Acquisition of an Integrated Optical Nanoprobe
Abstract
North Carolina Central University is requesting from the DOD the acquisition of a major instrument that allows researchers and students to correlate the distribution of micro- and nanoscale defects and features in materials with their chemical composition and impurities as well as strain, charge carrier dynamics (i.e., generation, recombination, trapping, and transport), and luminescence in such materials. The instrument integrates a set of nanoscale analytical tools that allow measuring correlated properties, including electronic, chemical, mechanical, topography, and atomic structure, as well as some quantum properties. The salient feature of this equipment is a simultaneous accessibility to materials properties within an extremely small volume or the specimen surface, without smearing the physical information. Fourteen measurement techniques are combined in a unique manner, to enable producing powerful data that allows to quickly and precisely understand complex behavior of nanomaterials. Complementary data is obtained by acquiring correlated signals produced by a single 80 manometer sized optical probe. Therefore, this tool is ideal for characterizing materials fabricated by NCCU teams and their collaborators, such as, quantum dots, 2D materials, few atomic layers, optoelectronic nanomaterials, solar nanomaterials, composite magnetic materials, soft materials, biomaterials, twistelecronic materials, carbon materials (bi-layer graphene sheets, nanotubes), biochemicals, chemical traces, bioelectronics devices, and devices operating at the quantum frontiers. A salient feature of this instrument is the use of optical nano-probes, which makes it suitable for characterizing biomaterials at all scales. Thus, the instrument will be a great asset for bio-chemistry research at NCCU, and the PhD Integrated Bioengineering program supported through the project ÒNSFRISE: Enhancement of Research and Education Infrastructure in Nanobiomaterials, Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Environmental Science and EngineeringÓ. If awarded, this unique instrument will make collaboration with partners of the new consortium more productive. The consortium is led by NCCU and was awarded $3,000,000 by DOE, for research on nanomaterials and sensors that improve the security of nuclear infrastructure. The sought instrument will enhance the scientific research and teaching at the departments of Mathematics and Physics, Chemistry and Biochemistry Sciences, and Biological and Biomedical Sciences, as well as at NCCU Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute, and NCCU Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise. The instrument will also amplify the research outcomes with partners in majority universities. The project will strengthen STEM education of minority and underrepresented students through research training in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Students will not only learn how to operate the instrument, but also will study semiconductors, nanomaterials, photonics, nano- and biomaterials, and soft materials and will learn how to extract key properties. Trained by the supplier, the team will provide to all users periodic trainings. High school teachers and students from Durham Technical College will participate in summer sessions. While preparing their thesis, M.S. Physics students will support the faculty in more frequent trainings of undergraduate students. A course will be developed for the M.S. Physics program and offered to other STEM programs. NCCU STEM departments actively support minority student excellence in research through internships funded through numerous projects. This provides high quality education, and the sought instrument will be an essential piece to pursue that effort. Participant students will present their research findings at specialized conferences and will publish in technical journals.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 25, 2021
- Source ID
- W911NF2110296
Entities
People
- A. Karoui
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- North Carolina College
- Office of the Secretary of Defense