This award is for an integrated Scanning Probe Microscope - Raman scattering - Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (SNOM) system for undergraduate research at Coe College. In addition, it will be used by researchers at Cornell College and Mt. Mercy University and two local companies. The instrument will allow for simultaneous spectroscopic and topological measurements in materials, and for the training of undergraduate students. Scientifically, the hybrid system will be used on laser modifications of amorphous materials; on measurements of phase separation and corrosion in technologically useful glasses; on studies of rare earth doping and clustering; on investigations of biocements; on the study of functionalized glass microspheres for catalysis applications; and, the bonding of polyoxometalates and surfaces.
The new integrated scanning probe system will impact over fifty-five undergraduate students, from the Physics, Chemistry, and Biology Departments, that participate in summer research at Coe College. Greater than 40% of the students are first generation college students from rural backgrounds with little access to research. The impact of the instrument will also extend to the regional Latino High School population through a new program led by the PI in collaboration with local Latino engineers, scientists, and educators.
Currently, research on materials often focusses on looking at the nanoscale. The case of glass research is no different. A ubiquitous material around since ancient times, glass enables a variety of powerful technologies, from smartphone displays to battery seals, and remains an important passive technology in items like windshields and architectural windows. As glass becomes a more technologically advanced component, it becomes important to develop a better understanding of its structure at the micro- and nanoscales. In our case, we look at the effects of corrosion on the surface of various glass families; at the changes in the structure when laser light is shone on the surface; at new, hard to make crystals on the glass; and at dopants put in to create better glasses for optical applications. We also go beyond glass to look at electrical materials for industrial breakers. The instrument purchased with the grant allows for us to look at the topology of the surface (the "hills and valleys" of it) while simultaneously carrying out measurements on the chemistry of the surface. This way we can see what molecules are there---and where they are! This is important, as we can observe whether certain molecules cluster in certain spots, or whether a laser creates specific crystals a distance away from where it hits. Currently, in less than a year, we have assembled the system, tested it, and learnt to operate it in both a basic and an advanced mode. Multiple faculty and undergraduate students have been trained on it. Most recently, we have hosted colleagues from Italy and Japan (postdoctoral fellows), both of whom have carried out measurements with it. We have looked at vanadium-based glasses that have been altered with a laser (these glasses change at very low powers), while our collaborators have looked at new crystals made from fiber lasers (Komatsu group, Nagaoka, Japan), and new glass ceramics also containing vanadium (Montorsi group, Modena, Italy). Though the outcomes are preliminary, we note that the lead vanadate glasses that have been altered show that lead is removed preferentially from the center of the laser spot, creating a small "volcanic" eruption that changes the chemistry of the area. This work was led by one of our undergraduate students. In another collaborative project, we looked at debris present on the surface of fiber optics (Brow group, Missouri Rolla, USA), determining that it was made of the same composition as the fiber (and not an impurity). At present, we are analyzing whether lines written from a laser create high-pressure zones near their edges. We have also started some industrial work with a multinational electrical company, looking at the effect of certain metals on proprietary electrodes. In summary, then, not a bad first year.
