The Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center at Stanford University on Probing the Nanoscale (CPN) addresses the development of novel nanoprobes and application of these probes to answer fundamental questions in science and technology. The Center, which is a partnership between Stanford and IBM, has 13 participants from 5 departments, including 3 participants from IBM.
Examples of novel probes with revolutionary capabilities that will be developed include: a scanning tunneling potentiometer which can make electrical transport measurements on 10-nm length scales; a scanning Hall probe microscope with 30-nm spatial resolution; a near-field scanning optical microscopes with a thousand fold improvement in throughput; SQUIDs with sub-micron spatial resolution and sensitivity approaching the quantum limit with the ability to detect the spin of a single electron; a scanning tunneling microscope which can conduct electron spin resonance experiments at cryogenic temperatures; a magnetic resonance force microscope that can detect the spin of a single electron, specify the location of the electron, and measure the quantum mechanical state of the spin. These probes will be applied to answer many fundamental questions such as these: What is the length scale over which quantum mechanical behavior crosses over to become classical diffusive transport? How does the spin state of an electron vary over time and distance? How do the spins of electrons behave when the electrons cross a planar interface? What are the mechanisms of pinning in high-temperature superconductors? The Center also supports high risk, potentially high pay-off projects through a seed program.
The center is expected to have broader impact through its industrial and education outreach programs and its study of societal and ethical issues of nanoscale science and engineering. The Center expects to enhance the capabilities of the nanotechnology community to measure, image, and control nanoscale phenomena. Specific connections to users and manufacturers of nanoprobe instrumentation will be utilized to rapidly transfer technological advances. The Center is committed to educating the next generation of scientists and engineers regarding the theory, practice, and implications of novel nanoprobes. The Center has an active undergraduate research program, including undergraduate research opportunities at IBM. The CPN Fellows Program will support graduate students, postdocs, and visitors engaged in nanoprobe research and education. A Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers is anticipated to touch thousands of middle school students each year.
