Acquisition of a High-Speed, High-Sensitivity Ellipsometer for Materials Research and Education

这笔赠款支持从Beaglehole Instruments购买一台相位调制光谱“皮克计”椭偏仪。该仪器的响应时间约为1毫秒，吸附质量灵敏度约为2 ng/cm2，将用于在短时间尺度和长时间尺度上实时研究软材料在界面上的组装和组织。该仪器还将用于监测聚合物改性界面的吸附事件。一系列将立即从该仪器的能力中受益的项目包括分析聚合物两亲分子的组装、表面受限聚合物的生长、电极上氧化还原分子的动力学以及光电聚合物薄膜的形态。光谱椭偏仪将被安置在最近成立的表面表征实验室，该实验室位于化学工程系。来自几个学科(化学工程、生物工程、环境工程和科学系)的博士后研究人员以及研究生和本科生目前正在使用这一多用户设施。正在进行的科学项目影响着重要的领域，例如推进分子电子学和光电聚合物设备的技术，创造纳米级设计的(生物)分离剂，以及定制可以筛选细胞上的抗原展示的接口层。这些研究项目将使在表面表征实验室工作的学生的多样性扩大到包括化学和材料科学与工程的学生，从而提供一个真正的跨学科培训环境。皮格计和相关设施将向附近通过研究探索计划与克莱姆森化学工程系有联系的非博士生授予学院的教职员工和学生开放。皮度计还将有助于将表面表征实验室发展成为先进材料研究领域的最先进设施，这是克莱姆森大学的核心研究主题。

This grant supports purchase of a phase-modulated spectroscopic "Picometer" ellipsometer from Beaglehole Instruments. With response times on the order of 1 millisecond and adsorbed mass sensitivity on the order of 2 ng/cm 2, this high-speed, high-sensitivity instrument will be used to study in real-time the assembly and organization of soft materials at interfaces over both short and long time scales. This instrument will also be used to monitor adsorption events at polymer-modified interfaces. A set of projects that will benefit immediately from the capabilities of this instrument include the analysis of the assembly of polymer amphiphiles, the growth of surface-confined polymers, the dynamics of redox molecules at electrodes, and the morphology of thin films of optoelectronic polymers. The spectroscopic ellipsometer will be housed in the recently created Surface Characterization Laboratory, located in the Chemical Engineering Department. Post-doctoral researchers and graduate and undergraduate students from several disciplines (the Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Environmental Engineering and Science Departments) currently utilize this multi-user facility. The scientific projects underway impact important areas, such as advancing the technology for molecular electronics and optoelectronic polymer devices, creating (bio) separation agents designed at the nanoscale, and tailoring interfacial layers that can screen antigenic displays on cells. These research projects will enable expansion of the diversity of students working in the Surface Characterization Laboratory to include students from Chemistry and Materials Science & Engineering, thus providing a truly interdisciplinary training environment. The Picometer and associated facility will be available to faculty and students from nearby non-Ph.D. granting colleges that have an association with Clemson's Chemical Engineering Department through the Research Exploration programs. The Picometer will also help to grow the Surface Characterization Laboratory into a state-of-the-art facility in the area of advanced materials research, a core research theme at Clemson University.