CAREER: Investigating and Controlling Molecular Rotation on Surfaces

分析和表面化学项目将支持塔夫茨大学化学系E. Charles H. Sykes教授的CAREER研究和教育项目。Sykes教授和他的学生将利用低温扫描隧道显微镜（LT-STM）的独特特性来研究分子转子和马达。他们所选择的硫醚骨架的简单性和可调性将允许系统地测量和最终控制目前阻碍分子机器做有用工作的关键因素：热波动、缺乏分子有序、偶极耦合和纳米级摩擦。Sykes教授将在本科实验室介绍几个扫描探针实验，重点关注纳米科学的关键概念。夏季期间，他还将在塔夫茨大学接待高中教师，为高中生进行现场演示。在最广泛的层面上，Sykes教授的研究短片将在YouTube TM上播出，以提高公众对他在分子机器领域的前沿研究的认识。

The Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program will support the CAREER research and education program of Prof. E. Charles H. Sykes from the Department of Chemistry at Tufts University. Prof. Sykes and his students will exploit the unique properties of low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) to investigate molecular rotors and motors. The simplicity and tunability of their chosen thioether skeleton will allow for the systematic measurement and eventual control of key factors that currently prevent molecular machines from doing useful work: thermal fluctuations, lack of molecular ordering, dipolar coupling and nanoscale friction. Prof. Sykes will introduce several scanning probe experiments into the undergraduate laboratory that focus on key concepts of nanoscience. He will also host high school teachers at Tufts during the summer to develop live demonstrations for high school students. At the broadest level, short movies about Prof. Sykes research will be broadcast on YouTube TM to increase public awareness of his cutting edge research in the area of molecular machines.