(DURIP) MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY SYSTEM FOR TOPOLOGICAL QUANTUM MATERIALS
Abstract
This proposal aims to set up a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system connected directly to existing instruments of advanced spectroscopic experimental technique available at the University of Central Florida, department of physics. The MBE system is a sophisticated crystal growth technique with the ability of producing high quality crystalline thin films in the ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions with precise control over thickness, composition and morphology. The proposed MBE system will be utilized to grow thin films of the emergent topological quantum materials such as topological insulators, Weyl semimetals and chiral fermion candidates. Topological insulators (TIs) are new quantum matter characterized by an insulating bulk state and gapless, spin-polarized, and linearly dispersive (Dirac cone) surface states, whereas both surface (Fermi arc like) and bulk (linearly dispersive Dirac like) states are interesting in Weyl semimetals. Chiral fermions are a new class of material which can behave like a near-ideal topological conductor with large surface fermi arcs across the entire surface Brillouin zone. This proposal aims to synthesize the topological quantum materials with the MBE technique and investigate them by utilizing ultrafast pulses in order to reveal their unique light-matter interactions. After setting up a compact MBE system, our main goals are: 1) growth of thin films of various thickness of topological quantum materials such as (a) magnetically doped topological insulator, (b) Weyl semimetal and (c) potential chiral fermion, 2) time-resolved measurements of high-quality MBE grown thin films utilizing ultrafast (femtosecond to attosecond) spectroscopic techniques, and 3) study of the ultrafast dynamics and quantum phase transitions of the thickness dependent MBE films to reveal their light matter interactions. The existing two DOD funded proposals (AFOSR project: “Illuminating Emergent Quantum Materials by Attosecond Pulses” award No. FA-9550-17-1-0415 and MURI project: “Weyl Fermion Optoelectronics”) will benefit enormously from the proposed instrumentation by offering various thickness dependent high-quality topological quantum material films as compared to the single crystal samples. Furthermore, the proposed system will serve a recruiting tool for the UCF physics program. The proposed instrumentation system will offer cutting-edge research-related educational opportunities for students from traditionally underrepresented minorities in STEM programs as UCF is a Minority Serving Institution.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 20, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502210481
Entities
People
- Madhab Neupane
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Central Florida Board of Trustees