Acquisition of the EMX-plus EPR Spectrometer

非技术概述诺福克州立大学(NSU)的科学家致力于开发新型材料和纳米结构，其中量子物理在产生普通材料所没有的不同寻常的磁、电和光学特性方面发挥着重要作用。这些独特的性质与电子的量子行为以及它们在原子尺度上的相互作用有关。这项重大研究仪器(MRI)奖将购买一台电子自旋共振光谱仪，它允许人们获得有关单个未配对电子和电子组装的信息，表征材料的磁性，并探索用光操纵电子的可能性。正在开发的材料和系统可以革命性地改变未来的技术，用新的光敏材料促进能源技术，并将信息处理加速到光学操作速度(比现在快几个数量级)。此外，电子自旋共振仪器对于教育和培训来自代表不足的少数群体的研究生和本科生(其中许多是第一代大学生或研究生)很重要，因为它使他们参与尖端研究，并提供先进科学设备的实践经验。此外，该仪器还作为一个多用户设施，支持NSU和其他地方学校的STEM研究。技术概述电子磁共振方法提供了关于未配对电子自旋、它们的相互作用和动力学的重要信息，并使人们能够表征磁性材料的磁相，以及抗磁系统中是否存在缺陷和杂质的价态。新的EMXplus EPR光谱仪是材料科学的重要表征设备，参与了诺福克州立大学材料研究中心的几个研究方向，包括：(I)量子材料，它显示出异常的磁性以及与手性拓扑相关的磁性和电荷输运自由度之间的相互作用；(Ii)等离子体、磁效应和电效应的耦合的纳米结构系统；(Iii)超马氏磁性纳米粒子中从量子行为到经典行为的转变；以及(Iv)有机体系中光和自旋相关的输运效应。该仪器将作为一个多用户设施，还将丰富教育，在培训来自全国最大的HBCU之一的诺福克州立大学及其合作伙伴HBCU机构(伊丽莎白城州立大学和弗吉尼亚州立大学)的少数族裔群体的研究生和本科生方面提供实践经验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical summaryScientists at Norfolk State University (NSU) work on developing novel materials and nanostructures where quantum physics plays a significant role producing unusual magnetic, electric, and optical properties not found in common materials. These unique properties are related to the quantum behavior of electrons and interactions between them at the atomic scale. This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award will purchase an electron spin resonance spectrometer, which allows one to get information on individual unpaired electrons and electron assemblies, characterize magnetic properties of materials, and explore possibilities for manipulation of electrons with light. The materials and systems that are being developed can revolutionize future technology, contribute to energy technology with new photosensitive materials, and accelerate Information processing to optical speeds of operation (orders of magnitude faster than now). In addition, the electron spin resonance instrumentation is important for the education and training of graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority groups (many of whom are first-generation college or graduate students) by involving them in cutting-edge research and providing hands-on experience on advanced scientific equipment. Furthermore, the instrument serves as a multi-user facility supporting STEM research at NSU and other local schools. Technical summaryElectron magnetic resonance methods provide an important information on unpaired electron spins, their interactions and dynamics, and allow one to characterize magnetic phases of magnetic materials, and the presence of defects and valence states of impurities in diamagnetic systems. The new EMXplus EPR Spectrometer is a vital characterization equipment for materials science and is involved in several research directions in the Center for Materials Research of Norfolk State University, which include: (i) quantum materials, which demonstrate unusual magnetism and interplay between magnetic and charge transport degrees of freedom associated with chiral topology; (ii) nanostructured systems with coupling of plasmonic, magnetic and electric effects; (iii) transition from quantum to classical behavior in supermaramagnetic nanoparticles; and (iv) effects of light illumination and spin-dependent transport in organic systems. The instrumentation will serve as a multi-user facility, and also enrich education, providing hands-on experience in training of graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority groups at Norfolk State University, one of the largest HBCUs in the nation, and partner HBCU institutions (Elizabeth City State University and Virginia State University).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.