Experimental Investigations of an Inhomogeneous Electronic Phase of Matter, the Cooper Pair Insulator

****技术摘要****本项目将涉及低温实验，阐明同时表现出超导体和绝缘体特性的物质状态的特性。它建立在实质性进展的基础上，表明这种库珀对绝缘体状态具有自发出现的空间非均匀颗粒结构。这种性质通常出现在许多其他有趣的系统中，其中电子相关效应很强。实验将重点研究沉积在纳米多孔阳极氧化铝衬底表面的非晶薄膜中的库珀对绝缘子相。研究该相对磁性杂质掺杂的反应，取决于薄膜的物理尺寸，并随着衬底纳米结构的系统变化而演变。这些结果揭示了库珀对局域化的驱动因素和局域化态的大小。这些研究将成为培养研究生和本科生纳米技术和与新材料应用开发相关的前沿问题的平台。这种类型的培训为从事工业生涯做了很好的准备。该结果将通过提供有关颗粒如何出现和相关电子系统性质的新见解，影响凝聚态电子学的一般领域。****非技术摘要****该奖项支持凝聚态物理的实验研究，该研究将由博士和本科生进行。这些研究特别集中在一类已经被纳米技术显著改变的材料上。这种材料通常是超导的（即在不损失能量的情况下导电），但如果采用纳米技术，就会成为一种特殊的电非导体或绝缘体。最近的研究表明，这些绝缘体是由电分离的超导体颗粒组成的，它们的大小只有几十亿分之一米。实验将研究驱动这些颗粒自发形成的因素。这些见解将有助于理解许多其他最近发现的材料的电学性质，这些材料表现出类似的自发晶粒形成，以及在未来的应用前景。该研究项目将使博士和本科生接触到与高科技新材料开发相关的科学问题。这种类型的培训对于高技术领域的科学家的职业生涯的启动是极好的。

****Technical Abstract**** This project will involve low temperature experiments that elucidate properties of a state of matter exhibiting both superconductor and insulator characteristics simultaneously. It builds on substantial progress showing that this Cooper pair insulator state has a spatially inhomogeneous granular structure that emerges spontaneously. This quality appears commonly among many other interesting systems in which electron correlations effects are strong. Experiments will focus on the Cooper pair insulator phase in thin amorphous films deposited on the surfaces of nano-porous anodized aluminum oxide substrates. Investigations of how this phase responds to magnetic impurity doping, depends on the physical dimensions of the films and evolves with systematic changes in the substrate nano-structure will be conducted. These results can reveal the factors driving the Cooper pair localization and the size of the localized states. These studies will be the platform for training graduate and undergraduate students in nano-technology and forefront issues relevant to the development of new materials for applications. This type of training has been good preparation for careers in industry. The results will impact the general field of condensed matter electronics by providing new insights into how granularity emerges and the properties of correlated electron systems.****Non-Technical Abstract**** This award supports experimental research in condensed matter physics that will be performed with PhD and undergraduate students. The investigations focus specifically on a class of materials that has been transformed dramatically using nano-technology. The material normally superconducts (i.e. carries electricity without losing energy) but becomes an exceptional electrical non-conductor or insulator when patterned with nano-technology. The experiments build on recent work showing that these insulators consist of electrically disconnected grains of superconductor that are few billionths of a meter in size. The experiments will study the factors that drive the spontaneous formation of these grains. These insights will be valuable for understanding the electrical properties of many other recently discovered materials that show similar spontaneous grain formation as well as promise in future applications. This research program will expose the PhD and undergraduate students to scientific issues relevant to the development of new materials for high technology. This type of training has been excellent for launching the careers of scientists in high technology fields.