Ho Kun Woo

Experimental materials scientist with expertise in advanced materials synthesis, characterization, and device development. Strong in system integration and device stability optimization, with hands-on proficiency in thin-film processing and analytical techniques.

Postdoctoral Associate - University of Wisconsin-Madison

(2025-09)

Project: Surface Engineering of Semiconductor Materials

• Modulated the electronic structure and carrier density of sulfide semiconductors via post-doping strategies, successfully optimizing charge transport and minimizing recombination losses.
• Established high-reliability electrodeposited protection layers to prevent chemical degradation, improving material stability under harsh operating environments.

Graduate Researcher - University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign

(2020-09 - 2025-08)

Project 1: Synthesis and Material Tailoring of Functional Semiconductor Materials

• Synthesized various metal oxide structures (ZnO, Cu2O, TiO2, BiVO4, WO3, WO3@BiVO4 and Fe2O3) using hydrothermal synthesis, flame synthesis, and thermal processing.
• Engineered defects to tailor electronic properties, carrier transport, and interfacial charge-transfer behavior.
• Established structure–property relationships through comprehensive structural, optical, and (photo)electrochemical characterization.

Graduate Researcher - University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign

(2020-09 - 2025-08)

Project 2: Thin-film Processing and Nanostructure Engineering

• Designed a visibly transparent infrared reflective coating for personal heat management and thermal camouflage using a nanophotonic structure of oxide/metal/oxide tri-layer mesh structures.
• Developed a colored infrared reflective coating through electrochemical nanoimprinting for personal heat management.
• Performed Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations to design the optimized structure and utilized various nanofabrication tools including lithography, RIE, and PVD.

Graduate Researcher - Korea University

(2017-07 - 2020-08)

Project: Development of Nanocrystal Electronics

• Developed high-performance electronics, including wearable sensors, transistors, photodetectors and solar cells using various inorganic nanocrystals (Ag, Au, ZnO, CdX (X=S, Se), PbX (X=S, Se)).
• Studied carrier statistics to suppress the dark current in PbS infrared photodetectors.
• Optimized the chemical state of electron transport layer (ZnO NPs) in PbS solar cells to suppress charge recombination.

Ph.D. - Mechanical Engineering - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2025-08)

M.Eng. - Materials Science and Engineering - Korea University (2020-08)

B.S. - Materials Science and Engineering - Korea University (2018-08)