X-ray Diffraction System for Advanced Materials Analysis in Research and Education
Abstract
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 and the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Act for 2014 allocated $10.7M to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) and to enhance their research and education capabilities in scientific areas relevant to the defense mission. The FY 2014 program supports the acquisition of research equipment and instrumentation to augment existing capabilities and to develop new capabilities that will facilitate greater participation in DoD research programs and encourage more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This proposal from Principal Investigator, Dr. Mark Holtz of Texas State University, requests support to acquire a versatile high-resolution x-ray diffraction system with array detector and user-friendly measurement reconfiguration to analyze thin films, powders, and nanomaterials. The acquisition will support current and future initiatives in materials research. The system will be a major resource in the existing Analysis Research Service Center (RSC), a fee-based user facility, and it will complement extensive materials growth and device fabrication for conducting research supported by federal, state, and industry funding. The new state-of-the-art system will replace an antiquated system acquired in 1994. It will provide new capabilities and reduce measurement time thus allowing expanded user-ship for both research and education. The new x-ray diffraction system will support an array of research projects. For example, semiconductor materials projects will include (1) integration of CVD diamond with MOCVD GaN for thermal management in power transistors, (2) integration of GaN with ALD dielectrics for 2D tunnel switches, (3) MBE grown II-VI materials on GaSb for infrared focal-plane arrays and thermoelectrics, (4) MBE growth of II-VI alloys on CdTe for infrared detectors, and (5) solar cells based on MBE-grown CdTe. Nanomaterials research will include (6) lightweight polymer/clay composites for diverse DoD applications including ballistics and (7) 2D materials including graphene, h-BN, and MoS2 for EM shielding, water purification, and other applications. Two projects are highlighted concerning functional materials grown by MBE including (8) integration of crystalline oxides with compound semiconductors for future device architectures and (9) spin-dependent transport in two-dimensional electron gases at interfaces between oxides such as SrTiO3, LaAlO3, and BiFeO3. The proposed system will have a direct impact on these and future research projects. The requested instrumentation will be used in materials research training and course instruction at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Combined in-class and hands-on training will be conducted in several courses and laboratory units (e.g. thin films, powders, nanomaterials) will be developed. Successful approaches for incorporating advanced instrumentation will be shared and leveraged across departments including advanced laboratory courses in chemistry and physics, microfabrication courses in engineering, and PhD level instruction in laboratory methods and nanofabrication. Senior research projects will also be enhanced through the use of the proposed equipment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 12, 2017
- Source ID
- W911NF1510025
Entities
People
- M. Holtz
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Texas State University