CAREER: Mesoscopic Thermal and Thermoelectric Transport in Low Dimensional Materials

哥伦比亚大学的这个教师早期职业发展（CAREER）项目的目标是研究纳米材料的介观热和热电输运特性。在这项研究中，将采用基于微细加工、微机电系统技术和热成像扫描探针显微镜的创新实验技术来探索这些材料在量子输运极限下的新物理现象。具体来说，电导，热导和热电功率将测量碳纳米管和各种纳米线使用专门设计的亚微米级设备。本研究将揭示介观尺度下量子力学和热力学可逆和不可逆输运过程之间的关系。此外，拟议的研究将有助于在量子输运机制中寻找纳米材料的热电应用。这项建议的教育部分旨在加强研究和教育的协同效应。特别是，一个互动的物理演示实验室，为当地高中科学类与援助的网页为基础的互联网通信计划。这项活动旨在培养本地少数学生对科学及科技的兴趣。虽然纳米尺度系统中的电输运已被广泛研究，但热输运和热电输运的研究却很少受到关注。哥伦比亚大学的这个教师早期职业发展（CAREER）项目的目标是探索低维材料中新的热传输和热电现象，特别是当携带能量的粒子的量子力学相干长度与样品尺寸相当时。本研究将揭示纳米尺度材料中量子力学和热力学可逆和不可逆输运过程之间的关系。此外，低维纳米材料独特的热电性能使其成为替代世纪古老的制冷和发电技术的潜在候选者。该提案旨在找到这些材料用于热电冷却和发电的应用，为使用纳米科学的清洁未来能源技术奠定基础。该提案的教育部分强调当地高中和本科科学教育的互动整合教育/研究计划。拟议的基于互联网的计划将促进学生对科学的理解，也将有助于鼓励代表性不足的群体参与科学和技术进步。

The goal of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project at Columbia University is to investigate mesoscopic thermal and thermoelectrical transport properties in nanoscale materials. In this research, innovative experimental techniques based on microfabrication, microelectromechanical systems techniques, and thermal imaging scanning probe microscopy will be employed to explore new physical phenomena in these materials at quantum transport limit. Specifically, electrical conductance, thermal conductance, and thermoelectric power will be measured in carbon nanotubes and various nanowires using specially designed submicron scale devices. This investigation will unveil the relationship between reversible and irreversible transport processes of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics at mesoscopic scales. In addition, the proposed research will help to search for thermoelectric applications of nanoscale materials in the quantum transport regime. The educational component of this proposal is intended to enhance synergetic effects in both research and education. In particular, an interactive physics demonstration laboratory for local high school science class with the aid of the web page based internet communications is planned. This activity is designed to foster interests of local underrepresented student group in science and technology.Although the electrical transport in nanometer scaled systems has been studied extensively, the investigation of the thermal and thermoelectric transport has received much less attention. The goal of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project at Columbia University is to explore new thermal transport and thermoelectric phenomena in low-dimensional materials, particularly when the quantum mechanical coherence length of the energy-carrying particles is comparable to the sample dimensions. This investigation will unveil the relationship between reversible and irreversible transport processes of quantum mechanics and thermodynamics in nanometer scaled materials. Furthermore, the unique thermoelectric properties of the low-dimensional nanometer scaled materials make them potential candidates for replacing century old technologies of refrigeration and electricity generation. This proposal seeks to find applications of these materials for thermoelectric cooling and generation, which lays the bases for a clean future energy technology using nanoscience. The educational component of this proposal emphasizes interactively integrated educational/research programs for local high school and undergraduate science education. The proposed internet based program will promote understanding of science among students, and also will help to encourage the participation of underrepresented groups in science and technology progress.