This CAREER award will fund a project whose goal is the development of a better understanding of the fundamental mechanism of self-organizing behavior at surfaces and the significance of interfacial stress, through direct dynamic measurements of the driving forces of self-assembly using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Two-dimensional nano-arrays in thermal equilibrium of large-scale order and size uniformity will be grown on strained interfaces between a bimetallic atomic layer and a dissimilar substrate in ultrahigh vacuum. Combining the structural information (from unique real-time variable-temperature STM measurements) with quantum-size effects in the electronic structure (from high-resolution UV photoemission) will guide the development of new dynamic models to describe the evolution and properties of nanoscale structures on surfaces. This research will form an integral part of the proposed educational outreach program. The newly designed course entitled "Modern Aspects of Materials Physics for High School Teachers" and the proposed "Summer Materials Science Institute for High School Students" will address the need to improve the science achievement for students by enriching science teaching in the high school classroom. In addition the graduate and undergraduate students involved in this research will receive training in state of the art techniques, providing them with a sound basis for their future scientific careers.
Spontaneous formation of organized nanoscale structures on surfaces has been observed in many systems. They are thought to arise because of a delicate balance between long-range strain field interactions and short-range chemical forces that stabilizes these structures. A detailed understanding of the driving forces, however, does not exist. The goal of this CAREER project is to identify and control these interactions that have the potential to surpass standard patterning technologies and thus, to lead the way to higher density magnetic storage, more selective catalytic materials, higher sensitivity chemical sensors, and perhaps, quantum computers. Unique real-time measurements of the dynamics of individual atoms self-ordering into nano-arrays will be performed on a home-built (scanning tunneling) microscope. The results will guide the development of new dynamic models to describe the evolution of nanoscale structures on surfaces. This research will form an integral part of the proposed educational outreach program. The newly designed course entitled "Modern Aspects of Materials Physics for High School Teachers" and the proposed "Summer Materials Science Institute for High School Students" will address the need to improve the science achievement for students by enriching science teaching in the high school classroom. In addition the graduate and undergraduate students involved in this research will receive training in state of the art techniques, providing them with a sound basis for their future scientific careers.
