MRI-R2: Acquisition of an X-Ray Diffractometer for Powder and Thin Film Materials Characterization

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0960087Eblen-ZayasCarleton CollegeTechnical Summary: This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a powerful technique for analyzing crystalline materials as both powders and thin films. This project will support the purchase of a flexible, multi-purpose x-ray diffractometer to expand and support current research directions in chemistry, geology, and physics at Carleton College. The multidisciplinary research applications for this instrument fall into three areas: 1) XRD spectral analysis before and after exposure of crystalline extended linear chain materials to organic vapors to test their suitability as vapochromic sensors, 2) determination of the presence of higher order oxides and film crystallinity of Eu-rich EuO thin films to better understand metal-insulator transition and colossal magnetoresistance response characteristics, 3) characterization of clay mineralogy to support a study of the tectonic and paleoclimate history of southeast Alaska. In addition to its research role, the XRD instrument will also support innovative teaching opportunities for a diverse student body both within the traditional curricula of chemistry, geology, and physics and through year round undergraduate research projects. Non-technical abstract:This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).X-rays have a wavelength that is comparable to the spaces between atoms in many materials. For this reason, x-rays can provide a powerful probe for exploring materials at a level that cannot be achieved with visible light, which has a much larger wavelength. This project will support the purchase of a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer (XRD) to characterize a wide variety of materials, including materials that might be useful for various kinds of chemical and magnetic sensors and clays that can help us understand the climate history of southeast Alaska. In addition to enabling multidisciplinary research to promote our understanding of materials composition and structure, the XRD system will play an important role in training the next generation of scientists as it will be integrated into the curriculum as well as providing research experiences for undergraduate students in chemistry, geology, and physics at Carleton College.