MRI: Development of an Opto-electronic Characterization Instrument

研究目标和方法：本研究的目的是开发一种用于等离子体纳米结构和纳米器件的制造和表征的集成仪器。该方法结合了扫描电子显微镜成像，局部蚀刻和沉积，光刻能力，与光谱，阴极发光，和电气characterization.Intellectual优点：所提出的平台集成了结构，光学和电气特性的水平大大高于任何目前的商业或定制系统。该系统将允许开发基于活性等离子体激元的结构和设备，直接制造和表征。该项目的发展挑战是将各种技术整合到一个平台上，并利用这种组合能力来实现开发主动等离子体系统的新策略。更广泛的影响：该平台的可用性将大大提高目前等离子体、纳米光子学和光电子学的实验能力，推进我们对其行为所依据的物理原理的理解。这将使新的应用等离子体系统目前有限的联合挑战，在制造和表征的活性等离子体纳米结构。赖斯目前支持IGERT计划在纳米光子学，专业硕士？在纳米物理和本科REU计划的计划？咒语？针对少数族裔学生。拟议的仪器的可用性将提供一个无与伦比的机会，让所有学生参与研究纳米光子学。在休斯顿地区，阴极发光能力甚至不能作为独立的仪器使用。这个实验系统将受到德克萨斯州东南部不断增长的纳米光子学研究社区的欢迎。

Research Objectives and Approaches: The objective of this research is to develop an integrated instrument for the fabrication and characterization of plasmonic nanostructures and nanodevices. The approach combines a scanning electron microscope with imaging, localized etching and deposition, and lithography capabilities, with optical spectroscopies, cathodoluminescence, and electrical characterization.Intellectual Merit:The proposed platform integrates structural, optical, and electrical characterization to a level substantially above any current commercial or custom-built system. This system will allow the development of active plasmon-based structures and devices, with direct fabrication and characterization. The developmental challenge in this project is the integration of the variety of techniques into one platform and the leveraging of this combined capability to achieve new strategies for developing active plasmonic systems.Broader Impact:The availability of this platform will greatly enhance current experimental capabilities in plasmonics, nanoscale photonics and optoelectronics, advancing our understanding of the physical principles upon which their behavior is based. This will enable new applications of plasmonic systems currently limited by joint challenges in the fabrication and characterization of active plasmonic nanostructures.Rice currently supports an IGERT program in Nanophotonics, a professional master?s program in Nanoscale Physics and an undergraduate REU program ?Conjunto? aimed at underrepresented minority students. The availability of the proposed instrument would provide an unmatched opportunity for all students to participate in research in nanophotonics. The cathodoluminescence capability is not available even as a standalone instrument in the Houston area. This experimental system will be welcomed by the growing nanophotonics research community in southeast Texas.