Scanning tunneling microscopy of temperature dependent molecular processes at the solution-solid interface

Kerry W.华盛顿州立大学的希普斯得到化学系化学测量和成像（CMI）项目的支持，利用扫描隧道显微镜对固溶体界面上几个基本的温度依赖性表面问题进行研究。 一个可变温度扫描隧道显微镜（STM）将定制和用于进行拟议的研究。 在固溶体界面处发生的过程可以受到温度的显著影响，并且在分子水平上理解这些温度诱导的过程将促进几个科学研究领域的进步，包括表面化学、催化、粘附、腐蚀、微物理以及工业和生物系统中的自组装。 本研究的目的是定制一种可调温度的仪器，以减轻STM成像在高温下的相关问题，如热漂移，仪器不同部分之间的温度差异，以及溶剂在STM头和仪器的其它部分上的蒸发和冷凝。 新定制的仪器将被用来研究几个基本的温度依赖的表面问题的基本和实际的重要性。其中包括：1）溶液-固体界面物理吸附物的结构、形成动力学和热力学; 2）固-溶液界面的化学反应; 3）共价连接的单分子膜的相变;和预形成的有机吸附层的化学转化的机制和动力学。 研究生和本科生将接受化学和仪器制造方面的培训，这两个领域的交叉培训特别有价值。 这项研究的结果将被纳入化学和材料科学的更高水平的课程。 在进行这项研究的过程中，研究小组将通过WSU的“想象明天”高中能源计划进行推广活动。

Professor Kerry W. Hipps of Washington State University is supported by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) Program in the Division of Chemistry to conduct studies using scanning tunneling microscopy on several basic temperature-dependent surface problems of fundamental and technical importance at the solid-solution interface. A variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) will be customized and used to conduct the proposed research. Processes occurring at the solid solution interface can be dramatically affected by temperature, and understanding these temperature induced processes at the molecular level will facilitate advances in several science research fields including surface chemistry, catalysis, adhesion, corrosion, photophysics, and self-assembly in industrial and biological systems. The results from this research may lead to inexpensive and efficient manufacturing methods in areas such as opto-electronic devices, solar cells and sensors.The objective of the proposed research is to customize a variable temperature instrument to mitigate the problems associated with STM imaging at elevated temperatures, such as thermal drift, temperature differences between different parts of the instrument, and solvent evaporation and condensation on the STM head and other parts of the instrument. The newly customized instrument will be employed to study several basic temperature-dependent surface problems of fundamental as well as practical importance. These include: 1) structures, formation kinetics and thermodynamics of physical adsorbates at the solution solid interface; 2) chemical reactions at the solid-solution interface; 3) phase transformations in covalently attached monolayers; and mechanisms and kinetics of chemical transformations of preformed organic adlayers. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in chemistry and instrument construction, two areas for which cross-training is particularly valuable. The results of this study will be incorporated in higher level courses in Chemistry and Materials Science. During the course of conducting this research, the research team will perform outreach activities through the WSU "Imagine Tomorrow" high school energy program.