CTS-9977530 D. Schaefer, Towson State University
The necessary equipment to develop a Nanotechnology facility at Towson State University will be purchased. The goals of this facility include (1) to provide the necessary equipment, space and expertise to assist researchers at Towson University in performing cutting edge research, (2) to provide the facilities necessary to promote collaborations with other university and industrial researchers, and (3) to provide a facility which educates students (both undergraduate and graduate), and faculty in the use of nanotechnology. Several key components have been assembled for such a laboratory, including space, personnel, and a scanning probe microscope dedicated for undergraduate and graduate classes at Towson. There does not exist a research quality scanning probe microscope that is necessary for the achievement of the first two goals.
The major piece of instrumentation needed for the Nanotechnology Laboratory is a Digital Instruments Multimode TM Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). In the AFM, a flexible cantilever is used to probe the surface of materials. By monitoring the deflection of the cantilever as it is moves across the surface, the Atomic Force Microscope is capable of imaging the surface topography of conducting and insulating materials in three dimensions, in real space, and in real time with sub-nanometer resolution. Additionally, it has the capability of operating in a variety of environments, including air, vacuum, and under liquid media. The AFM has also demonstrated the ability to quantitatively measure the interaction force between two materials
