Construction of a Nanotube Tip Mounting Workbench for Generation of Nanoscale Probes for Research and Education

9975833Rinzler该奖项将部分支持碳纳米管尖端安装工作台的建设，用于将碳纳米管常规连接到市售的原子力显微镜杠杆和其他电极。 工作台将包括一个暗视场能力，倒置光学显微镜上的振动隔离表。 显微镜平台将重新调整，以接受三个高精度XYZ平移台，该平移台配备电致伸缩驱动器，用于精细运动控制。 激光光源将允许增强对纳米管的观察，以及为某些提议的应用加热这些纳米管的能力。 一个CCD摄像机和图像捕获系统将允许远程观察显微镜的视野，既用于培训目的，也用于文件。 一个特殊构造的、有窗户的、可抽真空的腔室，设计成适合在平台上进行显微镜观察，将允许安装的纳米管在惰性气氛中进行进一步处理。作为物理学培训的一部分，一名研究生和两名本科生（在大学提供两年的匹配支持）将参与设计和组装纳米管及其相关硬件的所有阶段。 这些学生将学习安装纳米管尖端的现有技术，并在Rinzler和Hebard教授的指导下负责上述尖端的进一步发展。 一旦接受培训，这些学生还将分担培训其他用户的责任。 由纳米管尖端产生的优势预计将在探针显微镜和其他应用中非常有用，我们预计它将被其他研究生和本科生以及博士后使用，以产生尖端，用于未来几年的研究。这是一个不寻常的机会，让学生在设计和使用一个独特的系统获得宝贵的经验。

9975833RinzlerThis award will partially support the construction of a carbon nanotube tip-mounting workbench to be used for the routine attachment of carbon nanotubes to commercially available atomic force microscopy cantilevers and other electrodes. The workbench will consist of a dark-field-capable, inverted optical microscope on a vibration isolation table. The microscope platform will be retooled to accept three high precision XYZ translation stages equipped with electrostrictive drives for fine motion control. A laser light source will permit enhanced viewing of the nanotubes as well as the capability to heat these for certain proposed applications. A CCD camera and image capture system will permit remote observation of the microscope field of view both for training purposes and for documentation. A specially constructed, windowed, evacuable chamber, designed to fit on the platform to permit microscopic observation will allow the mounted nanotubes to be further processed in an inert atmosphere.As part of their training in physics, a graduate student and two undergraduate students (provided for in University matching support for two years) will be involved in all phases of the design and assembly of the Workbench and its associated hardware. These students will learn the present techniques for mounting nanotube tips and be responsible, under the direction of Professors Rinzler and Hebard, for the further tip developments outlined above. Once trained these students will also share the responsibility for training other users. The advantages afforded by the nanotube tips generated with the Workbench are anticipated to be sufficiently useful in probe microscopy and other applications that we expect it to be used by a host of other graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs, to produce tips, for use in their own research over years to come.%%%This is an unusual opportunity for students to gain invaluable experience in the design and use of a unique system.***