MRI Consortium: Acquisition of a Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting System for Multidisciplinary Research and Education

该主要研究仪器财团拨款将允许购买时间相关单光子计数（TCSPC）系统，以支持生物技术、纳米技术和光伏技术的积极科学研究、培训和教育计划。该TCSPC系统具有在皮秒到微秒时间尺度上测量电荷瞬态寿命的关键信息的能力，同时提供了在受控气氛和不同温度下可视化聚合物，纳米颗粒，细胞和半导体的物理和化学过程的能力。这些关键功能将使教师和学生能够收集关键的科学数据，并提供对物理和化学过程的纳米级理解的关键见解。这些见解将用于开发新的神经传感器、生物医学成像工具、药物输送剂和新的能源转换/存储技术，以实现可持续的未来。该系统的收购将大大加强弗吉尼亚州汉普顿路地区的研究和教育合作。此外，该系统将用于促进学生的研究和学习经验，特别是帮助未被充分代表的少数群体攻读科学和工程的高级学位。收购最先进的TCSPC系统旨在大大拓宽研究范围，促进许多不同研究领域的多学科研究合作，同时促进学生培训计划。TCSPC提供先进的功能包括：i)原位时间分辨寿命，ii)温度控制从-25到150 aC， iii) 2D时间分辨荧光图像具有极高的分辨率形态，iv)维持生物细胞活力和避免光漂白所需的低激发水平。这些增强的功能将彻底改变我们对多学科和跨学科研究广泛应用的理解和推进动态特性。特别是，该TCSPC系统的收购将大大加强我们的核心研究领域：1)生物技术，2)纳米制造和技术，以及3)光伏技术。该系统将安置在ODU的应用研究中心（ARC）并定期维护，并向所有研究界开放，以满足弗吉尼亚州汉普顿路地区对教育和研究的关键和日益增长的需求。方便地使用这一仪器不仅有助于纳米技术、生物学和能源领域的研究，而且有助于培养研究生和本科生。为了促进教学、培训和学习，通过增加生物材料、纳米材料、半导体工艺/表征和光伏的实践经验，该仪器将有效地用于扩大几门课程的范围。

This Major Research Instrumentation consortium grant will allow for the purchase of a time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) system to support active scientific research, training and educational programs in Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, and Photovoltaic technology. This TCSPC system has the capability to measure critical information on the transient lifetime of electrical charges at the picosecond to microsecond time-scale, while providing the ability to visualize the physical and chemical processes of polymers, nanoparticles, cells and semiconductors in a controlled atmosphere and at varying temperatures. These crucial functions will enable faculty and students to collect critical scientific data and provide key insights into nanoscale level of understanding of physical and chemical processes. These insights will be used for the development of new neural sensors, biomedical imaging tools, drug delivery agents, and new energy conversion/storage technologies for a sustainable future. The acquisition of this system will significantly enhance research and educational collaboration in the Hampton Roads area, VA. In addition, this system will be used to promote research and learning experiences for students, particularly assisting underrepresented minority groups to pursue advanced degrees in Science and Engineering. The acquisition of a state-of-the-art TCSPC system aims to greatly broaden the scope of research and foster multidisciplinary research collaborations in many different research areas, while promoting student training programs. The TCSPC offers advanced features including: i) in-situ time-resolved lifetime, ii) temperature control from -25 to 150 aC, iii) 2D time-resolved fluorescence images with extremely high-resolution morphologies, and iv) the low excitation levels required to maintain bio-cell viability and avoid photo-bleaching. These enhanced capabilities will revolutionize our understanding and advance dynamic characteristics of a wide range of applications used for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. In particular, the acquisition of this TCSPC system will greatly enhance our core research areas of 1) Biotechnology, 2) Nanofabrication and technology, and 3) Photovoltaic Technology. The system will be housed and regularly maintained at the Applied Research Center (ARC) of ODU, and open to all of the research community, fulfilling a critical and growing need for both education and research in Virginia¡¦s Hampton Roads area. The easy access to this instrument will contribute not only to research in the areas of nanotechnology, biology and energy but also to the training of graduate and undergraduate students. To promote teaching, training, and learning, this instrument will effectively be used to enhance the scope of several courses, by adding hands-on experiences on biomaterials, nanomaterials, semiconductor process/characterization and photovoltaics.