Designing new quantum topological nanomaterials via controlled ion-exchange reactions

电子材料构成了关键技术的核心，这些技术推动着计算、信息技术、诊断和其他应用领域的不断进步。越来越明显的是，使用硅晶体执行大部分计算任务的传统计算机将无法跟上对大规模计算和信息处理系统的需求。人们相信，根据量子力学原理工作的量子计算机可以为大规模计算提供新技术。合成新的量子材料是量子计算机发展面临的重要挑战。宾夕法尼亚大学的Ritesh Agarwal教授和Andrew Rappe教授利用纳米材料独特的化学和反应性来合成新的量子纳米材料。然后，他们测试这些材料的独特量子电子性质，并评估它们的性能。研究人员增加了宾夕法尼亚大学本科生和研究生的教学课程。通过让本科生参与研究，将最新的研究成果纳入课程，以及培训费城的高中和大学教师，将研究和教育活动结合在一起，费城的少数民族学生比例较低。在NSF大分子、超分子和纳米化学计划的支持下，Agarwal教授和Rappe教授开发了一个紧密集成的实验和理论计划，通过化学转化半导体纳米结构来合成新的拓扑量子材料，同时保持母体化合物的结构属性(如晶格、纳米级形态)。拓扑材料代表了下一代量子材料，但通过实验实现的拓扑材料种类很少。由于缺乏合适的测试材料，理论预测受到了影响。离子交换合成方法与量子化学和拓扑学的最新进展相结合，为成功解决这些合成挑战提供了一条途径。达到对化学成分和晶体结构的高度独立控制是非常可取的，并推动了这项研究。这项研究推动了用于量子计算、密码学和传感应用的材料的开发，这可能会为美国带来更高的安全性和经济竞争力。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Electronic materials form the core of critical technologies that drive continuing advances in computing, information technology, diagnostics and other applications. It is becoming increasing clear that conventional computers which use silicon crystals to perform most of the computing tasks will not be able to keep up with the demands for massive computing and information processing systems. It is believed that quantum computers, which work on the principles of quantum mechanics, can provide new technologies for large scale computation. Synthesizing new quantum materials is an important challenge for the development of quantum computers. Professors Ritesh Agarwal and Andrew Rappe of the University of Pennsylvania utilize the unique chemistries and reactivities of nanoscale materials to synthesize new quantum nanomaterials. They then test these materials for unique quantum electronic properties and evaluate their performance. The researchers augment the teaching curricula at the University of Pennsylvania at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Research and educational activities are integrated by the involvement of undergraduates in research, by incorporating the latest research results into the curricula, and by training high school and college teachers from Philadelphia where there is a large percentage of underrepresented minority students. With support from the NSF Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program, Professors Agarwal and Rappe develop a tightly integrated experimental and theoretical program to synthesize new topological quantum materials by chemically transforming semiconductor nanostructures, while preserving structural attributes of the parent compound (e.g. crystal lattice, nanoscale morphology). Topological materials represent the next generation of quantum materials, yet the classes of topological materials realized via experiments is very small. Theoretical predictions have suffered from the lack of appropriate materials for testing. The ion exchange synthesis method, in conjunction with recent advances in connecting quantum chemistry and topology, offers a route towards successfully addressing these synthetic challenges. Attaining a high level of independent control over chemical composition and crystal structure is highly desirable and motivates this research. This research advances the development of materials for applications in quantum computing, cryptography and sensing that may lead to increased security and economic competitiveness for the US.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.