Development of an Ultrahigh Vacuum Nanocircuit Characterization System for Research and Student Training

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This grant provides support for the development of an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) surface science chamber at the University of California, Irvine, for the study of nanometer scale materials, specifically the electronic properties and potential electronic applications of nanoelectronic devices. The UHV system will help build a foundation of understanding for the interactions between nanoscale electronic devices and their chemical environment. The UHV chamber will be equipped with specialized sample handling for electrical transport measurements. Surface science techniques will be applied to high-surface area nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes to help determine their true transport properties and to investigate their interactions with molecular adsorbates. The system will provide carefully controlled chemical states and limited adsorbed species to allow for investigations of electronic nanomaterials for chemical or biological sensor applications.This apparatus will impact the graduate education of more than 20 students enrolled at UC Irvine in the Chemical and Materials Physics (ChaMP) program. This graduate program stresses interdisciplinary connections between physics, chemistry and nanoscience, and it promotes an active learning environment with a hands-on laboratory rotation to introduce new students to graduate level research. Students will gain experience through investigations of the effects of chemical environment on the electronic properties of nanotubes and nanowires or clusters, by preparing devices with and without adsorbates. Students will gain new perspectives in the crossing of the disciplines of chemistry, physics and biology with the nanometer scale systems.