Collaborative Research: RUI: A Study of the Solution-Based Synthesis of N-Doped ZnO, Mn- and Co-doped ZnO, and (N,Mn)- and (N,Co)-codoped ZnO

非技术描述：氧化锌是一种重要的材料，因为它具有电子性能，易于合成，合成成本低，比一些替代品更环保。这些特性使其成为光伏、气体传感器、军事紫外收发器等应用的首选材料，当过渡金属添加到氧化锌中时，它是一种潜在的有用材料，用于开发基于自旋的电子产品（自旋电子学）。自旋电子学利用电子的磁性或自旋来传递信号和处理信息，而传统电子学只利用电子的电荷。自旋电子学被认为是传统电子学的未来替代品，因为它可以用更少的材料处理更多的信息，而传统电子学正在接近其小型化的极限。为了实现自旋电子学的发展，更好地了解合成、成分和结构细节如何决定材料的电子和磁性是必不可少的。西北拿撒勒大学、博伊西州立大学和罗切斯特理工学院的联合提议寻求一种基于解决方案的方法来生产含有磁性元素的氧化锌。该项目的一个特别重点将是系统地将合成和工艺条件与结构和成分细节以及材料的电子和磁性联系起来。材料的合成和热表征将在南洋理工大学完成，结构和磁性表征将在北洋理工大学完成，电子表征将在RIT完成。该项目将涉及高中生、本科生和研究生。将特别强调选择处于学术生涯早期的学生，期望让他们参与指导的研究项目，以激励他们毕业并在科学和技术领域从事职业。该项目的各个方面已纳入北师大的三个班级和三个实验室。为这个项目购买的仪器正在提供给当地的高中班级来使用。该项目预计每年将直接影响至少114名本科生、研究生和高中生。技术细节：与西北拿撒勒大学，博伊西州立大学和罗切斯特理工学院的联合提案寻求基于氧化锌的高质量铁磁半导体薄膜和散装粉末的解决方案。随着电子工业迅速接近小型化的极限，铁磁半导体已被提议作为传统半导体的未来替代品，因为这些材料将具有更大的处理和存储能力，同时使用更少的材料。每年有7名高中生、本科生和研究生将直接参与这项研究。这些学生将学习和使用各种表征技术，包括热重分析/质谱差示扫描量热法（TGA/DSC/MS）、x射线衍射、透射电子显微镜、x射线光电子能谱、原子力显微镜、霍尔效应和磁测量。合成和热表征将在南洋理工大学完成，结构和磁性表征将在北洋理工大学完成，电子表征将在RIT完成。由于这项研究的各个方面被纳入北师大的三个班级和三个实验室，并且当地的高中化学班级将被鼓励来北师大使用TGA/DSC/MS来表征材料，预计该提案每年将直接影响至少114名高中生，本科生和研究生。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Zinc oxide is an important material because of its electronic properties, ease of synthesis, low cost of synthesis and for being more environmentally friendly than some alternatives. These properties make it the material of choice for such applications as photovoltaics, gas sensors, ultraviolet transceivers for the military, and when transition metals are added to the zinc oxide, it is a potentially useful material for developing spin-based electronics (spintronics). Spintronics employs the magnetic property or spin of electrons to carry signals and process information where conventional electronics uses only the charge of the electrons. Spintronics has been proposed as the future replacement for conventional electronics, which is approaching its limit of miniaturization, because it would allow more information to be processed with less material. For the development of spintronics to be realized, a better understanding of how the synthetic, compositional and structural details determine the materials electronic and magnetic properties is essential. This joint proposal with Northwest Nazarene University, Boise State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology seeks a solution-based route to zinc oxide containing magnetic elements. A particular emphasis of the project will be to systematically relate synthetic and process conditions to structural and compositional details and to electronic and magnetic properties of the materials. Synthesis and thermal characterization of the materials will be done at NNU, structural and magnetic characterization will be done at BSU, and electronic characterization will be done at RIT. The project will involve high school, undergraduate and graduate students. A particular emphasis will be placed on selecting students who are early in their academic careers, with the expectation that involving them in mentored research projects will motivate them to graduate and pursue careers in areas of science and technology. Aspects of this project are being incorporated into three classes and three laboratories at NNU. Instrumentation purchased for this project is being made available to local high school classes to come and use. The project is expected to directly impact at least 114 undergraduate, graduate and high school students each year.TECHNICAL DETAILS: This joint proposal with Northwest Nazarene University, Boise State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology seeks a solution-based route to thin films and bulk powders of high quality ferromagnetic semiconductors, based on zinc oxide. Ferromagnetic semiconductors have been proposed as a future replacement for conventional semiconductors as the electronics industry rapidly approaches the limits of miniaturization, since these materials would have a greater processing and storage capacity while using less material. Each year, seven high school, undergraduate and graduate students will be directly involved with this research. These students will learn and use a variety of characterization techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry with mass spectroscopy (TGA/DSC/MS), X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Hall effect and magnetic measurements. Synthesis and thermal characterization will be done at NNU, structural and magnetic characterization will be done at BSU, and electronic characterization will be done at RIT. Since aspects of this research are being incorporated into three classes and three laboratories at NNU and local high school chemistry classes will be encouraged to come to NNU to characterize materials using the TGA/DSC/MS, it is anticipated that this proposal will directly impact at least 114 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students each year.