Scanning Microwave Microscopy Study of Complex Quantum Matter

技术摘要：本NSF项目的目标是利用扫描微波阻抗显微镜研究强相互作用电子系统的局部电磁特性。这些材料具有固有的不同质性，使得本地研究具有很高的信息量和必要性。近场微波阻抗显微镜（MIM）是解决这一问题的一种新技术。电磁波的局部介电响应代表了电子系统的集体行为，并测量了双粒子相关函数，补充了对单粒子行为敏感的工具（如STM）获得的信息。一种新型的低温可变温度（2-300K） MIM配备了9T磁铁，并将用于本研究。高分辨率微波成像的综合强度（目前为100纳米，计划进一步提高）和低t /高b环境将使许多有趣的物理过程可视化，如金属-绝缘体转变，相变过程，区域超导性和多铁性。由于操作相对容易，纳米级电成像的经验对参与该项目的本科生、研究生和博士后也具有重要的教学意义。这个NSF项目的目标是使用扫描微波阻抗显微镜研究强相互作用电子系统的局部电磁特性。这些材料具有巨大的技术潜力，但由于其固有的不同质性，这些材料并没有得到很好的理解，这使得当地的研究具有很高的信息量和必要性。研制了一种新型低温变温（2-300K）近场微波阻抗显微镜，该显微镜配备9Tesla磁体，将用于本研究。高分辨率微波成像与低t /高b环境的结合强度将使人们能够通过其他手段无法获得的见解。这个工具将对其他领域和教育非常有用。由于操作相对容易，纳米级电成像的经验对参与该项目的本科生、研究生和博士后也具有重要的教学意义。

Technical AbstractThe goal of this NSF program is to study the local electromagnetic properties of strongly interacting electron systems using scanning microwave impedance microscopy. These materials have inherent tendency towards inhomogentiy, making local study highly informative and necessary. Near-field microwave impedance microscopy (MIM) is a novel technique to address this problem. The local dielectric response to electromagnetic waves represents the collective behavior of the electronic system and measures the two-particle correlation functions, complementary to the information obtained by tools sensitive to single particle behavior such as STM. A novel cryogenic variable-temperature (2-300K) MIM equipped with a 9T magnet has been developed and will be used for this study. The combined strength of high resolution microwave imaging (currently at 100 nm, with a plan to further improve) and low-T/high-B environment will enable the visualization of many interesting physical processes, such as metal-insulator transition, phase changing process, regional superconductivity, and multiferroics. Because of the relative ease of operation, the experience of nanoscale electrical imaging is also of pedagogical importance to the undergraduate, graduate students and postdoc in the project.Non-Technical AbstractThe goal of this NSF program is to study the local electromagnetic properties of strongly interacting electron systems using scanning microwave impedance microscopy. These materials have great technological potential but are not well understood largely due to inherent tendency towards inhomogentiy, making local study highly informative and necessary. A novel cryogenic variable-temperature (2-300K) near-field microwave impedance microscope equipped with a 9Tesla magnet has been developed and will be used for this study. The combined strength of high resolution microwave imaging and low-T/high-B environment will enable insights not possible to obtain by other means. This tool will be very useful for other fields and for education. Because of the relative ease of operation, the experience of nanoscale electrical imaging is also of pedagogical importance to the undergraduate, graduate students and postdoc in the project.