MRI: Acquisition of Equipment for Nanoscale Characterization and Integration of Multifunctional Materials and Devices

本研究的目的是研究多功能纳米材料在光电子学和生物光子学中的应用;研究涉及纳米研究的基础和应用方面，同时研究具有半导体，分子和/或生物元素的新型光子材料。该方法是获得一台近场扫描光学显微镜，使联合国技术研究人员能够补充现有的共享设施基础设施，并形成一个区域资源，在多功能纳米材料方面建立一个合作协调中心。所寻求的设备将能够制造和表征集成到多功能组件中的纳米材料，这些组件包括电气，光子，等离子体，流体，化学，和生物功能。拟启用的项目包括：（1）纳米纤维和光子晶体表征。(2)基于水凝胶的光电和生物光子纳米系统。(3)鸟苷基紫外可见纳米光电探测器。(4)分子与大分子光电子学。(5)肌球蛋白的单分子成像和操作。(6)5-氨基乙酰丙酸荧光光谱诊断口腔癌。更广泛的影响：拟议的设备将驻留在共享设施中，供七个参与小组的领导人及其合作者使用。拟议的设备将作为一个协调中心，为开发集成的纳米系统在联合国大学和北德克萨斯州地区的一个相当广泛的和多学科的用户基础参与纳米研究。这些项目为具有不同教育背景的学员（研究生和本科生、高中生和教师、博士后学员和访问科学家）以及传统上代表性不足的群体提供了积极参与多学科研究的机会。所有参与小组的领导人在招募此类人员参与其研究方面都有良好的记录。

The objective of this research is to investigate multifunctional nanoscale materials with applications in optoelectronics and biophotonics; the research involves fundamental and applied aspects of nanoscale research while investigating novel photonic materials with semiconductor, molecular, and/or biological elements. The approach is to acquire a Near-field Scanning Optical Microscope to allow UNT researchers to complement existing infrastructure of shared facilities and form a regional resource with a collaborative focal point in multifunctional nanomaterials.Intellectual Merit: The equipment sought will enable the fabrication and characterization of nanomaterials integrated into multifunctional components that include electrical, photonic, plasmonic, fluidic, chemical, and biological functions. The projects to be enabled include: (1) Nanofabrication and characterization of photonic crystals. (2) Hydrogel-based optoelectronic and biophotonic nanoscale systems. (3) Guanosine-based UV-Vis nanoscale photodetectors. (4) Molecular and macromolecular optoelectronics. (5) Single molecule imaging and manipulation of myosin. (6) Fluorescence spectroscopic diagnosis of oral cancer using 5-aminolevulinic acid. Broader Impacts: The proposed equipment will reside in shared facilities for use by the seven participating group leaders and their collaborators. The proposed equipment will serve as a focal point for the development of integrated nanosystems at UNT and the North Texas region by a rather broad and multidisciplinary user base involved in nanoscale research. The projects provide opportunities for trainees with diverse educational backgrounds (graduate and undergraduate students, high school students and teachers, postdoctoral trainees and visiting scientists) and traditionally-underrepresented groups to actively participate in multidisciplinary research. All participating group leaders have strong track records in recruiting such personnel into their research.