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Science Thrusts
Building on the strengths of Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories
to address the grand challenges in nanoscience integration, CINT has
identified four science thrust areas that serve as integrated synergistic
building blocks. Through our discussions with CINT users, our Science
Advisory Committee, and our CINT workshops, we have engaged the broader
scientific community in developing and refining these thrusts. The CINT
Science Trusts are:
- Nanoscale Electronics, Mechanics, and Systems
- Nanophotonics and Optical
Nanomaterials
- Soft, Biological and Composite Nanomaterials
- Theory and Simulation
of Nanoscale Phenomena
Science Thrust Descriptions
Nanoscale
Electronics, Mechanics, and Systems
Thrust Leaders: Mike Lilly and Mike Nastasi
This thrust focuses on the electronic and mechanical properties of nanosystems
and issues related to integration of a wide variety of nanoscale materials. Ongoing
research includes plastic deformation, elastic and fracture properties
on the nanoscale, coherent transport and interactions of low dimensional
systems, coupled mechanical systems, coupling of mechanical and electronic
properties, structural and electronic properties of nanowires, and investigation
of materials interface properties. This research will be strongly
supported by an effort in nanofabrication with an emphasis on integration
of electrical and mechanical systems in addition to integration with
composite nanomaterials and biological systems. Unique tools in
this thrust include molecular beam epitaxial growth of semiconductor
heterostructures for producing ultra-clean low dimensional electron systems,
a high current state of the art ion implanter, new tools for nano-manipulation, in
situ STM/TEM and specialized growth techniques for films, nanowires
and other nanostructures. This thrust is developing two Discovery
Platforms™. The Cantilever Array Platform will provide mechanical
tools optimized for nanoscience experiments. The Electrical Transport
and Optical Spectroscopy Platform will enable reliable, high throughput
electrical and optical measurements compatible with CINT fabrication
and characterization equipment.
Scientific directions include:
- Control of electronic transport and wavefunctions using nanostructured
materials
- Mechanical properties and coupling of nanostructured materials
- Exploration of new ways to integrate diverse classes of functional
materials on the nanoscale
Nanophotonics and Optical Nanomaterials
Thrust
Leaders: Victor Klimov, and Igal Brener
 This thrust addresses the overall scientific challenge of understanding
and controlling fundamental photonic, electronic and magnetic interactions
in nanostructured optical materials fabricated using both chemical and
physical syntheses. Ongoing research includes colloidal synthesis
of semiconductor, noble-metal and magnetic-metal nanostructures having
controlled shape (anisotropy) and surface chemistry (reactivity), as
well as hybrid, multifunctional (e.g., magneto-optical, electro-optical,
and multi-ferroic) nanomaterials comprising semiconductors and metals.
Bottom-up assembly approaches (e.g., self assembly, colloidal lithography,
layer-by-layer deposition, and directed/field- or interface-mediated
assembly) are used to prepare active sol-gel and polymer nanocomposites
and synthetic opals. Further, polymer-assisted thin-film growth techniques
and pulsed laser deposition are used to grow synthetically challenging
complex metal oxides. Lithographic methods are applied to the fabrication
of two- and three-dimensional photonic crystals, while physical synthesis
(e.g., MBE, VLS) is used to fabricate epitaxial quantum dots, quantum
well structures, and quantum wires. In an effort to explore new properties
stemming from the creation of novel interfaces and hybrid structures,
we focus on developing new materials that bring together disparate material
types for creating coupled or additive behavior in addition to multifunctional
properties. Here, we emphasize the interface between semiconductors and
metals, inorganics and organics, and colloidal and epitaxial. Finally,
for both the synthesis and assembly of optical nanomaterials, we utilize
the CINT Electrical Transport & Optical Spectroscopy Discovery Platform™ and
the Microfluidics Synthesis Platform. The preparation and fabrication
of such novel nanomaterials allows us to study and control collective
and emergent electromagnetic phenomena. We specifically explore
the areas of nanophotonics, plasmonics, metamaterials (left-handed and
photonic crystals), and solitons. Further, we use our unique capabilities
in advanced ultrafast and single-nanostructure spectroscopies, including
various scan-probe techniques, to explore energy transformations on the
nanoscale from energy and charge transfer to electronic relaxation across
multiple length-, time-, and energy scales. Such phenomena will
contribute to “light capture” applications (photovoltaics,
photodetection, and radiation detection), as well as to “light
emission” applications (solid-state lighting, LEDs, lasing, etc.).
Scientific directions include:
- Chemical synthesis of optical, electronic, and magnetic nanomaterials
- Physical
synthesis and fabrication of optically active nanomaterials
- Collective
and emergent electromagnetic phenomena (plasmonics, metamaterials,
photonic lattices, solitons)
- Multifunctional behaviors and hybrid nanostructures
- Optical excitation
and energy transformations on the nanoscale
Soft, Biological and Composite Nanomaterials
Thrust Leaders: Andrew Shreve and Bruce Bunker
 This thrust focuses facilities and expertise on solution-based, "bottom-up" approaches
for development of integrated nanomaterials. Synthesis, assembly, and characterization
of soft or biological components and the integration of these components
across multiple length scales to form functional architectures are of interest.
High-level topics include the intersection of materials science with biology,
the interfacial science of soft and composite materials, active- and self-assembly
methods, soft/hard/bio composite materials, systems integration, and advanced
characterization techniques. Ongoing research consists of development of
molecular and biomolecular recognition methods for materials assembly, development
of transduction strategies for molecular-scale events, chemical and biomolecular
functionalization of interfaces to control assembly and interactions of
components, passive and active assembly of nanomaterials with complex and
emergent behavior, single-particle and single-molecule spectroscopy, interfacial
characterization, imaging, and microfluidic platform development. Capabilities
and expertise within the thrust include molecular biology, organic and inorganic
synthetic chemistry, surface chemistry, spectroscopy, single-molecule detection,
scanning probe microscopy, optical imaging, and the design of microfluidic
systems and other integrated architectures (including CINT Discovery Platforms™).
Major facilities include laboratories and instrumentation for biochemistry,
cell-culturing and biomolecular engineering, self-assembled material and
thin-film preparation, chemical synthesis, scanning probe microscopies,
optical microscopy and spectroscopy, Langmuir-Blodgett troughs, interfacial
force measurements, and spectroscopic or imaging ellipsometry.
Scientific directions include:
- Molecular and biomolecular recognition
- Surface functionalization involving monolayers, lipids, and membranes
- Active, passive, and hierarchical assembly of solution-based nanocomposites
- Emergent behavior in bio-inspired materials
- Integration of active biomaterials and nanocomposites into microfluidic
systems
Theory and Simulation of Nanoscale Phenomena
Thrust Leaders: Mark Stevens and Alexander Balatsky
This thrust focuses on the theoretical and simulation understanding of
the fundamental nanoscale phenomena that underlie integrated nanomaterials.
Classical and quantum methods are applied to determine the emergent properties
of nanoscale materials and systems as a basis of assembly of nanomaterials.
A key area of interest is the interfacial interactions that are unique
to the nanoscale and are significant in determining the material properties.
Material properties which are presently being studied include energy
harvesting and transport, molecular electronics, mechanical properties
of biopolymer networks, and dynamical transport. Ongoing research topics
include passive and active assembly of nanomaterials with complex and
emergent behavior, theoretical spectroscopy and nonlinear optical response,
energy transfer and charge transport, DNA nanoelectronics, local defects,
optical and tunneling probes, mechanical properties of nanocomposites.
Capabilities and expertise within the thrust include molecular theory
methods, atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations,
static and time dependent density functional theory, many body quantum
methods. Major facilities include visualization hardware and software
and parallel computers.
Scientific directions include:
- Assembly of nanomaterials; interfacial interactions
- Emergent properties of nanoscale materials and systems
- Electronic, magnetic, and optical properties at the nanoscale
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