MRI: Development of an Opto-electronic Characterization Instrument

研究目标和方法：本研究的目标是开发一种用于等离子体纳米结构和纳米器件的制备和表征的综合仪器。该方法将扫描电子显微镜与成像、局部刻蚀和沉积以及光刻能力与光学光谱、阴极发光和电学表征相结合。智能优点：所建议的平台集成了结构、光学和电学表征，其水平远远高于当前任何商业或定制系统。该系统将允许开发基于活性等离子激元的结构和器件，并直接制造和表征。该项目的发展挑战是将各种技术整合到一个平台中，并利用这种结合的能力来实现开发主动等离子体系统的新策略。广泛影响：该平台的可用性将极大地增强目前在等离子体、纳米级光子学和光电子学方面的实验能力，促进我们对它们行为所基于的物理原理的理解。这将使目前在活性等离子体纳米结构的制备和表征方面受到共同挑战的等离子体系统能够得到新的应用。赖斯目前支持纳米光子学的IGERT计划、纳米尺度物理的专业硕士S计划和本科生的REU计划？Conjuto？针对代表人数不足的少数族裔学生。拟议的仪器的提供将为所有学生提供参与纳米光子学研究的无与伦比的机会。在休斯顿地区，阴极发光能力甚至不能作为一种独立的仪器使用。这一实验系统将受到德克萨斯州东南部日益增长的纳米光子学研究社区的欢迎。

Research Objectives and Approaches: The objective of this research is to develop an integrated instrument for the fabrication and characterization of plasmonic nanostructures and nanodevices. The approach combines a scanning electron microscope with imaging, localized etching and deposition, and lithography capabilities, with optical spectroscopies, cathodoluminescence, and electrical characterization.Intellectual Merit:The proposed platform integrates structural, optical, and electrical characterization to a level substantially above any current commercial or custom-built system. This system will allow the development of active plasmon-based structures and devices, with direct fabrication and characterization. The developmental challenge in this project is the integration of the variety of techniques into one platform and the leveraging of this combined capability to achieve new strategies for developing active plasmonic systems.Broader Impact:The availability of this platform will greatly enhance current experimental capabilities in plasmonics, nanoscale photonics and optoelectronics, advancing our understanding of the physical principles upon which their behavior is based. This will enable new applications of plasmonic systems currently limited by joint challenges in the fabrication and characterization of active plasmonic nanostructures.Rice currently supports an IGERT program in Nanophotonics, a professional master?s program in Nanoscale Physics and an undergraduate REU program ?Conjunto? aimed at underrepresented minority students. The availability of the proposed instrument would provide an unmatched opportunity for all students to participate in research in nanophotonics. The cathodoluminescence capability is not available even as a standalone instrument in the Houston area. This experimental system will be welcomed by the growing nanophotonics research community in southeast Texas.