That’s amazing. Do you have a home lab with an atomic microscope where you do your research?

And what’s the reason for going solo vs a research university, where I assume this type of research could be significantly sped up?

No lab — the work is computational. All calculations run on a Dell Precision workstation with ORCA (quantum chemistry) software. An experimental collaborator is now preparing the C-AFM validation. The solo approach is a consequence of the work spanning multiple fields that don't share a single department.