Experimental Equipment Call - University of Leeds

这项建议的目的是更新和更新与利兹大学医学工程和先进材料方面公认的优势和临界质量相一致的活动中的关键实验设备项目。医学和生物工程研究所拥有世界上最大和最先进的肌肉骨骼模拟设施。新的模拟器将支持我们的三个战略研究挑战：更持久的关节置换；用于组织修复的再生装置和生物支架；以及用于虚拟分析和设计以及临床前测试的先进模拟系统。它们将提供增强的功能，允许开发和引入SAFER(增强可靠性的分层方法)模拟方法，以满足分层和个性化的医疗设备、生物材料和支架的需求。这些模拟器将用于研究人工关节的摩擦学和磨损，验证预测功能的新计算方法，研究磨损碎片和支持生物兼容性研究，以及研究自然关节中生物支架的摩擦学。我们在太赫兹(THz)频率电子学和光子学方面的研究在任何标准下都处于国际领先地位。这一活动中的大部分都需要一种最先进的专用MBE半导体生长系统。新的MBE系统将使我们能够保护英国在这一领域的国际声誉，特别是在太赫兹频率量子级联激光器(QCL)的发展和开发方面。在接下来的五年里，我们将：开发最先进的太赫兹QCL，覆盖1-5太赫兹范围，最大限度地提高工作温度、连续波性能、输出功率和增益带宽；开发设计成坚固的设备体系结构的太赫兹QCL，例如用作地球观测和行星科学任务中的本地振荡器；开发紧凑的台式QCL技术，为非线性太赫兹科学产生强烈、窄带和精确可控的脉冲；开发用于腔QED实验的自组织量子棒结构，以及新的光泵浦、垂直腔面发射室温太赫兹激光器。利兹电子显微镜和光谱中心(LEMAS)是一家非常成功的共享电子显微镜设施。它在全国(自2008年以来为外部用户提供EPSRC开放接入计划)和国际上(牵头组成英国SuperSTEM Daresbury设施的财团)具有很高的知名度。下一个重大挑战之一是将高分辨率成像和微分析技术应用于波束敏感材料，包括由有机和无机成分组成的先进混合材料。它们越来越多地被用于开发新的设备和产品功能。新显微镜的规格是独一无二的，设计用于在高加速电压下快速绘制冻结样品的图，以保存它们的化学和结构，同时提取纳米结构信息。我们在自旋电子学和磁性材料方面享誉国际，最近的任命扩展了我们的材料专业知识，包括有机分子、压电体、拓扑绝缘体和超导体。新的沉积工具将确保我们能够继续向英国和国际供应高质量的薄膜材料，并支持自旋电子超材料的总体主题。超材料的功能特性通过组成材料组合的设计和工程而显现出来。我们的广泛背景包括在纳米尺度上构建材料结构以便产生合作行为的能力，我们将把这种能力应用于战略领域的问题，如新技术的量子效应、超越cmos电子学、高能效电子学和新的医疗保健工具。

The objective of this proposal is to refresh and update key items of experimental equipment in activities aligned to proven strengths and critical mass in Medical Engineering and Advanced Materials at the University of Leeds.The Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering hosts the largest and most advanced musculoskeletal simulation facility in the world. The new simulators will support three of our strategic research challenges: longer lasting joint replacements; regenerative devices and biological scaffolds for tissue repair; and, advanced simulation systems for virtual analysis and design and preclinical testing. They will deliver enhanced functionality, allowing the development and introduction of SAFER (Stratified Approaches For Enhanced Reliability) simulation methods to address the requirements of stratified and personalized medical devices, biomaterials and scaffolds. The simulators will be used for research into the tribology and wear of artificial joints, validation of novel computational methods for prediction of function, studies of wear debris and supporting biocompatibility research and studies of the tribology of biological scaffolds in natural joints, using recently developed methods.Our research in terahertz (THz) frequency electronics and photonics is internationally leading by any criterion. Much of this activity requires a state-of-the-art and dedicated MBE semiconductor growth system. The new MBE system will allow us to protect the UK's international reputation in this field and, in particular, in the growth and exploitation of THz frequency quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Over the next five years we will: develop state-of-the-art THz QCLs across the 1-5 THz range, maximizing operating temperature, continuous-wave performance, output power, and gain bandwidth; develop THz QCLs engineered into robust device architectures for use as, for example, local oscillators in earth-observation and planetary science missions; develop compact bench-top QCL-based technologies producing intense, narrowband and precisely controllable pulses for non-linear THz science; and, develop self-organised quantum rod structures for cavity-QED experiments, and new optically-pumped, vertical-cavity surface-emitting room temperature THz lasers.The Leeds Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy (LEMAS) Centre is a highly successful shared electron microscopy facility. It has high visibility nationally (providing an EPSRC open access scheme for external users since 2008) and internationally (leading the consortium that formed the UK facility at SuperSTEM Daresbury). One of the next great challenges is apply high-resolution imaging and microanalytical techniques to beam sensitive materials, including advanced hybrid materials comprising organic and inorganic components. These are increasingly employed to develop new device and product functionalities. The specification of the new microscope is unique and designed to enable fast mapping of frozen specimens at high accelerating voltage to preserve their chemistry and structure whilst extracting nanostructural information.We are internationally recognised in spintronics and magnetic materials, with recent appointments extending our materials expertise to include organic molecules, piezoelectrics, topological insulators and superconductors. The new deposition tool will ensure we can continue to supply top quality thin film materials to the UK and internationally, as well as underpinning a general theme of spintronic meta-materials. The functional properties of meta-materials emerge through the design and engineering of the constituent material combinations. With our broad background that includes the ability to structure materials at the nanoscale so that cooperative behaviour arises, we will apply this capability to questions in strategic areas such as quantum effects for new technology, beyond CMOS electronics, energy efficient electronics, and new tools for healthcare.