Development and Acquisition of Instrumentation for Nanomechanics Research and Education

这笔赠款支持西北大学开发和购置用于纳米级力学研究和教学的仪器。材料科学和工程中的一个主要挑战是通过原子和分子水平控制来设计和表征新型功能材料。具有优异机电性能的新材料，如超纳米级晶体金刚石，是设计微纳米级机电系统(MEMS/NEMS)的理想候选材料。这些所谓的纳米结构材料具有从根本上影响主要新兴技术的潜力，如纳米电子、生物芯片和轻质材料。事实上，到2005年，纳米结构材料的世界市场交易量预计将达到数十亿美元。尽管如此，在获得新的商业上可行的产品的道路上仍然存在几个主要挑战，包括：合成、加工和处理、原子水平的表征以及经济性。在这个项目中，我们将开发独特的实验工具，用于纳米晶体材料、碳纳米管和纳米线的机电表征。该装置将用于透射式电子显微镜、超高真空扫描隧道显微镜，并与原子力显微镜结合使用。我们完全期待这些实验能够发现新的非弹性变形和电子传导机制，这些机制可以被有利地用于开发新型的NEMS。将开发和获得的仪器将主要由研究生使用，他们将为研究和教育部分做出贡献。由于纳米力学实验正在成为材料工程教育的核心，我们将把这项研究的主要发展转移到课堂上。简化的实验程序和开发的模型将作为实验模块在双级(本科生/研究生)班级中提供，并将为新的研究生课程开发新的实验。将继续通过互联网课堂传播教学和研究活动，在国家和国际会议和讲习班上发言，并在教育和科学期刊上发表手稿

This grant provides support for the development and acquisition of instrumentation for research and education in mechanics on the nano-scale at Northwestern University. A major challenge in materials science and engineering is the design and characterization of novel functional materials through atomic and molecular level control. New materials with superior electro-mechanical properties, e.g., ultra-nano-scale crystalline diamond, are ideal candidates for the design of micro and nano-scale electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). These so-called nanostructured materials possess the potential to radically impact major emerging technologies such as nanoelectronics, bio-chips, and lightweight materials. In fact, world market volumes for nanostructured materials are expected to reach billions of dollars by the year 2005. Nonetheless, several main challenges along the path to new commercially viable products still exist, including: synthesis, processing and handling, characterization at the atomic level, and economics. In this project we will develop unique experimental tools that are needed for the electro-mechanical characterization of nanocrystalline materials, carbon nanotubes and nanowires. The device will be used within a transmission electron microscope, an ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscope, and in conjunction with atomic force microscopy. We fully expect these experiments to identify novel inelastic deformation and electronic conduction mechanisms, which can be used advantageously in the development of novel NEMS. The instrumentation to be developed and acquired will be employed primarily by graduate students, who will contribute to both research and educational components. Since nano-scale mechanical experiments are becoming central to materials engineering education, we will transition main developments of this research to the classroom. Simplified versions of the experimental procedures and developed models will be offered as lab modules in dual level (undergraduate/graduate) classes and new labs will be developed for a new graduate course. Dissemination of teaching and research activities through classes via the Internet, presentations at national and international conferences and workshops, and publication of manuscripts in educational and scientific journals will be pursued