Collaborative Research: Wave Engineering in 2D Using Hierarchical Nanostructured Dynamical Systems

本项目研究声波在定制的二维介质中的传播。介质是精心设计的纳米级空腔的周期性阵列，上面覆盖着单原子厚度的薄膜。当膜被振动时，每个腔都会发出高频声波，就像纳米鼓一样。由于介质的独特特性，这些波可以被调谐，相互耦合，优先传播，甚至完全消除。因此，这项研究将促进我们对新材料中波传播的理解，并开发利用这些波所必需的纳米技术。在众多设想的应用中，包括用于通信、国家安全、环境监测和生物技术的电声信号处理组件。该项目还通过促进主要本科院校和研究密集型大学之间的研究合作，将研究和教育结合起来。研究、教育和指导机会将促进新兴技术领域的劳动力发展。该项目的首要科学目标是了解具有极端线性维度的纳米结构动态系统中的波传播。这项研究将在一个定制的动态系统中进行，该系统将单原子厚度的二维材料（如石墨烯）纳入周期性骨架结构。该系统将允许在纳米结构的柔性晶格上耦合单个单原子厚度的声学谐振器，开辟新的令人兴奋的声波动力学。对这些声波的实验访问将通过各种超灵敏的光学和电子换能器来实现，并且这些波将使用幅度和相位敏感技术来表征。此外，该动态系统的声学特性可以通过施加外部扰动来调谐，这将允许在可能的射频设备应用中利用其独特属性。该奖项反映了美国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。

This project studies the propagation of sound waves in a tailor-made two-dimensional medium. The medium is a periodic array of carefully designed nanoscale cavities with a single-atom-thick membrane stretched over them. When the membrane is vibrated, each cavity emits a high-frequency sound wave, much like a nanoscale drum. These waves can then be tuned, coupled to each other, propagated preferentially, or even completely canceled, thanks to the unique properties of the medium. As such, this study will advance our understanding of wave propagation in novel materials and develop the nanotechnology necessary for harnessing these waves. Among the numerous envisioned applications are electro-acoustic signal processing components intended for use in communications, national security, environmental monitoring, and biotechnology. The project also integrates research and education by fostering a research collaboration between a primarily undergraduate institution and a research-intensive university. The research, education, and mentoring opportunities will facilitate workforce development in an emerging area of technology. The overarching scientific goal of this project is to understand wave propagation in nanostructured dynamic systems with extreme linear dimensions. The studies will be carried out in a tailor-made dynamic system incorporating a single-atom-thick 2D material, such as graphene, into a periodic skeleton structure. This system will allow for coupling individual single-atom-thick acoustic resonators on a nanostructured compliant lattice, opening up new and exciting acoustic wave dynamics. Experimental access to these acoustic waves will be achieved by a variety of ultrasensitive optical and electrical transducers, and the waves will be characterized using amplitude and phase-sensitive techniques. Furthermore, the acoustic properties of this dynamic system can be tuned by applying external perturbations, which will allow for harnessing its unique attributes in possible radiofrequency device applications.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.