Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope for Research and Education

9975688

Frisbie

This award will provide partial support for the acquisition of an atomic force microscope. It will be used for ongoing experiments aimed at determining structure-property relationships in organic materials. The microscope is capable of a variety of imaging and measurement modes and will be used to probe (1) the electronic properties of well-defined nanostructures of organic semiconductors and (2) the mechanical strength of chemical bonds between individual molecules. The results of these fundamental studies will contribute to molecular level understanding of charge transport and nanomechanical processes in organic materials, and have the potential to significantly impact efforts to use these materials in practical applications such as thin film electronics.

This instrument will also be used to educate many undergraduate and graduate students in scanning probe microscopy methods for materials research.

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This instrument will significantly enhance the capability to characterize the mechanical and electronic properties of organic materials and will be used to train students.