MRI: Acquisition of a Magnetron Sputtering Thin Film Deposition System for Research and Teaching at the University of North Florida

具有精确控制物理特性的薄膜沉积是许多重要技术应用的重要组成部分，从集成电路的制造到光学元件的创造再到耐磨涂层的开发。该奖项支持北佛罗里达大学（UNF）的多功能溅射薄膜沉积系统的收购。该系统将能够沉积导电和绝缘材料，并能够调整广泛的沉积参数以优化薄膜性能。它将大大加强四个pi在开发和表征具有定制电学，光学和机械性能的新型薄膜材料和器件方面的研究。它还将加强对本科和硕士水平的多个科学和工程学科的学生的培训。磁控溅射系统将能够进行直流和射频溅射，高功率脉冲溅射，共溅射和反应性溅射，为用户提供极大的灵活性，以优化各种材料的沉积条件。PI Santavicca （UNF物理）研究基于高动感超导纳米线的微波频率器件。这种设备的应用范围从单光子探测到量子计算。溅射系统将使PI能够在UNF制造这些设备，极大地扩展了他的研究计划的能力。Co-PI Wurtz （UNF物理）研究等离子体纳米结构，如spasers，或等离子体激光器，和切割盘谐振器。溅射系统将使他能够在UNF首次制造这些样品，补充现有的光学表征和模拟设施。Co-PI Stagon （UNF机械工程）研究薄膜涂层的应用范围从表面增强拉曼光谱到高速机床的耐磨涂层。提出的系统将大大扩大他能够研究的材料范围。Co-PI Warusawithana （UNF Physics）利用分子束外延生长复杂的氧化物异质结构。溅射系统将为他创造新的可能性，将这些样品开发成微制造器件，如电线、电容器和隧道结，以表征复杂的氧化物材料并生产功能器件。“这个奖项反映了国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The deposition of thin films with precisely controlled physical properties is an essential component of many important technological applications, from the fabrication of integrated circuits to the creation of optical components to the development of wear-resistant coatings. This award supports the acquisition of a versatile sputtering thin film deposition system at the University of North Florida (UNF). The system will be capable of depositing both electrically conducting and insulating materials with the ability to tune a wide range of deposition parameters to optimize film properties. It will significantly enhance the research of the four PIs on the development and characterization of new thin-film materials and devices with tailored electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. It will also enhance the training of students across multiple science and engineering disciplines at both the undergraduate and master’s levels.The magnetron sputtering system will be capable of DC and RF sputtering, high-power pulsed sputtering, co-sputtering, and reactive sputtering, giving users great flexibility to optimize deposition conditions for a wide range of materials. PI Santavicca (UNF Physics) studies microwave-frequency devices based on high-kinetic-inductance superconducting nanowires. Such devices have applications ranging from single-photon detection to quantum computing. The sputtering system will enable the PI to fabricate these devices at UNF, greatly expanding the capabilities of his research program. Co-PI Wurtz (UNF Physics) studies plasmonic nanostructures such as spasers, or plasmonic lasers, and cut-disk resonators. The sputtering system will enable him to fabricate these samples for the first time at UNF, complementing existing facilities for optical characterization and simulation. Co-PI Stagon (UNF Mechanical Engineering) studies thin-film coatings for applications ranging from surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy to wear-resistant coatings for high-speed machine tooling. The proposed system will significantly expand the range of materials that he is able to study. Co-PI Warusawithana (UNF Physics) grows complex oxide heterostructures using molecular beam epitaxy. The sputtering system will create new possibilities for him to develop these samples into microfabricated devices such as wires, capacitors, and tunnel junctions in order to characterize the complex oxide materials and to produce functional devices."This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.