NIRT: Spatial and Intensity Modulation of Light Emission in Fluorescent Molecules, Quantum Dots, and Nanowires

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NIRT: Spatial and Intensity Modulation of Light Emission in Fluorescent Molecules, Quantum Dots, and NanowiresJanko BoldizsarECS-0609249This NIRT proposal focuses on building and characterizing, both theoretically and experimentally, hybrid devices that integrate fluorescent single molecules with Coulomb blockaded single-electron devices. The resulting multi-purpose nanoscale opto-electronic active devices are rather unique as the electronic signal is not only converted into optical signal, but it is done so with a large amplification. These devices also provide unprecedented control over fluorophore and NW environment, give direct, ultrasensitive measure of charge fluctuations, present a unique opportunity to identify the microscopic mechanism responsible for the universal on/off time distributions in NDQs, and serve as nanoscale test-beds for characterizing a wide variety of fluorescent single-molecules, nanowires and their environments. Intellectual Merit: The breakthroughs achieved by this project will have immediate impact on a wide range of activities at the forefront of nanoscale science and technology, such as novel nanoscale/ molecularopto-electronic devices, nanoscale biological imaging, dynamic monitoring of biological processes at sub-cellular level, quantum information processing, quantum cryptography or optical quantum computation. Our research team is truly /interdisciplinary/, with PIs from physics, chemistry, electrical engineering departments and collaborators from the Bioimaging Center at Caltech. Each participant brings complementary expertise necessary to address the key aspects of the project: quantum dot synthesis, single-electron tunneling (SET) device fabrication, near-field scanning optical microscopy and theory. Broader Impacts: In addition to training graduate students in nano-science, a substantial participation of undergraduates in our research through senior projects and the REU program is proposed. The NIRT team members also collaborate with local high schools and provide high school students as well as undergraduates with the unique experience of witnessing first-hand single molecule imaging via the low cost, single molecule-sensitive, optical microscope using we developed from off-the-shelf components.