Collaborative Research: RUI: A Study of the Solution-Based Synthesis of N-Doped ZnO, Mn- and Co-Doped ZnO, and (N,Mn)- and (N,Co)-Codoped ZnO

非技术描述：氧化锌是一种重要的材料，因为它的电子特性，易于合成，合成成本低，并且比一些替代品更环保。 这些特性使其成为光电子学、气体传感器、军用紫外线收发器等应用的首选材料，当过渡金属被添加到氧化锌中时，它是开发基于自旋的电子学（自旋电子学）的潜在有用材料。 自旋电子学利用电子的磁性或自旋来携带信号和处理信息，而传统电子学仅使用电子的电荷。 自旋电子学已被提议作为传统电子学的未来替代品，传统电子学正在接近其小型化的极限，因为它可以用更少的材料处理更多的信息。 为了实现自旋电子学的发展，更好地理解合成，组成和结构细节如何决定材料的电子和磁性是必不可少的。 这项与西北拿撒勒大学、博伊西州立大学和罗切斯特理工学院的联合提案寻求一种基于解决方案的含磁性元素的氧化锌路线。 该项目的一个特别重点将是系统地将合成和工艺条件与材料的结构和组成细节以及电子和磁性联系起来。 材料的合成和热表征将在NNU进行，结构和磁性表征将在BSU进行，电子表征将在RIT进行。 该项目将涉及高中、本科和研究生。 将特别强调选择谁是在他们的学术生涯早期的学生，与期望，让他们参与指导的研究项目将激励他们毕业，并追求在科学和技术领域的职业生涯。 该项目的各个方面正在纳入NNU的三个班级和三个实验室。 为这个项目购买的仪器正在提供给当地的高中班级来使用。 该项目预计每年将直接影响至少114名本科生、研究生和高中生。技术支持：该项目与西北拿撒勒大学、博伊西州立大学和罗切斯特理工学院联合提出，旨在以氧化锌为基础，以解决方案为基础，生产高质量铁磁半导体薄膜和散装粉末。 随着电子工业迅速接近小型化的极限，铁磁半导体已被提议作为传统半导体的未来替代品，因为这些材料将具有更大的处理和存储容量，同时使用更少的材料。 每年，七名高中生，本科生和研究生将直接参与这项研究。 这些学生将学习和使用各种表征技术，包括热重分析/差示扫描量热法与质谱（TGA/DSC/MS），X射线衍射，透射电子显微镜，X射线光电子能谱，原子力显微镜，霍尔效应和磁性测量。 合成和热表征将在NNU进行，结构和磁性表征将在BSU进行，电子表征将在RIT进行。 由于这项研究的各个方面正在被纳入NNU的三个班级和三个实验室，并且鼓励当地高中化学班来到NNU使用TGA/DSC/MS表征材料，预计这项提案每年将直接影响至少114名高中，本科和研究生。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Zinc oxide is an important material because of its electronic properties, ease of synthesis, low cost of synthesis and for being more environmentally friendly than some alternatives. These properties make it the material of choice for such applications as photovoltaics, gas sensors, ultraviolet transceivers for the military, and when transition metals are added to the zinc oxide, it is a potentially useful material for developing spin-based electronics (spintronics). Spintronics employs the magnetic property or spin of electrons to carry signals and process information where conventional electronics uses only the charge of the electrons. Spintronics has been proposed as the future replacement for conventional electronics, which is approaching its limit of miniaturization, because it would allow more information to be processed with less material. For the development of spintronics to be realized, a better understanding of how the synthetic, compositional and structural details determine the materials electronic and magnetic properties is essential. This joint proposal with Northwest Nazarene University, Boise State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology seeks a solution-based route to zinc oxide containing magnetic elements. A particular emphasis of the project will be to systematically relate synthetic and process conditions to structural and compositional details and to electronic and magnetic properties of the materials. Synthesis and thermal characterization of the materials will be done at NNU, structural and magnetic characterization will be done at BSU, and electronic characterization will be done at RIT. The project will involve high school, undergraduate and graduate students. A particular emphasis will be placed on selecting students who are early in their academic careers, with the expectation that involving them in mentored research projects will motivate them to graduate and pursue careers in areas of science and technology. Aspects of this project are being incorporated into three classes and three laboratories at NNU. Instrumentation purchased for this project is being made available to local high school classes to come and use. The project is expected to directly impact at least 114 undergraduate, graduate and high school students each year.TECHNICAL DETAILS: This joint proposal with Northwest Nazarene University, Boise State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology seeks a solution-based route to thin films and bulk powders of high quality ferromagnetic semiconductors, based on zinc oxide. Ferromagnetic semiconductors have been proposed as a future replacement for conventional semiconductors as the electronics industry rapidly approaches the limits of miniaturization, since these materials would have a greater processing and storage capacity while using less material. Each year, seven high school, undergraduate and graduate students will be directly involved with this research. These students will learn and use a variety of characterization techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry with mass spectroscopy (TGA/DSC/MS), X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Hall effect and magnetic measurements. Synthesis and thermal characterization will be done at NNU, structural and magnetic characterization will be done at BSU, and electronic characterization will be done at RIT. Since aspects of this research are being incorporated into three classes and three laboratories at NNU and local high school chemistry classes will be encouraged to come to NNU to characterize materials using the TGA/DSC/MS, it is anticipated that this proposal will directly impact at least 114 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students each year.