Research Areas:
solid state chemistry, materials chemistry, nanophase design of magnetic materials, synthesis of nanoscale materials, fabrication and characterization of thin-films and composites, nanoparticle-based optochemical sensors, condensed matter physics, basic and applied physics of new materials, theoretical and computational studies of microelectronics, micromagnetics modeling, high-frequency electrodynamics of materials, thermoelectric materials, materials characterization by electron microscopy
Areas of Expertise:
nanophase materials, solid state synthetic chemistry, magnetochemistry, high Tc superconductors, computational chemistry and theoretical modeling, tribological behavior of coatings, experimental physics of materials, microelectronic devices, electronic phenomena of materials, basic and applied physics of electronic materials, materials characterization
Special Capabilities and Facilities:
The AMRI research laboratories are located in the Science Building at the University of New Orleans, where ample wet and dry laboratory space is available for our research. The majority of our research is conducted at our AMRI facilities by scientists and post-doctoral researchers who are developing and working on their research programs. Some components of the research are conducted in the laboratories of the local (New Orleans area) participating universities and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Research Equipment:
MPMS-5S SQUID Susceptometer from Quantum Design, with 5.5Tesla magnet, 1.7-400K measurement range, and AC and DC capabilities. This instrument is used to characterize magnetic materials and for measuring magnetic properties of new materials.
Physical Properties Measurement System (PPMS) from Quantum Design, 9 Tesla magnet and 1.9-350K measurement range. This instrument is used to characterize new materials and for measuring the physical properties of new materials
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), JEOL Model 5410, XL20 SEM with W and ODP resolution 3.5 nm at 30 kV, 20 nm at 1 kV. The JSM-5410 scanning electron microscope is a high-performance multipurpose SEM with a high-resolution of 3.5nm, and EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer). Its automated features include Auto Focus/Auto Stigmator, and Automatic Contrast and Brightness. The EDS makes the JSM-5410 expandable from morphological observation to multi-purpose high-resolution elemental analysis.
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), JEOL Model 2010, Supertwin TEM, with point-to-point resolution of 0.23 nm, line resolution of 0.14nm. The JEOL-2010 transmission electron microscope is a multipurpose high-resolution analytical electron microscope with a wide range of capabilities such as high-resolution image observation with 0.25 nm point resolution and 0.14 lattice image, EDS (Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry) for microarea X-ray analysis, and versatile analysis by convergent-beam electron diffraction. The magnification goes from x 1,500 to 1,200,000.
EDX for TEM: from EDAX, DXPRIME system 30 for TEM x-ray microanalysis system.
Micrograph Processing Equipment, including a FUJIMOTO 450M-C 4x5" Enlarger equipped with two kinds of enlarge lens (50mm, 150mm) which is able to enlarge TEM and SEM negatives up to 22.2x., and a DEVAPPA 16" Dryer which is able to dry up to 16" wide print paper.
Gatan 691 PIPSTM Precision Ion Polishing System, which is a completely self-contained, compact, bench-top precision ion polishing system designed to produce high quality TEM specimen having exceptionally large, clean, electron transparent areas. Ion polishing is done by two variable-angle, miniature Penning ion guns. The operating angle of each gun (? 10? ) is independent of one another and both have the ability to accurately center the beam onto the specimen at any angle within this range. The PIGs incorporate powerful rare-earth magnets and are capable of very high thinning rates. Each gun is mounted in a universal joint so that x and z alignment drives can be used to center the beams onto the specimen. These features make it possible to think specimens at very low angle in a reasonably short time.
Gatan Model 656 Dimple Grinder for TEM sample preparation, which is a precision instrument used to produce circular dimples (spherical or flat-bottomed profile) in materials such as ceramics, semiconductors, metals and combinations thereof. When specimens are mechanically dimpled prior to final thinning, the finished specimen has a more uniform thickness, has a large than usual electron-transparent area, and is very robust with a thick rim surrounding the center thin region. In the case of neutral-particle beam-thinning systems, the time required for final thinning is significantly reduced with dimpling.
Gatan Model 601 TEM specimen cross section kit, which is used to study interfaces and surface regions in a wide range of materials. The first step in specimen preparation almost always involves protecting and building up a layer on the sample surface so that the region of interest becomes close to the center of the cross sectioned TEM specimen.
Denton Desk II cold sputter/etch unit and carbon evaporation accessory is designed to clean the surface of SEM specimens and to deposit heavy metal conductive coating on the clean surface. A standard 6" diameter Pyrex cylinder with top and bottom gaskets sits on an aluminum baseplate. The cylinder is evacuated by a 2 cfm, two-stage direct-drive mechanical pump mounted within the cabinet. An insulated specimen table with provision for height adjustment is mounted within the Pyrex cylinder. The sputter cathode (gold is standard) is provided to shield the sputter cathode from contamination during the etch/cleaning cycle.
DEC Alpha Workstation for EM image simulation, processing and storage.
Radio-frequency impedance measurement system integrated with the PPMS. This includes custom designed RF probe, lock-in amplifiers from Stanford Research Systems, frequency counter and stable DC power supply from Hewlett-Packard.
Keithley Model 2001 Digital Multimeter, Model 2400 Source Meter and Model 2182 Nanovoltmeter for precision I-V and tunneling current measurements.
Magnetron Sputtering Deposition System (Sputtered Film Co.), high vacuum deposition chamber, 1x10-7 Torr or lower with DC/RF magnetron sputtering sources and power supplies, consists of 4 research S-guns, with 3 sensors and controller for control of film thickness. Films can be deposited on up to 10 wafers (3 inch in diameter) placed on the planetary motion system to ensure high uniformity of the film thickness. The guns can work with 2 DC bias sources or an RF Generator, so deposition of both metallic and insulating materials is possible. A CryoTorr-8 (CTI-Cryogenics) cryo-pump gives a base vacuum pressure of 10-7 Torr. Two flow controllers, an automatic gate valve with controller, as well as mass spectrometer, provide precise control of the ambient gas pressure in the range from 0.1 to 100 mTorr. A plasma source can be used during reactive sputtering. This system can deposit a large variety of materials (conducting and insulating) in the form homogeneous thin films, multilayers or granular films with thicknesses from 1 nm to hundreds of nm with deposition rates from 0.01nm/s to tens of nm/s.
Philips X=pert-MPD X-ray powder diffraction system with a single goniometer, auto slits, high-temperature stage with air-sensitive sample capabilities, a thin film attachment with a parallel plate collimator, and extensive analytical software.
Rigaku thin-film and high temperature X-ray powder diffractometer.
Pulsed Laser Ablation Deposition System is being developed on the basis of a Pulsed Excimer-500 Laser (Lumonics Co.) operating at the wavelengths range from 155 to 780 nm with maximum pulse power from 1 to 200 mJ (average power 0.8-20 W) Base vacuum pressure during deposition better than 10-6 Torr is ensured by the Turbo V-550 turbomolecular pump (Varian Vacuum Products). Deposition can be made in vacuum or in the presence of reactive gases with pressures up to few Torr. In laser ablation, congruent (stoichiometric) as well as epitaxial deposition is usually more effective than in any other systems. This system can deposit a large variety of materials (conducting and insulating) in the form homogeneous thin films, multilayers or granular films with thickness from 1 nm to hundreds of nm with deposition rates from 0.01nm/s to tens of nm/s.
Magneto-optical Kerr Effect (MOKE) system.
SPEX mechanical mills.
Netzsch DSC404/3/F differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) with extended temperature range (-150 to 1500 ƒ C) and controlled atmosphere capabilities.
TA Instruments Thermal Analyst 2000 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA).
Computer equipment: one server and 24 workstations to run Windows NT for theory, modeling, communications, networking, etc.
Other Resources:
Other smaller equipment items also are available to AMRI researchers. These include arc induction furnaces, tube furnaces, Schlenck and high vacuum lines, three VAC atmosphere controlled glove boxes for wet and dry chemical synthesis, and a variety of wet chemistry laboratory equipment. The Chemistry Department at UNO manages a large instrumentation facility that houses state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers (300, 400, and 500 MHz), mass spectrometers (4 units, including Tandem MS and MALDI MS), and UV-Vis-IR spectrometers, which also are available to AMRI researchers. Also available to our researchers through the College of Sciences are a machine shop, an electronics shop, and a glass shop for use as needed on our projects. In addition to these resources, the micromagnetics characterization facilities at IBM, San Jose, CA, Lockheed Martin, Sunnyvale, CA, and the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, also are available for extensive use by AMRI in the development of collaborative projects.
Keywords:
materials science
materials research
advanced materials
nanophase materials
magnetic nanoparticles
nanoscale materials
solid state chemistry micromagnetics
thermoelectrics
materials characterization