High performance Wide spectral range Nanoprobe (HiWiN)

我们建议使用可调谐FEL电磁（EM）辐射源FELIX（荷兰奈梅亨的EPSRC国家研究设施）制造和委托“高性能宽光谱范围纳米探针”（HiWiN）。HiWiN将实现区域选择性纳米级（20-50 nm）照明和/或光检测，具有高功率和高强度的MIR-through-THz FEL辐射。HiWiN融合了FELIX光源的上级功率、时间特征和超宽光谱可调性（3至150 μ m），以及纳米级的选择性超高效率（20-70%）照明/检测。HiWiN能够有效地将中等到高功率的、光谱选择的自由电子激光EM辐射集中到纳米级大小的光斑中。这使得研究各种各样的光-物质相互作用现象（化学反应，分子解离，非线性响应）成为可能。该项目得到了来自12所英国大学和国家物理实验室多个部门的31个英国研究小组的支持。它是由兰开斯特大学领导的多机构合作实施的，该大学以开发现已商用的纳米级表征仪器而闻名。HiWiN将是独一无二的，世界领先的，在英国或世界范围内没有可比的能力。特别是HiWiN先进的研究领域将是量子技术和材料，HiWiN将能够放大到产生太赫兹辐射的单个量子点，开发数字物理指纹，以避免假冒药品，重点研究材料的特殊状态，包括二维材料和拓扑绝缘体，并研究RF和THz器件中的超快载流子动力学。这项研究直接有助于EPSRC“能源应用材料”和“RF和微波器件”的增长领域。HiWiN的另一个主要影响领域是催化，这是国际公认的关键技术。功率自由电子激光是催化领域的一项重要技术，它可以对催化过程进行真实的光谱观测和化学反应的启动。HiWiN的高空间分辨率将为催化过程提供前所未有的细节，实现单个活性催化位点、单个纳米颗粒的表征，并使人们能够对表面化学过程和反应中间体有新的理解。FEL和HiWiN提供了在MIR和THz区域中获得高质量近场数据所必需的高功率和高吞吐量，并且这在MIR和THz区域中特别有用。生物系统的研究，其中的功能，如细胞信号和代谢，可以作为药物的目标，往往是由亚微米表面结构控制。它将使单个细菌和复杂微生物群落的表征成为可能;与癌症治疗和阿尔茨海默氏症生物化学相关的图像和纳米粒子，并观察生物医学监测中的纳米级变化。高质量的纳米级成像与强THz辐射的结合将为检测疾病和角膜水合作用以及THz辐射与活细胞的相互作用打开一扇新的窗口。HiWiN的生物医学科学计划与EPSRC的健康国家战略和UKRI路线图（生物和生物医学成像能力）保持一致。它解决了UKRI的许多优先事项，得到了全球挑战研究基金和技术触及生活计划的支持。我们期望HiWiN成为一个主要平台，引发多个应用领域的研究，并刺激先进科学仪器的新技术解决方案。

We propose to manufacture and commission the 'High performance Wide spectral range Nanoprobe' (HiWiN) using the tunable FEL electromagnetic (EM) radiation source FELIX (EPSRC National Research Facility at Nijmegen, Netherlands). HiWiN will enable area selective nanoscale (20-50 nm) illumination and/or light detection with high power and high intensity MIR-through-THz FEL radiation. HiWiN merges superior power, time signature and ultra-broad spectral tunability of the FELIX source (3 to 150 um) with selective ultra-high efficiency (20-70%) illumination/detection at the nanoscale. HiWiN has the ability to effectively concentrate the moderate to high power, spectrally selected, FEL EM radiation into a nanoscale-sized spot. This enables investigation of a wide variety of light-matter interaction phenomena (chemical reactions, molecular dissociation, nonlinear response). The project is supported by 31 UK research groups from multiple departments in 12 UK universities and the National Physics Laboratory. It is implemented by the multi-institutional collaboration lead by Lancaster University that is renowned for the development of nanoscale characterisation instrumentation that is now commercially available. HiWiN will be unique and world leading with no comparable capabilities existing in the UK or worldwide.In particular the areas of research advanced by HiWiN will be Quantum Technology and materials where HiWiN will be able to zoom into individual single quantum dots generating THz radiation, to develop digital physical fingerprints to avoid counterfeited medicines, to focus on the special states of materials including two-dimensional materials and topological insulators, and to investigate ultrafast carrier dynamics in RF and THz devices. This research directly contributes to EPSRC growth areas of "Materials for energy applications" and "RF and microwave devices". Another major HiWiN impact area is Catalysis, which is internationally recognised as a critical enabling technology. Power FELs are an essential technology in catalysis allowing spectroscopic observation and initiation of chemical transformations in catalytic processes in real time. The high spatial resolution of HiWiN will provide unprecedented detail on catalytic processes, achieving characterisation of single active catalytic sites, single nanoparticles and enabling new understanding of surface chemical processes and reaction intermediates.In the biomedical sciences, FELs and HiWiN provide the high power and high throughput essential to obtain high quality near field data in the MIR and THz region and this is particularly useful in the study of biological systems, where the functions, such as cell signalling and metabolism which can be targets for pharmaceuticals, are often controlled by submicron surface structures. It will make possible the characterisation of individual bacteria and complex microbial communities; image and characterise nanoparticles relevant to cancer therapies and Alzheimer biochemistry, and to observe nanoscale changes in biomedical monitoring. The combination of high-quality nanoscale imaging with intense THz radiation will open a new window on a detection of diseases and hydration of the cornea, and the interaction of THz radiation with living cells. The biomedical science programme of HiWiN is well aligned with EPSRC's Healthy Nation Strategy and UKRI Roadmap (Biological and biomedical imaging capability). It addresses many of UKRI's priorities supported by the Global Challenges Research Fund and Technology Touching Life programme.We expect HiWiN to become a major platform triggering research in the multiple application areas and stimulating new technological solution in advanced scientific instrumentation.