CAREER: Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of Transition Metal Chalcogenide Deposition Using Translationally Hot Atoms

这个由分析和表面化学项目支持的教师早期职业发展（Career）项目，旨在了解通过反向照明激光诱导汽化制备的薄膜的生长和成核。西班牙教授和她在西方学院的本科生将在硅上制备过渡金属和过渡金属硫族化物薄膜，并在衬底上固定有序的有机薄膜。这些体系应该在这些无机相和有机相之间的界面上产生独特的和潜在有用的微观结构。本职业研究项目的学生还将使用原子力显微镜来表征这些系统。这个项目的另一个教育目标是彻底重组无机-物理化学联合实验课程，强调激光在科学中的应用。要制造尺寸不断减小的可靠半导体材料，就需要提高对衬底上薄膜合成的理解和控制。这个CAREER研究项目的重点是在二氧化硅和有机衬底上生长的薄膜的合成和表征。这些薄膜将使用激光汽化技术生长，并用原子力显微镜进行表征。西班牙教授的本科生将在这项研究的各个方面获得直接经验，并接触到强调激光使用的课堂和实验室形式的新教材。高中学生也将有机会在这个新的激光实验室设施中工作。为所有这些学生提供有关科学机会的建议和指导是本职业建议教育重点的重要组成部分。

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project, supported in the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, aims to understand the growth and nucleation of thin films prepared by laser induced vaporization by back illumination. Professor Spain and her undergraduate students at Occidental College will prepare thin films of transition metal and transition metal chalcogenides on silicon and ordered organic films anchored to a substrate. These systems should yield unique and potentially useful microstructures at the interface between these inorganic and organic phases. Students in this CAREER research project will also use atomic force microscopy to characterize these systems. Another aspect of the educational thrust of this project will be the radical reorganization of a combined inorganic-physical chemistry laboratory course that emphasizes the uses of lasers in science. The fabrication of reliable semiconductor materials of every decreasing dimension requires improved understanding and control of the synthesis of thin films on substrates. This CAREER research project focusses on the synthesis and characterization of thin films grown on silica and organic substrates. These films will be grown using laser vaporization techniques and characterized by atomic force microscopy. Professor Spain's undergraduate students will gain direct experience in each of the aspects of this research as well as be exposed to new instructional materials in lecture and laboratory formats that emphasize the use of lasers. High school students will also be afforded opportunities to work in this new laser laboratory facility. Advising and mentoring of all of these students regarding opportunities in science are important parts of the educational thrusts of this CAREER proposal.