Acquisition of a Micro-Raman System for Multidisciplinary 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. Jafar Gharavi-Naeini, requests support for the acquisition of a micro-Raman/photoluminescence (PL) system for multidisciplinary research and education. The system consists of a high-resolution (0.3cm-1) monochromator that is coupled to a confocal microscope and dual detection ports. One of the detectors is TE cooled (-73°C) CCD with a spectral response varying from 250nm to 1100nm. The second detector is a liquid-N2 cooled linear InGaAs array that will extend the spectral response of the microprobe at least up to 1600nm. The system operates with the visible and ultra-violet (UV) excitation lines of an Ar+/Kr+ laser and uses a motorized XYZ positioning stage, enabling Raman imaging with near 1µm spatial resolution. The system will provide Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) with new research and educational capabilities for investigating the physical, chemical, and biological properties of a variety of materials and compounds. In particular, this acquisition will enable the PI to carry out surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and PL studies of micro-rings and planar micro-cavities in organic polymers, as well as micro-Raman investigations of biological systems including tumors and membrane proteins. The UV capability of the system will enable systematic study of pure and doped lanthanides. The PI plans to use SERS as a novel technique for forensic analysis of nano-particles coated paints. The system will be also used to characterize metal organic frameworks with high capacity for H2 storage and CO2 sequestration. Furthermore, the micro-Raman system together with the currently under development femtosecond fiber laser 780nm will enable combined time-resolved and SERS measurements with unimaginable sensitivity. The objective is to acquire a unique confocal microprobe with superior spectral and spatial resolutions. The microprobe will be used to characterize the composition and microstructure of a variety of materials both laterally and in depth. The system combines the Raman and PL techniques and enables both measurements to be made at exactly the same location on the sample. The system will enable WSSU’s faculty to carry out surface-enhanced measurements with very high sensitivity and specificity. The results of these investigations will impact the development of novel devices for various optoelectronic, bio-diagnostics, gas-storage, forensic analyses, and chemosensing applications. The ultra-broad wavelength operation of the microprobe will: (i) provide accurate PL measurements, since spectra often extend across the near-IR (above 1100nm); (ii) enable Raman investigations in the 1500nm-1600nm spectral ranges, for optical communication applications; and (iii) extend measurements to the UV spectra, thus enabling Raman imaging with improved spatial resolution. This acquisition will strengthen the infrastructure for multidisciplinary research and will provide an excellent opportunity for education and training at WSSU. It will impact current STEM scholar programs by directly involving WSSU’s undergraduate students in unique on-campus research opportunities (8-12 projects per year) using the proposed instrumentation. This would result in improving student prep and readiness for graduation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 11, 2017
- Source ID
- W911NF1510048
Entities
People
- Jafar Gharavi-naeini
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- Winston-Salem State University