Dr. Alsem is the Director of Research and Engineering at Hummingbird Scientific. He has two decades worth of research and development experience with in-situ and analytical transmission electron microscopy, electron microscopy-centered experimentation, and microscopy methods and hardware development.

After acquiring his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley, Dr. Alsem worked at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s National Center of Electron Microscopy. He previously also held an Affiliate Assistant Professor position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington.

Learn more about his research interests and publications from his Google Scholar profile or by connecting to his LinkedIn profile.

Selected Publications

Journal publications:

J22. Interfacial Insight from Operando XAS/TEM for Magnesium Metal Deposition with Borohydride Electrolytes, T.S. Arthur, P.A. Glans, N. Singh, O. Tutusaus, K. Nie, Y.S Liu, F Mizuno, J. Guo, D.H. Alsem, N.J. Salmon, R. Mohtadi, Chemistry of Materials, vol. 29, 2017, pp. 7183-7188.

J21. Electrochemical Measurements in In Situ TEM Experiments, E. Fahrenkrug, D.H. Alsem, N.J. Salmon, S. Maldonado, Journal of The Electrochemical Society vol. 164, 2017, pp. H358-H364.

J20. Origin and hysteresis of lithium compositional spatiodynamics within battery primary particles, J. Lim, Y. Li, D.H. Alsem, H. So, S.C. Lee, P. Bai, D.A. Cogswell, X. Liu, N. Jin, Y.S. Yu, N.J. Salmon, D.A. Shapiro, M.Z. Bazant, T. Tyliszczak, W.C. Chueh, Science, vol. 353, 2016, pp. 566-571.

J19. A method for measuring the local gas pressure in a gas-flow stage in situ in the transmission electron microscope, R. Colby, D.H. Alsem, A. Liyu, B. Kabius, Ultramicroscopy, vol.153, 2015, pp 55–60.

J18. Direct Imaging of Electrochemical Reactions in Lithium Ion Batteries, R.R. Unocic, X-G Sun, L. Adamczyk, D.H. Alsem, N.J. Salmon, S. Da, N. Dudney, Microscopy and Microanalysis, vol. 20, Issue 4, 2014, pp.1029‒1037.

J17. In Situ TEM Study of Catalytic Nanoparticle Reactions in One ATM Gas Pressure, H.L. Xin, K.Niu, D.H. Alsem, H. Zheng, Microscopy and Microanalysis, Vol. 19, Issue 6, 2013, pp. 1558-1568.

J16. Sidewall Adhesion and Sliding Contact Behavior of Polycrystalline Silicon Microdevices Operated in High Vacuum, D.H. Alsem, H. Xiang, R.O. Ritchie, K.Komvopoulos, Journal of Microelectromechanical systems, vol. 21 2012, pp.1-11

J15. Fatigue-Induced Grain Coarsening in Nanocrystalline Platinum Films, R.A. Meirom, D.H. Alsem, A.L. Romasco, T. Clark, R. Polcawich, J. Pulskamp, M. Dubey, R.O. Ritchie, and C.L. Muhlstein, Acta Materialia, vol. 59, 2011, pp. 1141–1149.

J14. Wear Mechanisms And Friction Parameters For Sliding Wear Of Micron-Scale Polysilicon Sidewalls, D.H. Alsem, R. van der Hulst, E.A. Stach, M.T. Dugger, J.Th.M. De Hosson and R.O. Ritchie, Sensors and Actuators A, Vol. 163, Issue 1, 2010, pp 373-382

J13. A Novel Biomimetic Approach To The Design Of High-Performance Ceramic/Metal Composites, M.E. Launey, E. Munch, D.H. Alsem, E. Saiz, A.P. Tomsia and R.O. Ritchie,  Journal of the Royal Society Interface, vol. 7, 2010, pp. 741-753.

J12. Designing Highly Toughened Hybrid Composites Though Nature-Inspired Hierarchical Complexity, M.E. Launey, E. Munch, D.H. Alsem, H.B. Barth, E. Saiz, A.P. Tomsia and R.O. Ritchie, Acta Materialia, vol. 57, 2009, pp. 2919-2932.

J11. Sliding Wear Mechanisms Of Polysilicon Surface Micromachines Operated In High Vacuum, S.J. Timpe, D.H. Alsem, D.A. Hook, M.T. Dugger and K. Komvopoulos, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, vol. 18, 2009, pp. 229-238.

J10. Tough, Bio-Inspired Hybrid Materials, E. Munch,  M.E. Launey, D.H. Alsem, E. Saiz, A.P. Tomsia, R.O. Ritchie, Science, vol. 322, 2008, pp. 1516-1520. 2009 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize Honorable Mention

J9. Micron-Scale Friction And Sliding Wear Of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Structural Films In Ambient Air, D.H. Alsem, E.A. Stach, M.T. Dugger and R.O. Ritchie, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, vol. 17, 2008, pp. 1144-1154.

J8. Further Considerations On The High-Cycle Fatigue Of Micron-Scale Polycrystalline Silicon, D.H. Alsem, C.L. Muhlstein, E.A. Stach and R.O. Ritchie, Scripta Materialia, vol. 59, 2008, pp. 931-935, (Invited paper).

J7. Effect Of Post-Release Sidewall Morphology On The Fracture And Fatigue Properties Of Polycrystalline Silicon Structural Films, D.H. Alsem, B.L. Boyce, E.A. Stach and R.O. Ritchie, Sensors and Actuators A, vol. 147, 2008, pp. 553-560.

J6. Mechanisms For Fatigue Of Micron-Scale Silicon Structural Films, D.H. Alsem, O.N. Pierron, E.A. Stach, C.L. Muhlstein and R.O. Ritchie, Advanced Engineering Materials, vol 9, no 1-2, 2007, pp. 15-30, (Invited review).

J5. Very High-Cycle Fatigue Failure In Micron-Scale Poly-Crystalline Silicon Films: Effects Of Environment And Surface Oxide Thickness, D.H. Alsem, R. Timmerman, B.L. Boyce, E.A. Stach, J.Th.M. de Hosson and R.O. Ritchie, Journal of Applied Physics, vol 101, Jan 2007, pp. 013515.

J4. An Electron Microscopy Study Of Wear In Polysilicon Microelectromechanical Systems In Ambient Air, D.H. Alsem, E.A. Stach, M.T. Dugger, Marius Enachescu and R.O. Ritchie, Thin Solid Films, vol 515, 2007, pp. 3259–3266.

J3. Quantitative Characterization Of The Growth And Morphological Evolution Of Bicrystalline Aluminum Thin Films, D.H. Alsem, J.Th.M. de Hosson and E.A. Stach, Journal of Materials Science, vol 40, 2005, pp. 5033-5036.

J2. Fatigue Failure In Thin-Film Polycrystalline Silicon Is Due To Subcritical Cracking Within The Oxide Layer, D.H. Alsem, E.A. Stach, C.L. Muhlstein and R.O. Ritchie, Applied Physics Letters, vol 86, Jan 2005, pp. 41914-1-3.

J1. Ultra-Soft Magnetic Films Investigated With Lorentz Transmissie Electron Microscopy And Electron Holography, J.Th.M. De Hosson, N.G. Chechenin, D.H. Alsem, T. Vystavel, B.J. Kooi, A.R. Chezan and D.O. Boerma, Microscopy & Microanalysis, vol 8, no 4, Aug 2002, pp.274-87.