MRI: Development of an Ultrafast Fluorescence Microscope Based on Femtosecond Image Amplification in the Visible and Near-IR.

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, Piotr Piotrowiak and his research group from Rutgers University - Newark will develop an ultrafast fluorescence microscope. The proposed microscope will combine ultrafast laser technology with non-linear optical detection to create images with sub-100 femtosecond resolution. The proposed microscope will be used to study nano- and micro-structured materials. The project will be carried out by a diverse group of young scientists, from high school students through the American Chemical Society's Project SEED Program, through post-doctoral scientists.New kinds of microscopy techniques open up new avenues of research. The instrument developed with this award will allow scientists to study very fast physical processes in nano- and micro-structured materials. In this way, a deeper understanding of important processes in new materials will be developed more quickly. Too often, bulk measurements do not provide the answers that scientists need to understand the behavior of nano- and micro-structured materials, which can only be answered through microscopic measurements of isolated particles, defects, or structures. The research that is enabled by this technology is important in the fields of chemical sensing, catalysis, photovoltaic development and optoelectronics -- all cutting-edge technologies important to society. In addition, the researchers working with Prof. Piotrowiak will receive invaluable training in technology development, an important skill in today's workforce.