Materials Program Platform Grant: Nanostructured Surfaces

我们目前的EPSRC材料计划平台资助项目于2002年12月1日启动，为期4年半，支持伯明翰大学的一个研究项目，研究纳米结构表面的科学和应用，即横向特征尺寸在1-100nm范围内的定义良好的表面系统。纳米结构的表面提供了将材料组织、收集和处理到单个分子水平的可能性。这项研究是在伯明翰6个部门（物理、材料、生物科学、医学、环境科学、化学）的合作下进行的，这些部门由纳米物理研究实验室（NPRL）领导，由rep领导。该提案旨在更新平台资助，从而为启动冒险的研究项目提供稳定的基础，以维持我们高度复杂的实验设备组合的熟练人员。支持杰出青年研究人员的职业发展，并支持和加强跨学科项目。该提案由国家科学研究实验室的工作人员（Palmer教授、Guo博士、Li博士、Robinson博士、Kaplan博士和Chen博士）正式提交，并间接代表我们校园内的主要合作者：Heath教授、Macaskie教授和Meldrum博士，生物科学；Moss教授，医学（癌症研究）；Harrison教授及Lead博士，环境科学系；Jones教授，材料学；普莱斯教授和约翰斯顿博士，化学。国家科学研究实验室每年的研究收入约为60万美元，目前的资助总额在200万美元以上。1994年，我们发布了实验室的10年研究战略。这确定了三个特别有机会的领域：(i)纳米级系统的激发态，（ii）与分子生物学的界面，（iii）通过应用研究将科学创新转化为工业。这些项目将继续在纳米系统的制备、原子结构和表征方面开展工作，包括开发新的仪器和工艺。本文提出的研究目的就是为了更新这一研究策略。由于纳米技术被视为科学和技术的战略前沿，这项工作的受益者将包括国际科学界和英国工业界。提供的资金将支持Yu Chen博士管理纳米科学设施，而第二个职位将支持一系列其他博士后，通常为期6个月，他们将启动或完成重要的工作，通常具有跨学科特征（第一个可能被任命的是Stefano Palomba，与Lead博士合作研究单分子光谱学）。为Jag Sangha先生提供50%的技术支持（包括在“其他直接分配成本”下），将为我们提供非常需要的稳定的技术支持基础。在目前的3年平台资助中，已有4名研究人员得到了支持，他们从事TEM、变温STM、原子操纵和新型仪器开发（扫描探针能量损失光谱和空间分辨光电发射）。重点包括我们在《自然》杂志上发表的关于室温下分子操作的论文，这也引起了媒体的极大兴趣。在这3年期间，申请人发表的60篇论文中，有30篇是由这些博士后贡献的，另有50篇受邀演讲，3篇专利申请和25篇媒体报道。此外，我们的研究与我们的研究项目组合的战略审查相结合，导致了一系列具体的研究建议和奖学金申请，包括EPSRC、DTI、皇家学会和欧盟委员会。在过去的3个月里，已经宣布了6个成功的奖项。我们相信，这些成就，加上我们的10年研究战略，以及我们在公众宣传和产业支持方面所做的工作，为续期“平台资助”提供了有力的理由。

Our current EPSRC Materials Program Platform Grant, which started on 1 Dec 2002 and lasts 4 and a 1/2 years, underpins a program of research at Birmingham University into the science and applications of nanostructured surfaces, i.e., well-defined surface systems with lateral feature sizes in the range 1-100nm. Nanostructured surfaces present the possibility to organise, collect and address materials down to the level of individual molecules. The research is conducted in a collaboration between 6 departments at Birmingham (Physics, Materials, Biosciences, Medicine, Environmental Sciences, Chemistry) led by the Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory (NPRL) headed by REP. The proposal seeks to renew the Platform Grant and thus provide a stable foundation to enable adventurous research projects to be initiated, to sustain the skilled staffing of our highly sophisticated portfolio of experimental equipment, to support the career development of outstanding young researchers and to support and enhance interdisciplinary projects. The proposal is formally submitted by the NPRL Staff (Prof Palmer, Dr Guo, Dr Li, Dr Robinson, Dr Kaplan and Researcher Co-Investigator Dr Chen), and indirectly on behalf of our main collaborators on campus: Prof Heath, Prof Macaskie and Dr Meldrum, Biosciences; Prof Moss, Medicine (Cancer Research); Prof Harrison and Dr Lead, Environmental Sciences; Prof Jones, Materials; and Prof Preece and Dr Johnston, Chemistry. The annual research income of the NPRL is ~600k with a total current grant value above 2M. In 1994 we published a 10 year research strategy for the Lab. This identifies three areas of particular opportunity: (i) the excited states of nanoscale systems, (ii) the interface to molecular biology and (iii) the translation of scientific innovations into industry via applied research. These programs will be underpinned by continuing work on the preparation, atomic structure and characterisation of nanoscale systems, including the development of novel instruments and processes. The research aims of the proposal for renewal mirror this research strategy. Since nanotechnology is regarded as a strategic frontier of both science and technology, the beneficiaries of the work will include both the international scientific community and UK industry.The funding provided will support Dr Yu Chen to run the Nanoscale Science Facility, while the second post will support a series of other post-docs, typically in 6 month stints, who will initiate or complete important pieces of work, often with interdisciplinary character (the first likely appointee is Stefano Palomba on single molecule optical spectroscopy in collaboration with Dr Lead). Support for 50% of a technician, Mr Jag Sangha (included under 'other directly allocated costs'), will provide the stable base of technical support that we also very much need. In the 3 years of the current Platform Grant to date, four research fellows have been supported, working on TEM, variable-temperature STM, atomic manipulation and novel instrument development (scanning probe energy loss spectroscopy and spatially-resolved photoemission). Highlights include our paper in Nature on molecular manipulation at room temperature, which also generated significant media interest. These post-docs have contributed to 30 of the 60 papers generated by the applicants in this 3 year period, together with 50 invited talks, 3 patent applications and 25 media reports. Moreover the research conducted, in conjunction with the strategic review of our research project portfolio, has led to a series of specific research proposals and fellowship applications to EPSRC, DTI, the Royal Society and the EC. Six successful awards have been announced in the last 3 months. We believe that these achievements, together with our 10 year research strategy and the work we are doing in public outreach and industrial support, provide a powerful case for renewal of the Platform Grant.