MRI: Acquisition of a Molecular Beam Epitaxy Apparatus with In-Situ Scanning Probe Capabilities for the Synthesis and Study of Advanced Energy Materials

技术总结：过渡金属氧化物在现代技术中是非常有前途的材料，因为它们在高温和腐蚀性环境中稳定，并且因为它们的物理和化学性质是高度可调的。设计用于电子、光电子和催化等技术应用的金属氧化物需要彻底了解这些材料广泛功能性之下的物理复杂性。该项目涉及购置一台分子束外延设备，配备一台原位低温扫描探针显微镜，用于新型人工结构氧化物材料的合成和原子级表征。分子束外延提供了独特的能力，创造原子排列与原子精确控制的厚度和成分，这将被用来系统地调整氧化物薄膜和界面的性能，特别强调清洁能源应用。这种用于外延合成和表征的特殊仪器将成为先进材料联合研究所教育和培训活动的重要核心，该研究所是田纳西大学和橡树岭国家实验室新成立的伞式组织，旨在促进田纳西州东部先进材料开发的跨学科研究、教育和合作伙伴关系。金属氧化物是电子和清洁能源应用的非常有前途的材料，包括光催化剂，其中使用光活化催化剂将水分解为纯氧和氢气;以及光催化剂，将太阳辐射转化为直流电。几乎所有这些应用都涉及在这些氧化物材料的表面或界面处发生的过程。对这些过程的基本理解和更好的控制将极大地受益于产生良好定义的表面、界面和薄膜材料的能力，以及系统地改变和表征这些材料的结构和电子性质的能力，精确到原子水平。该项目涉及购置一台分子束外延设备，用于合成人工结构的金属氧化物材料，特别侧重于清洁能源应用，沿着一台扫描探针显微镜，用于对单个原子成像并绘制这些材料的纳米级特性。分子束外延为研究人员提供了从原子“乐高原理”构建新材料的非凡能力，由理论计算或预测指导。这种用于外延合成和表征的特殊仪器将成为先进材料联合研究所教育和培训活动的重要核心，该研究所是田纳西大学和橡树岭国家实验室新成立的伞式组织，促进跨学科研究，教育和合作伙伴关系在东田纳西州开发先进材料。

Technical summary: Transition metal-oxides are highly promising materials in modern technology because they are stable at high temperatures and in corrosive environments, and because their physical and chemical properties are highly tunable. The design of metal oxides for technological applications such as electronics, photovoltaics, and catalysis necessitates a thorough understanding of the physical complexity that lies beneath the broad functionality of these materials. This project involves the acquisition of a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus with an in-situ low-temperature scanning probe microscope for the synthesis and atomic-scale characterization of novel artificially-structured oxide materials. Molecular beam epitaxy offers unique capabilities of creating atomic arrangements with atomically precise control of thickness and composition, which will be utilized to systematically tune the properties of oxide thin films and interfaces with special emphasis on clean energy applications. This special instrument for epitaxial synthesis and characterization will be an important nucleus of the educational and training activities at the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials, which is a newly-established umbrella organization at The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, fostering interdisciplinary research, education, and partnership for the development of advanced materials in East Tennessee.Layman summary: Metal oxides are highly promising materials for electronic and clean energy applications, including photocatalysis, where light-activated catalysts are used, for example, to split water into pure oxygen and hydrogen; and photovoltaics, which convert solar radiation into direct electric current. Nearly all such applications involve processes that take place at the surfaces or interfaces of these oxide materials. Fundamental understanding and better control of these processes would greatly benefit from the capability of producing well-defined surfaces, interfaces, and thin film materials, as well as from the capability to systematically alter and characterize the structural and electronic properties of these materials with precision down to the atomic level. The project involves the acquisition of a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus for the synthesis of artificially-structured metal-oxide materials, with special emphasis on clean energy applications, along with a scanning probe microscope for imaging individual atoms and mapping the nanoscale properties of these materials. Molecular beam epitaxy offers researchers the extraordinary capability of constructing novel materials from atomic "Lego principles," guided by theoretical calculations or predictions. This special instrument for epitaxial synthesis and characterization will be an important nucleus of the educational and training activities at the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials, which is a newly-established umbrella organization at The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, fostering interdisciplinary research, education, and partnership for the development of advanced materials in East Tennessee.