MRI: Acquisition of an Ultrafast Laser System for Terahertz Spectroscopy and Sub-Picosecond Dynamics

技术摘要：太赫兹辐射(0.1？10 × 1012hz， ë~30µm？3mm)弥合了电子学和可见光/红外光学之间的差距，是物理，化学，生物学，医学，材料科学和工程科学探究的前沿领域。然而，由于需要专业知识和资本设备，进入太赫兹科学存在重大障碍。可访问的用户设施将改变太赫兹科学，使所有新的研究人员能够快速获取数据，而无需专门合作或使用加速器。为此，PIs提议获得一个超快激光系统，用于太赫兹光谱学和亚皮秒动力学的研究和教育。激光系统将被安置在德雷塞尔大学？它将成为国内第一个试验台规模的太赫兹用户设施。该激光系统提供了(1)对太赫兹辐射的访问，(2)亚皮秒时间分辨率的光谱，以及(3)从紫外到中红外的连续可调脉冲光源。激光源将与不同的探测系统相结合，以实现太赫兹时域光谱（THz-TDS）、时间分辨太赫兹光谱（TRTS）和紫外/可见/红外瞬态吸收（TA）。该系统将为国家感兴趣的许多领域的多学科项目提供关键数据，包括可再生能源、高速电子、传感器和医疗诊断。π吗?主要项目包括：(1)用于太阳能电池的纳米结构半导体中的电子传递和界面电子转移；(2)通过限制电荷的集体激发检测太赫兹；(3)复杂氧化物纳米结构和分子吸附物的作用；(4)不对称功能化纳米颗粒中的能量传递；(5)用于医学诊断的量子点光物理学。该仪器将用于下一代超快和太赫兹科学家的跨学科教育和培训。该设施还将加强德雷克塞尔大学现有的外展项目，为包括代表性不足的群体、本科生和K-12教师在内的不同人群提供独特的学习机会。摘要：该项目将通过收购位于德雷塞尔大学（Drexel University）的超快激光系统，使国内第一个实验规模的太赫兹（THz）用户设施成为可能。s集中研究设施。太赫兹频率区域(0.1？10 × 1012 Hz)的电磁波谱位于红外和微波区域之间的界面，它是研究许多不同材料的理想选择，包括半导体、纳米材料、蛋白质、DNA和气相分子。提高对这些材料的理解对于国家利益的各种应用非常重要，包括可再生能源、高速电子、制药、医疗诊断和国土安全。然而，太赫兹辐射很难产生和探测，直到现在，很少有科学家拥有进行太赫兹实验的设施和经验。拟议的用户设施将大大扩大对太赫兹研究的参与，这将导致许多新的和潜在的变革性发现，并将加深对各种领域的理解。社会将在许多方面受益于使用这种仪器所带来的技术进步，最初的研究集中在高效太阳能电池、更快的计算、安全检查和医疗诊断上。此外，这些仪器将用于下一代科学家的跨学科教育和培训，帮助美国在尖端科学和技术方面保持领先地位。该设施还将加强德雷克塞尔大学现有的外展项目，为包括代表性不足的群体、本科生和K-12教师在内的不同人群提供独特的学习机会。

0922929BaxterDrexel U.Technical Summary: THz radiation (0.1?10 x1012 Hz, ë~30µm?3mm) bridges the gap between electronics and visible/infrared optics and is a frontier region of scientific inquiry in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, materials science, and engineering. However, there is a significant barrier to entry into THz science because of the required expertise and capital equipment. Accessible user facilities would transform THz science by enabling all new investigators to quickly acquire data without the need for specialized collaborations or access to accelerators. Toward that end, the PIs propose to acquire an ultrafast laser system for research and education in terahertz spectroscopy and sub-picosecond dynamics. The laser system will be housed in Drexel University?s Centralized Research Facilities, and it will be operated as the first bench-scale THz user facility in the nation. This laser system provides a combination of (1) access to THz radiation, (2) spectroscopy with sub-picosecond time resolution, and (3) a continuously tunable pulsed light source from UV to mid-IR. The laser source will be combined with different detection systems to enable terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS), and UV/Visible/IR transient absorption (TA). The system will provide critical data for multidisciplinary projects in many areas of national interest, including renewable energy, high-speed electronics, sensors, and medical diagnostics. The PIs? major projects include investigation of: (1) Electron transport and interfacial electron transfer in nanostructured semiconductors for solar cell applications, (2) THz detection via collective excitation of confined charge, (3) Complex oxide nanostructures and the role of molecular adsorbates, (4) Energy transfer in asymmetrically functionalized nanoparticles, and (5) Photophysics of quantum dots for medical diagnostics. The instrumentation will be used in the interdisciplinary education and training of the next generation of ultrafast and terahertz scientists. This facility will also strengthen existing outreach programs at Drexel, providing unique learning opportunities to diverse populations including underrepresented groups, undergraduate students, and K-12 teachers. Layman Summary: This project will enable the first bench-scale Terahertz (THz) user facility in the nation through the acquisition of an ultrafast laser system that will be housed in Drexel University?s Centralized Research Facilities. The THz frequency region (0.1?10 x1012 Hz) of the electromagnetic spectrum lies at the interface between the infrared and the microwave regions, and it is ideal for investigating many different materials, including semiconductors, nanomaterials, proteins, DNA, and gas phase molecules. Improved understanding of these materials is important to diverse applications of national interest, including renewable energy, high-speed electronics, pharmaceuticals, medical diagnostics, and homeland security. However, THz radiation is difficult to generate and detect, and until now few scientists have had the facilities and experience to carry out THz experiments. The proposed user facility will significantly broaden participation in terahertz research, which will lead to many new and potentially transformative discoveries and will deepen understanding in a variety of fields. Society will benefit in many ways from the advances in technology resulting from use of the this instrument, with initial studies focused on efficient solar cells, faster computing, security screening, and medical diagnostics. Furthermore, the instrumentation will be used in the interdisciplinary education and training of the next generation of scientists, helping the U.S. to remain a leader in cutting-edge science and technology. This facility will also strengthen existing outreach programs at Drexel, providing unique learning opportunities to diverse populations including underrepresented groups, undergraduate students, and K-12 teachers.