Assistant Professor Balaji Gururajan received his PhD in Thin-Film Physics from Anna University, Chennai, India, in 2020. From March 2021 to January 2023, he worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Yuan Ze University, Taiwan, supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), where his research focused on Type-II superlattice (InAs/GaSb) structures grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy for infrared photodetector applications.

Since February 2023, he has been serving as a full-time Assistant Professor at the College of Electrical and Communication Engineering, Yuan Ze University, Taiwan, and currently also holds the role of Director of International Affairs for the college. His research interests span thin-film and semitransparent solar cells, transparent photovoltaics, and photodetectors covering UV, IR, and X-ray spectral regions, with strong emphasis on oxide, chalcogenide, and 2D material systems.

Dr. Gururajan has extensive hands-on experience in vacuum-based thin-film deposition techniques, including RF/DC sputtering, Molecular Beam Epitaxy, sulfurization processes, and interface engineering, as well as device fabrication and characterization. His current research includes research work focusing on Cu-based delafossite oxides, 2D heterostructures (WS₂–MoS₂), and transparent device architectures for next-generation optoelectronic and energy-harvesting applications.

He has published his research in 25+ international peer-reviewed journals and actively collaborates with academic and industrial partners across Taiwan, India, Europe, and Southeast Asia. His group welcomes motivated international interns and researchers interested in materials synthesis, device physics, and experimental optoelectronics, offering a research-intensive environment with strong mentorship and exposure to Taiwan’s semiconductor research ecosystem.

The Thin Film Laboratory focuses on both device simulation and experimental fabrication of optoelectronic devices, including thin-film and transparent solar cells, photodetectors, and emerging semiconductor devices. The group actively uses SCAPS-1D, and related simulation tools to study device physics, interface effects, and performance optimization. 

The laboratory provides strong hands-on training in thin-film deposition and device fabrication, with particular emphasis on RF/DC sputtering-based synthesis, post-deposition processing, and device integration. Students and interns are trained to independently operate deposition systems and follow clean experimental protocols.

For materials and device characterization, the lab has access to a wide range of facilities, including UV–Vis spectroscopy, Hall-effect measurement systems, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and standard electrical and optoelectronic measurement setups, enabling comprehensive analysis of thin-film properties and device performance.

The research group currently consists of one PhD student, 2 master’s students, and 4 undergraduate researchers, offering a collaborative and mentorship-driven environment for visiting interns and international researchers interested in experimental optoelectronics and materials science.