PIRE: U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research and Education on Terahertz Dynamics in Nanostructures

这项PIRE更新奖支持扩展一项独特的跨学科美日研究和教育合作伙伴关系，重点是纳米结构中的太赫兹（THz）动力学。电磁波谱的0.1至10太赫兹频率范围是电输运和光跃迁融合的地方，因此为研究各种新颖的物理现象提供了令人兴奋的机会。通过结合太赫兹技术和纳米技术，我们可以在改进和开发太赫兹设备的同时，推进对太赫兹物理的理解。纳米技术是研究纳米结构（长度在1到100纳米之间）以及如何控制、制造或操纵它们的学科。新的发现为新的电子、光子、机械和磁性设备提供了可能性，这些设备在未来的技术应用中具有巨大的潜力，包括医学、计算和通信。这个PIRE项目将(a)促进我们对太赫兹动力学在纳米结构中的定量理解，(b)为太赫兹研究和应用制造新的纳米结构，(c)推进太赫兹光谱和成像的前沿实验技术，以及(d)为开发新型太赫兹器件提供有用的新知识。该项目探索碳纳米材料，即纳米管和石墨烯中的太赫兹动力学。美国和日本在太赫兹研究和纳米技术方面都处于全球领先地位，促进合作对于进一步推进太赫兹科学和从实验室的新想法中开发商业产品至关重要。然而，国际合作仍存在障碍——主要是语言和文化障碍——而该项目旨在继续打破这些障碍。该项目还将利用两国的大量投资，使后代的研究人员更好地了解两国的文化和最先进的技术，从而实现长期的科学和社会影响。该项目强大的教育组合侧重于培养年轻的美国本科生对纳米技术的兴趣，特别是那些来自代表性不足群体的学生，并鼓励这些学生在物理科学领域进行研究生学习和学术研究。这笔新的资金将扩大和加强屡获殊荣的本科生国际研究经验计划，即纳米日本计划。该项目被认为是面向理工科学生的国际教育项目的典范，将为美国本科生提供在日本大学实验室与日本导师进行结构化研究的机会。该计划包括为期三周的语言和文化培训，以及广泛使用信息技术作为学习和社区建设工具。美国研究生、早期职业科学家、研究人员和校友将受益于直接参与该计划的研究以及在国内机构和当地社区开展的相关后续教育项目。其他项目，如本科生和研究生研究助理奖学金和纳米亚洲研究生国际研究经验（IRE）是美国学生国际合作的额外场所。最初的ppi在招收女性和非裔美国学生方面取得了特别的成功；这些招生工作将继续下去，并将扩大到包括第一代大学生。这一广泛的教育活动组合将培养出具有丰富技能的学生骨干，他们跨越纳米科学专业、国际文化意识以及文化、语言、科学和技术的交叉点。该奖项的机构影响包括加强莱斯大学在太赫兹科学、材料科学和纳米科学的国际研究和教育中的领导地位。它将莱斯大学置于一个令人兴奋的国内和国际研究人员和教育工作者合作网络的中心，同时利用塔尔萨大学在国际教育方面的特殊优势，特别是在为理工科学生开发国际教育项目方面的专业知识。纳米技术导论和纳米科学在线研讨会将在该研究所内开发，并将进行网络直播和在线存档，使所有美国和日本参与者能够实时或异步参与，从而增强所有机构的国际课程。此外，该项目将进一步加强和国际化通过最初的PIRE奖建立的校园内部和校园之间的联系，包括那些拥有国际办事处、IT单位、课程和评估专家的校园。该项目也是一种创新模式，使参与的大学能够促进工程、科学和人文学科学者之间的多学科国际合作。此外，通过让本科生参与国际研究，该项目建立在原pie项目成功的基础上，为pie机构和美国国家加强了潜在的全球参与研究生库。项目合作伙伴包括莱斯大学（TX）、佛罗里达大学、塔尔萨大学（OK）、布法罗纽约州立大学（SUNY）、卡本代尔南伊利诺伊大学和德克萨斯农工大学。日本的合作伙伴包括大阪大学、千叶大学、信州大学、东北大学、东京大学、国立信息通信技术研究所（NICT）、国立材料科学研究所（NIMS）、北海道大学、理研和会津大学。该奖项由国际科学与工程办公室、电气、通信和网络系统部门以及材料研究部门共同资助。

This PIRE renewal award supports the expansion of a unique interdisciplinary U.S.-Japan research and education partnership focused on terahertz (THz) dynamics in nanostructures. The 0.1 to 10 THz frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum is where electrical transport and optical transitions merge, thus offering exciting opportunities to study a variety of novel physical phenomena. By combining THz technology and nanotechnology, we can advance our understanding of THz physics while improving and developing THz devices. Nanotechnology is the study of nanostructures (between 1 to 100 nanometers long) and how they can be controlled, fabricated, or manipulated. New discoveries provide insight into the possibilities for novel electronic, photonic, mechanical, and magnetic devices that have huge potential for future technological applications including medicine, computation, and communications.This PIRE project will (a) advance our quantitative understanding of THz dynamics in nanostructures, (b) fabricate novel nanostructures for THz study and applications, (c) advance cutting-edge experimental techniques in THz spectroscopy and imaging, and (d) provide new knowledge useful for developing novel THz devices. The projects explore THz dynamics in carbon nanomaterials, namely, nanotubes and graphene.The U.S. and Japan are global leaders in both THz research and nanotechnology, and stimulating cooperation is critical to further advance THz science and develop commercial products from new ideas in the lab. However, obstacles exist for international collaboration - primarily linguistic and cultural barriers - and this PIRE project aims to continue breaking down these barriers. The project will also leverage large investments by both countries to achieve long-term scientific and societal impact by providing future generations of researchers with a better understanding of both the culture and the state-of-the-art technology in each country.The strong educational portfolio of this project focuses on cultivating interest in nanotechnology among young U.S. undergraduate students, especially those from underrepresented groups, and encouraging such students to pursue graduate study and academic research in the physical sciences. This renewed funding will expand and strengthen the award-winning international research experience program for undergraduates called the NanoJapan Program. Recognized as a model for international education programs for science and engineering students, this program will provide U.S. undergraduates with structured research opportunities in Japanese university laboratories with Japanese mentors. This program includes a three-week orientation program with language and culture training as well as extensive use of information technologies as learning and community-building tools. U.S. graduate students, early career scientists, researchers and alumni will benefit from direct involvement in the PIRE research as well as from related follow-on educational projects at home institutions and in local communities. Other programs such as undergraduate and graduate research assistantships and the NanoAsia Graduate International Research Experience (IRE) are additional venues for international collaboration for U.S. students. The original PIRE had particular success with recruitment of females and African-American students; these recruitment efforts will continue and will be expanded to include first-generation college-attending students. This broad portfolio of PIRE educational activities should produce a diverse cadre of students with rich skill sets that span nanoscience specialties, international cultural awareness, and the intersection of culture, language, science, and technology.Institutional impacts of this award include strengthening Rice University's leadership position in international research and education in THz science, materials science, and nanoscience. It places Rice at the hub of an exciting domestic and international collaborative network of researchers and educators, while leveraging the University of Tulsa's exceptional strength in international education, especially its expertise in developing international education programs for science and engineering students. An Introduction to Nanotechnology & Nanoscience Online Seminar will be developed within this PIRE and will be webcast live and archived online, enabling live or asynchronous participation of all U.S. and Japanese participants, thus enhancing the international curriculum at all institutions. In addition, the project will further strengthen and internationalize connections within and among campuses established through the original PIRE award, including those with international offices, IT units, and curriculum and assessment specialists. The project is also an innovative model that enables the participating universities to foster multi-disciplinary international collaboration among scholars in engineering, the sciences, and the humanities. Furthermore, by bringing undergraduates into international research, the project builds on the success of the original PIRE in strengthening the pool of potential globally-engaged graduate students for the PIRE institutions and the nation.U.S. project partners include Rice University (TX), University of Florida, University of Tulsa (OK), State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and Texas A&M University. Japanese partners include Osaka University, Chiba University, Shinshu University, Tohoku University, University of Tokyo, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS), Hokkaido University, RIKEN, and University of Aizu.This award is cofunded by the Office of International Science and Engineering, the Division of Electrical, Communications, and Cyber Systems, and the Division of Materials Research.