Divine P Kumah

Associate Professor of Physics

Divine Kumah received his B.S in Physics from Southern University, Baton Rouge, and a Ph.D in Applied Physics from the University of Michigan in 2009. His postdoctoral research work was performed at the Center for Research in Interface and Surface Phenomena at Yale University. His research interests are in experimental condensed matter physics and are aimed at understanding the novel electronic and magnetic properties which emerge at the interfaces between crystalline materials.
The Kumah Research Lab uses state of the art atomic layer-by-layer deposition techniques including molecular beam epitaxy to fabricate thin crystalline oxide films. The group is focused on understanding how atomic-scale structural distortions at interfaces can be manipulated to induce novel electronic and magnetic phenomena and the development of pathways for harnessing these unique functionalities for electronic and energy applications. Tools used by the group include atomic force microscopy, electron diffraction and synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopy and diffraction.  

Appointments and Affiliations

• Associate Professor of Physics

Contact Information

• Office Location: 120 Science Dr., Physics Bldg. Room 077, Durham, NC 27708
• Office Phone: +1 919 684 2743
• Email Address: divine.kumah@duke.edu
• Websites:
  • https://sites.duke.edu/kumahlab/

Education

• Ph.D. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2009
• M.S.E.E. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2007

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

• The 2022 Oxide Electronics Prize for Excellence in Research. International Workshop on Oxide Electronics . 2022
• National Science Foundation CAREER Awards - Multiple Sciences. National Science Foundation (NSF). 2018

Courses Taught

• PHYSICS 152L9D: Introductory Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics (Discussion Component)
• PHYSICS 151L9D: Introductory Mechanics (Discussion Component)

In the News

• Divine Kumah Explores Atoms to Learn What Makes Them Tick (Sep 7, 2023 | Department of Physics)

Representative Publications

• Zhang, X; Al-Tawhid, AH; Schafer, P; Zhang, Z; Kumah, DP, The Role of Interfacial Interactions and Oxygen Vacancies in Tuning Magnetic Anisotropy in LaCrO3/LaMnO3 Heterostructures, Advanced Materials Interfaces, vol 11 no. 25 (2024) [10.1002/admi.202400243] [abs].
• Schöpf, J; Piva, V; Van Loosdrecht, PHM; Lindfors-Vrejoiu, I; Shafer, P; Kumah, DP; Zhang, X; Yao, L; Van Dijken, S, Tuning the interlayer coupling in La0.7Sr0.3Mn0.95Ru0.05 O3/LaNiO3 multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, Physical Review Materials, vol 8 no. 9 (2024) [10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.8.094410] [abs].
• Baksi, M; Kumah, DP, The structure of Ferroelectric BaBiO$_3$/BaTiO$_3$ Interfaces grown by
  Molecular Beam Epitaxy (2024) [abs].
• Zhang, X; Al-Tawhid, A; Schafer, P; Zhang, Z; Kumah, DP, The role of interfacial interactions and oxygen vacancies in tuning
  magnetic anisotropy in LaCrO$_{3}$/LaMnO$_{3}$ heterostructures (2024) [abs].
• Baksi, M; Hong, H; Kumah, DP, In Situ Scattering Studies of Superconducting Vacancy‐Ordered Monoclinic TiO Thin Films, Advanced Physics Research, vol 3 no. 3 (2024) [10.1002/apxr.202300086] [abs].