Multi-Componenet Nanopillar Coatings

这种结合实验和理论研究工作的重点是探索，演示和定量建模一种新的方法，用于创建由多种不同材料组合构建的纳米柱组成的涂层。我们提出的方法建立在先前开发的掠射角沉积（GLAD）技术，这是基于局部原子阴影效应的自组织表面丘结构在视线气相沉积。该项目的主要新奇是将GLAD扩展到从相对侧的多个源同时沉积（SO-GLAD）。由此产生的层将包含由多种材料组成的纳米柱和/或纳米弹簧，垂直和水平堆叠，具有独特的新机电，光学和催化功能。 该计划将协同采用实验层生长和原子计算机模拟，以评估和量化表面扩散，表面形态演变和原子阴影机制的复杂影响。除了基本的生长研究，我们将探索应用程序的SO-GLAD技术，通过创建（a）在平面纳米层的硬质涂层的基础上TiN/CrN双组分纳米柱。 (b)智能涂层与纳米柱，同时作为传感器和执行器。 (c)多组分纳米弹簧传感器阵列具有独特的阻尼和高灵敏度。该项目将开发一种新的方法来创建涂层，有可能大大提高各种技术部件的性能。这些新的涂层是用不同的原子束组装的。潜在应用包括用于干式高速切割和燃油效率喷气发动机的硬耐磨涂层、用于未来药物发现或医学分析装置中的自我调节化学纳米反应器的智能涂层，以及具有独特阻尼和高灵敏度的纳米弹簧传感器阵列。用于机器人应用的压力响应。两名研究生和六名本科生将在这个跨学科的合作研究项目中工作，该项目将与具有互补实验（Gall）和理论（Huang）专业知识的年轻主要研究人员联系起来。该计划将为两个研究小组的本科生和研究生提供开阔思路的经验。拟议的努力的一个组成部分是开发一个教室薄膜生长模拟器，这将说明原子的过程，管理层沉积，并将被集成在一个核心工程课程，每年影响300多名学生。

The focus of this combined experimental and theoretical research effort is to explore, demonstrate, and quantitatively model a new approach for creating coatings consisting of nanopillars that are built of multiple diverse materials combinations. Our proposed approach builds on a previously developed glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique, which is based on local atomic shadowing effects from self-organized surface mound structures during line-of-sight vapor phase deposition. The key novelty of this project is to expand GLAD to simultaneous deposition from multiple sources from opposite sides (SO-GLAD). The resulting layers will contain nanopillars and/or nanosprings that consist of multiple materials, stacked both vertically and horizontally, with unique new electro-mechanical, optical, and catalytic functionalities. The program will synergistically employ both experimental layer growth and atomistic computer simulations in order to assess and quantify the convoluted effects of surface diffusion, surface morphological evolution, and atomic shadowing mechanisms. In addition to the fundamental growth studies, we will explore applications for the SO-GLAD technique by creating (a) in-plane nanolayered hard-coatings based on TiN/CrN two-component nanocolumns. (b) smart coatings with nanopillars that simultaneously act as sensors and actuators. (c) multi-component nanospring sensor arrays with unique damping and high-sensitivity.This project will develop a new method to create coatings that have the potential to dramatically enhance the performance of a wide range of technological parts. These new coatings are assembled using beams of various atoms. Potential applications include hard wear-resistant coatings for dry high-speed cutting and fuel-efficient jet-engines, smart coatings for self-regulatory chemical nanoreactors in future drug discovery or medical analysis apparatus, and nanospring sensor arrays with unique damping and high-sensitivity pressure response for robotic applications. Two graduate students and six undergraduates will work in this interdisciplinary collaborative research program, which will link to young principle investigators with complementary experimental (Gall) and theoretical (Huang) expertise. The program will provide a mind-broadening experience for undergraduate and graduate students in both research groups. An integral part of the proposed effort is the development of a classroom thin film growth simulator which will illustrate the atomistic processes that govern layer deposition and will be integrated in a core-engineering course, impacting over 300 students per year.