Electronic Properties of Thin Film Organic Superconductors Studied Using Synchrotron Radiation-Based Soft X-Ray Spectroscopies

该项目旨在合成有机超导体薄膜，并使用基于高分辨率同步辐射的软x射线光谱的强大组合来研究其电子特性。 一个主要的目标是解决与早期单晶研究相关的光束损伤和表面问题，方法是原位生长这些材料的薄膜，并在同步辐射光束前面连续平移薄膜，同时记录光谱。 有机分子束沉积法将被发展用于原位合成有序的有机超导薄膜。对薄膜有机超导体的态密度、能带结构、费米面和轨道成键进行了连续测量。 该项目将对学生和博士后研究人员的教育产生重大影响，使他们在国家用户设施中接触到高度合作的研究环境。 他们将接受新型有机材料的化学和物理学以及同步辐射光谱学在研究中的应用的教育。 这是一个雄心勃勃的计划，旨在对有机超导体的表面和体电子结构进行明确的测量。超导体是一种迷人的材料，在适当的条件下，它可以无电阻地传输电流。 虽然大多数超导体是无机材料，如金属，但也有一些是有机材料，即，碳基的 这些有机超导体是复杂的材料，其性质还不清楚。有机超导体薄膜还没有常规合成，这将是一个重大挑战。 这些材料的基本电子性质将使用两个探针：光电子能谱和X射线发射光谱进行研究。 这些探针涉及通过用强烈的X射线照射来激发材料中的电子并测量它们的响应。 这种光谱学的结合将提供对这些复杂材料的电子和化学性质的全面理解。 该计划还将教育博士后研究助理，研究生和本科生在有机超导体的物理和化学，以及最先进的光谱探针在他们的研究中的应用。这类电子材料对工业界有很高的兴趣，在这些领域受过训练的学生在就业市场上将非常有竞争力。

The project aims to synthesize thin films of organic superconductors and to study their electronic properties using a powerful combination of high resolution synchrotron radiation-based soft x-ray spectroscopies. A major goal is to solve the beam damage and surface problems associated with earlier studies of single crystals by growing thin films of these materials in-situ, and continuously translating the films in front of the synchrotron radiation beam as spectra are recorded. Organic molecular beam deposition methods will be developed for the in-situ synthesis of ordered thin films of organic superconductors. Definitive measurements will be made of the density of states, band structure, Fermi surfaces, and orbital bonding of thin film organic superconductors. This project will have a significant impact on the education of students and postdoctoral research associates by exposing them to a highly collaborative research environment at national user facilities. They will be educated in the chemistry and physics of novel organic materials, and in the application of synchrotron radiation spectroscopies in their study. This is an ambitious program that aims to produce definitive measurements of surface and bulk electronic structure of organic superconductors.%%%Superconductors are fascinating materials that, under appropriate conditions, can carry an electrical current with no resistance. While most superconductors are inorganic materials such as metals, there are some that are organic, i.e., carbon-based. These organic superconductors are complex materials whose properties are not well understood. Thin films of organic superconductors have not been routinely synthesized, and this will be a major challenge. The basic electronic properties of these materials will be studied using two probes: photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray emission spectroscopy. These probes involve the excitation of the electrons in the material by illumination with intense x-rays and measuring their response. This combination of spectroscopies will provide a comprehensive understanding of the electronic and chemical properties of these complex materials. This program will also educate postdoctoral research associates, graduate and undergraduate students in the physics and chemistry of organic superconductors, and the application of state of the art spectroscopic probes in their study. This class of electronic materials is of high interest to industry, and students trained in these areas will be very competitive in the job market.