MRSEC: Center for Nanoscale Science

宾夕法尼亚州立大学材料研究科学与工程中心(MRSEC)利用在材料合成和制造、显微镜、物理性能测量、分子合成和理论方面的独特能力，在基础科学重要领域获得具有新特性和功能的材料。该中心包括几个跨学科研究小组(IRGS)。Motors IRG设计、合成和研究分子、纳米和微米级马达，这些马达利用化学反应产生纳米级的力。这种IRG通过系绳、轨道、旋转轴承、燃料浓度梯度、磁场或电场、光模式和电机本身之间的相互作用来约束和控制电机的运动，以实现在感知、响应、组织和适应环境的系统中的长期应用。关于受限电子的IRG促进了我们对电子的理解，这些电子被限制在由各种金属和半导体制成的精确定义的狭窄的一维单晶中运动。这些受限电子之间的相互作用产生了新的现象，包括超导、磁性和电子自旋的运动。关于电磁纳米结构的IRG以复杂的模式组织和整合金属和半导体。通过将电子和光子的理想介质结合在一起，它使一类用于产生、调制和检测光的新型光纤设备成为可能。图案化的平面纳米结构产生不寻常的光学性质，如低、零和负折射率，从而使对光传播的控制达到前所未有的程度。多铁化合物上的IRG利用应变，即通过逐层沉积晶格中的原子来拉伸或压缩原子的能力，在可以预测新材料的计算模型的指导下，创建了一类将弹性变形、电场和磁场耦合在一起的新材料。多铁性材料有望实现多种新材料的应用，例如电开关磁存储器。通过竞争性同行评审选出的种子基金，将通过培育职业生涯早期和成熟教师的高风险、变革性研究，带领该中心走向新的科学方向。这些项目包括通过将原子团与导电连接物分子连接起来制造新的电子材料，以及研究一维系统中电子传输的量子力学方面。将定期对所有研究项目进行竞争性审查，以保持高水平的创新、协作、生产力和科学影响力。MRSEC与国家、国际和行业合作伙伴建立了广泛的伙伴关系。中心的研究活动与教育和工业项目紧密结合，在面向不同学生和博士后群体的外展文化中提供跨学科培训。为了产生最大的影响，S中心的推广活动将其成员的科学专业知识和热情与合作伙伴在接触大量受众方面的专业知识结合在一起。MRSEC为K-8夏令营开发关于公众感兴趣的主题的内容。该中心与富兰克林研究所一起，设计和制作以手推车为基础的展览，并将其分发给全国科学博物馆网络。中心教职员工将指导科学领导力学院的高中生。该中心通过与波多黎各、德克萨斯州、路易斯安那州和(通过NSF探索队)非洲的机构建立密切联系，从各级代表性不足的群体中招募和支持学生。该中心通过教师培训研讨会和研究经验接触到广泛的高中和中学，并通过本科生研究经验指导不同的学生群体。所有主要的外展计划都会定期评估其效果和影响。

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the Pennsylvania State University exploits unique capabilities in materials synthesis and fabrication, microscopy, physical property measurements, molecular synthesis and theory to attain materials with new properties and functions in areas of fundamental scientific importance. The Center includes several interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). The Motors IRG designs, synthesizes, and studies molecular, nano- and micro-scale motors that employ chemical reactions to generate force at the nanometer scale. This IRG constrains and controls motor movement via tethers, tracks, rotary bearings, gradients in the fuel concentration, magnetic or electric fields, patterns of light and interactions between motors themselves, to enable long-term applications in systems that sense, respond, organize and adapt to their environment. The IRG on Electrons in Confinement advances our understanding of electrons that are confined to move within precisely defined, narrow one-dimensional single crystals made from a wide range of metals and semiconductors. Interactions between these confined electrons generate new phenomena involving superconductivity, magnetism and the motion of electron spins. The IRG on Electromagnetic Nanostructures organizes and integrates metals and semiconductors in sophisticated patterns. By marrying the ideal media for electrons and photons, it enables a new class of in-fiber devices for the generation, modulation and detection of light. Patterned planar nanostructures generate unusual optical properties such as low, zero and negative refractive index, thereby enabling an unprecedented degree of control over the propagation of light. The IRG on Multiferroics exploits strain, the ability to stretch or compress the atoms within a lattice by depositing them layer-by-layer, to create a new class of materials that couple together elastic deformation, electric fields and magnetism, guided by computational modeling that can predict new materials. Multiferroics promise a variety of new material applications, such as electrically switched magnetic memories. Seed grants, selected through competitive peer review, will lead the Center in new scientific directions by nurturing high-risk, transformative research by both early-career and established faculty. These projects include making new electronic materials by connecting atomic clusters with conductive linker molecules and studying the quantum mechanical aspects of electron transport in one-dimensional systems. All research projects will be regularly competitively reviewed to maintain high levels of innovation, collaboration, productivity and scientific impact. The MRSEC nurtures a broad range of partnerships with national, international and industrial collaborators. Center research activities are strongly integrated with educational and industrial programs, providing interdisciplinary training within a culture of outreach for a diverse group of students and postdocs. For maximum impact, the Center?s outreach activities couple the scientific expertise and enthusiasm of its members with its partners' expertise in reaching large audiences. The MRSEC develops content on topics of public interest for K-8 summer science camps. With The Franklin Institute, the Center designs and produces hands-on cart-based shows for distribution to a national network of science museums. Center faculty will mentor high school students from the Science Leadership Academy. The Center recruits and supports students from under-represented groups at all levels through close ties with institutions in Puerto Rico, Texas, Louisiana, and (through the NSF Discovery Corps) Africa. The Center reaches a broad range of high schools and middle schools through teacher training workshops and research experiences, and mentors a diverse group of students through Research Experiences for Undergraduates. All major outreach programs are regularly assessed for efficacy and impact.