This grant supports the purchase of a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) that will be used for investigations of defects and bonding sites in electronic and sensor materials. The low temperature STM provides a zero drift environment in which isolated molecules do not diffuse. In this quiet, stationary environment, the local electronic structure of single defects or bonding sites can be determined using current-voltage (dI/dV) measurements. The specific systems that will be studied with this instrument include: (a) defects at the semiconductor/gate oxide interface; (b) polysilole-based nanowire sensors; (c) halogen reactions with aluminum; (d) mixed, asymmetric metal phthalocyanine-based chemical sensors; and (e) fabrication of ordered arrays of single macromolecular assemblies. With the advent of commercial software (VASP) for calculating the electronic structures of molecules on surfaces, low temperature STM and STS studies can be directly compared to both simulated STM images and the partial density of states on single atoms. This comparison provides critical insights into the control of electronic structure on surfaces.

This instrument will have impact on a broad audience at the university. (a) The San Diego Fellowship program for entering graduate students: UCSD is donating 3 months of support for 4 entering graduate students. These fellowships will be used to support graduate students to increase the diversity of the chemistry and physics graduate programs. (b) Undergraduate research: Undergraduate students will be involved in the proposed research via the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Enrichment Program (HHUEP) and the UCSD Office of Academic Enrichment. (c) UCSD-TV and webcasts: Lectures that are appropriate for high school and college students will be recorded for both broadcast and webcast by the UCSD-TV education outreach program. (d) Teacher training: The funds support one high school science teacher per summer to work in a research laboratory at UCSD. The teacher will have the opportunity to learn how to use the telemetry system developed at the UCSD National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR). The NCMIR facilities house an electron microscope that can be remotely controlled via the web, enabling teachers and students to use the SEM directly from their classrooms. (e) Industrial collaborations: The low temperature STM will be used in collaborative research projects that focus on device and sensor development and involve Motorola, Microsense, and IBM.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Materials Research (DMR)
Application #
0315794
Program Officer
Charles E. Bouldin
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2003-09-01
Budget End
2006-08-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$333,465
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Diego
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92093