storage.

Research Area: Ion-induced modification and Nanostructuring of non-equilibrium Surfaces, Numerical Solution of time-domain PDEs with Noise, and Renewable Energy.

Office: Building 6, room 136.

Telephone: 966-1-3-860-4697

Email: mogtaba@kfupm.edu.sa

Website: https://faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/phys/mogtaba/

Publications

1- Linear vs. Non-linear Behaviour in Ion Irradiation Nanostructuring of Nickel and Silicon Surfaces. Mogtaba B. Mekki, and Michael R.C. Hunt. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2751(1), IOP Publishing, 2024.

2- Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity of tungsten oxide thin films, MF Al-Kuhaili, TF Qahtan, MB Mekki, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 111607, 2023.

3- Laser-induced photocoloration in molybdenum oxide thin films. MF Al-Kuhaili, MB Mekki. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 885, 2021.

4- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling of as-grown and annealed titanium nitride thin films. M Maarouf, MB Haider, QA Drmosh, MB Mekki. Crystals 11 (3), 2021.

5- Correction to: A study on stability of active layer of polymer solar cells: effect of UV–visible light with different conditions. U Mehmood, K Harrabi, IA Hussein, N Shanmugam, A Mekki, M Mekki. Polymer Bulletin 77, 2020.

6- Spectrally selective energy-saving coatings based on reactively sputtered bismuth oxide thin films. MF Al-Kuhaili, ME Daoud, MB Mekki. Optical Materials Express 10 (2), 2020.

7- Influence of vacuum annealing on the photoresponse of thermally evaporated cadmium telluride thin films. MF Al-Kuhaili, MB Mekki, SA Abdalla. Thin Solid Films 686, 2019.

8- A study on stability of active layer of polymer solar cells: effect of UV–visible light with different conditions. U Mehmood, K Harrabi, IA Hussein, N Shanmugam, A Mekki, M Mekki. Polymer Bulletin 76, 2019.

9- P-type conductivity in hydrogenated radio frequency sputtered tin oxide thin films. MF Al-Kuhaili, MB Mekki. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 772, 2019.

10- Properties of TiO2 thin films deposited by rf reactive magnetron sputtering on biased substrates. S Nezar, N Saoula, S Sali, M Faiz, M Mekki, NA Laoufi, N Tabet. Applied Surface Science 395, 2017.

11- Hybrid TiO2–multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) photoanodes for efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). U Mehmood, IA Hussein, K Harrabi, MB Mekki, S Ahmed, N Tabet. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 140, 2015.

12- Influence of hydrogen annealing on the properties of hafnium oxide thin films. MF Al-Kuhaili, SMA Durrani, IA Bakhtiari, MA Dastageer, MB Mekki. Materials Chemistry and Physics 126 (3), 2011.

 

Dr. Mogtaba B. Mekki Lecturer 6/134 966-1-860-4697 mogtaba@kfupm.edu.sa Website