MRI: Acquisition of Ultrafast Spectroscopy Instrumentation for Materials Research and Education

技术摘要圣母大学将购买一台滨松条纹相机，并将其纳入纳米光学实验室。该仪器将使各种半导体的亚皮秒时间分辨光学光谱成为可能，并将与近场扫描光学显微镜(NSOM)系统一起使用。这将使得在低温(1.4K)和强磁场(12T)下，单个纳米结构的光谱分辨率为MEV，空间分辨率为~40-50 nm，时间分辨率为fsec。这一最先进的设备将用于研究与纳米技术相关的广泛问题，其中包括：III-V氮化物半导体的光学性质，包括宽带隙和窄带隙(GaN、InN及其三元合金)、III-V和II-Vis中的量子线和量子点、磁性半导体化合物和半导体氧化物。其中许多系统将通过与40多名研究人员合作进行研究，与能源部和国际实验室有很强的耦合。这一仪器的获得将对初级和高级水平的学生产生强大的教育影响。将加强妇女和任职人数不足的少数群体的参与，并使其能够与两个小企业互动。过去30年的“硅革命”使信息和通信技术的飞速发展成为可能，许多新材料现在正处于紧张的研究之中。了解它们的基本光学性质是取得进展的关键。巴黎圣母院的纳米光学实验室已经配备了近场光学显微镜，能够对比传统光学显微镜观察到的物体小数百倍的物体进行光学研究。新的Streak相机增加了在亚皮秒时间(不到百万分之一秒)研究这些光学性质变化的能力，创造了一种独特的设施，用于全面表征材料，从而导致基于半导体的电子和光学设备以及用于生物、医疗和环境应用的传感器。除了教育活动外，还将为高中生举办暑期“工程导论课程”，为圣母大学一年级学生建立一个新的工程学习中心，每年在圣母大学举办西门子-西屋科学竞赛，目前正在为将于2006年秋季开放的新“科学教学楼”(乔丹大厅)开展教育推广活动。将扩大努力，增加妇女和任职人数不足的少数群体的参与，并有可能与两家小企业互动。

Technical AbstractThe University of Notre Dame will acquire a Hamamatsu Streak Camera for incorporation into the Nano-Optics Laboratory. The instrument will make possible sub-picosecond time-resolved optical spectroscopy of a variety of semiconductors, and will be used in conjunction with a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) system. This will enable single nanostructures to be investigated with spectral resolution of meV, spatial resolution of ~40-50 nm, and temporal resolution of fsec, at low temperature (1.4K) and high magnetic fields (12 T). This state-of-the-art facility will be used for research into a broad range of problems related to nanotechnology, among them: optical properties of the III-V nitride semiconductors, both wide and narrow bandgap (GaN, InN, and their ternary alloys), quantum wires and dots in both III-Vs and II-VIs, magnetic semiconductor compounds, and semiconductor oxides. Many of these systems will be investigated through collaboration with more than 40 research personnel, with strong coupling to DOE and international laboratories. This instrumentation acquisition will have strong educational impact for students at both introductory and advanced levels. Participation of women and under-represented minorities will be enhanced, and interaction with two small businesses made possible. Lay AbstractWith the extraordinary growth of information and communication technology made possible by the "Silicon Revolution"of the past 30 years, many new materials are now under intense investigation. Understanding their basic optical properties is essential for progress. The Nano-Optics Lab at Notre Dame already features near-field optical microscopy, capable of optical studies of objects that are hundreds of times smaller than those observable with conventional light microscopes. The new streak camera adds the ability to study changes in these optical properties at sub-picosecond times (less than a millionth of a millionth of a second), creating a unique facility for the comprehensive characterization of materials leading to semiconductor-based electronic and optical devices, and sensors for biological, medical, and environmental applications. Educational activities will be coupled to a summer "Introduction to Engineering Program" for high school students, a new Engineering Learning Center for first-year Notre Dame students, the Siemens-Westinghouse Science Competition that takes place annually at Notre Dame, and educational outreach currently being developed for the new "Science Teaching Building" (Jordan Hall) which will open for the Fall of 2006. Efforts to increase participation of women and under-represented minorities will be expanded, and interaction with two small businesses made possible.