Phase Transitions and Materials Interfaces at the Nanoscale

技术摘要：这项工作得到了材料研究部的固态和材料化学计划以及化学部的化学测量和成像计划的支持。 该项目是有关纳米固态和材料的性能和化学和物理过程的时空成像的理解。 具体而言，重点是：（a）与原子尺度分辨率的接口的研究;（B）在纳米级的相变研究;和（c）新的显微镜和衍射技术的发展，以检查固体表面和散装化学改性和组装层的结构和动力学。 这些技术包括应用会聚束和近场成像和分子的例子，界面，和散装系统进行研究是numerous.Non-Technical摘要：在超过一个世纪的发展，在科学上最重要的成就之一是能够观察原子和捕捉他们的运动在物质。 这样的观测使人们有可能了解物质的行为，并在原子尺度上控制它。 电子成像的发展代表了这一建议的重点，在空间和时间上，使复杂物质的功能直接可视化，从纳米技术应用中的材料设计到阿尔茨海默氏症等疾病中蛋白质的错误行为。 多年来，加州理工学院的研究小组已经有300多名研究生，博士后研究员和访问学者，其中大多数人现在都在学术，工业和教育方面处于领先地位。 这种指导和推动技术发展的传统预计将在加州理工学院的PI小组中继续下去。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This work is supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program in the Division of Materials Research and the Chemical Measurement and Imaging program in the Division of Chemistry. The project is pertinent to the understanding of nanoscale solid-state and materials properties and to space-time imaging of chemical and physical processes. Specifically, the focus is on: (a) studies of interfaces with atomic-scale resolution; (b) studies of phase transitions at the nanoscale; and (c) development of novel microscopy and diffraction techniques to examine structure and dynamics of chemically-modified and assembled layers on solid surfaces and in bulk. These techniques include applications of convergent-beam and near-field imaging and the examples of molecular, interfacial, and bulk systems to be studied are numerous.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:In over a century of developments, one of the most significant achievements in science is the ability to observe atoms and to capture their motion in matter. Such observations make it possible to understand the behavior of matter and to control it at the atomic scale. The development of imaging with electrons, which represents the focus of this proposal, in space and time, enables direct visualization of the function of complex matter, from materials design in nanotechnology applications to the mis-behavior of proteins in diseases such as Alzheimer's. The group at Caltech has had over the years more than 300 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and visiting associates, the majority of whom are now in leading academic, industrial, and educational positions. This tradition of mentoring and advancing the state of the art in technology is expected to continue in the group of the PI at Caltech.