MRI: Acquisition of an Ultrafast Laser System for Terahertz Spectroscopy and Sub-Picosecond Dynamics

0922929BaxterDrexel U技术概述：太赫兹辐射(0.1×10×1012赫兹，~30微米？3毫米)弥合了电子学和可见光/红外光学之间的鸿沟，是物理、化学、生物、医学、材料科学和工程科学研究的前沿领域。然而，由于所需的专业知识和资本设备，进入太赫兹科学的门槛很大。可获得的用户设施将改变太赫兹科学，使所有新的研究人员能够快速获取数据，而不需要专门的合作或访问加速器。为此，PIS计划购买超快激光系统，用于太赫兹光谱学和亚皮秒动力学的研究和教育。该激光系统将安置在德雷克塞尔大学S中心研究设施中，并将作为全国第一个太赫兹实验室规模的用户设施运行。该激光系统提供了(1)太赫兹辐射，(2)亚皮秒时间分辨率的光谱学，以及(3)从紫外线到中红外连续可调的脉冲光源的组合。激光光源将与不同的探测系统相结合，以实现太赫兹时域光谱(THz-TDS)、时间分辨太赫兹光谱(TRTs)和UV/可见光/红外瞬时吸收(TA)。该系统将为许多涉及国家利益的领域的多学科项目提供关键数据，包括可再生能源、高速电子、传感器和医疗诊断。私家侦探？主要项目包括：(1)用于太阳能电池的纳米半导体中的电子输运和界面电子转移，(2)通过受限电荷的集体激发进行太赫兹探测，(3)复杂氧化物纳米结构和分子吸附的作用，(4)非对称功能化纳米粒子中的能量转移，以及(5)用于医疗诊断的量子点的光物理。该仪器将用于下一代超快和太赫兹科学家的跨学科教育和培训。该设施还将加强德雷克塞尔现有的外展计划，为不同群体提供独特的学习机会，包括代表性不足的群体、本科生和K-12教师。外行人摘要：该项目将通过收购超快激光系统，实现国内第一个太赫兹(THz)实验室规模的用户设备，该系统将安装在德雷克塞尔大学的S中央研究设施中。电磁光谱的太赫兹频段(0.1×10×1012赫兹)位于红外和微波区的交界处，非常适合于研究许多不同的材料，包括半导体、纳米材料、蛋白质、DNA和气相分子。增进对这些材料的理解对涉及国家利益的各种应用非常重要，包括可再生能源、高速电子、制药、医疗诊断和国土安全。然而，太赫兹辐射很难产生和检测，到目前为止，很少有科学家拥有进行太赫兹实验的设备和经验。拟议的用户设施将大大扩大对太赫兹研究的参与，这将导致许多新的和潜在的变革性发现，并将加深对各种领域的理解。该仪器的使用将使社会在许多方面受益于技术进步，最初的研究重点是高效太阳能电池、更快的计算、安全筛查和医疗诊断。此外，该仪器将用于跨学科教育和培训下一代科学家，帮助美国保持尖端科学技术的领先地位。该设施还将加强德雷克塞尔现有的外展计划，为不同群体提供独特的学习机会，包括代表性不足的群体、本科生和K-12教师。

0922929BaxterDrexel U.Technical Summary: THz radiation (0.1?10 x1012 Hz, ë~30µm?3mm) bridges the gap between electronics and visible/infrared optics and is a frontier region of scientific inquiry in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, materials science, and engineering. However, there is a significant barrier to entry into THz science because of the required expertise and capital equipment. Accessible user facilities would transform THz science by enabling all new investigators to quickly acquire data without the need for specialized collaborations or access to accelerators. Toward that end, the PIs propose to acquire an ultrafast laser system for research and education in terahertz spectroscopy and sub-picosecond dynamics. The laser system will be housed in Drexel University?s Centralized Research Facilities, and it will be operated as the first bench-scale THz user facility in the nation. This laser system provides a combination of (1) access to THz radiation, (2) spectroscopy with sub-picosecond time resolution, and (3) a continuously tunable pulsed light source from UV to mid-IR. The laser source will be combined with different detection systems to enable terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS), and UV/Visible/IR transient absorption (TA). The system will provide critical data for multidisciplinary projects in many areas of national interest, including renewable energy, high-speed electronics, sensors, and medical diagnostics. The PIs? major projects include investigation of: (1) Electron transport and interfacial electron transfer in nanostructured semiconductors for solar cell applications, (2) THz detection via collective excitation of confined charge, (3) Complex oxide nanostructures and the role of molecular adsorbates, (4) Energy transfer in asymmetrically functionalized nanoparticles, and (5) Photophysics of quantum dots for medical diagnostics. The instrumentation will be used in the interdisciplinary education and training of the next generation of ultrafast and terahertz scientists. This facility will also strengthen existing outreach programs at Drexel, providing unique learning opportunities to diverse populations including underrepresented groups, undergraduate students, and K-12 teachers. Layman Summary: This project will enable the first bench-scale Terahertz (THz) user facility in the nation through the acquisition of an ultrafast laser system that will be housed in Drexel University?s Centralized Research Facilities. The THz frequency region (0.1?10 x1012 Hz) of the electromagnetic spectrum lies at the interface between the infrared and the microwave regions, and it is ideal for investigating many different materials, including semiconductors, nanomaterials, proteins, DNA, and gas phase molecules. Improved understanding of these materials is important to diverse applications of national interest, including renewable energy, high-speed electronics, pharmaceuticals, medical diagnostics, and homeland security. However, THz radiation is difficult to generate and detect, and until now few scientists have had the facilities and experience to carry out THz experiments. The proposed user facility will significantly broaden participation in terahertz research, which will lead to many new and potentially transformative discoveries and will deepen understanding in a variety of fields. Society will benefit in many ways from the advances in technology resulting from use of the this instrument, with initial studies focused on efficient solar cells, faster computing, security screening, and medical diagnostics. Furthermore, the instrumentation will be used in the interdisciplinary education and training of the next generation of scientists, helping the U.S. to remain a leader in cutting-edge science and technology. This facility will also strengthen existing outreach programs at Drexel, providing unique learning opportunities to diverse populations including underrepresented groups, undergraduate students, and K-12 teachers.