Synthesis and Characterization of Thin Film Insulators:     Application to Inelastic Electron Tunneling Spectroscopy
{'Code': '03090006', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'MPS', 'LongName': 'Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'CHE', 'LongName': 'Division Of Chemistry'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'robert miller'}
This Research Opportunities for Women Research Initiation Award                 project is in the general area of Analytical and Surface                        Chemistry and in the subfields of thin film deposition and                      inelastic tunneling spectroscopy (IETS).  The IETS technique                    has been limited by the reactivity of the substrate materials                   commonly used and their tendency to decompose or reduce the                     adsorbate species.  The Principal Investigator will synthesize,                 by ion-beam deposition, a broad spectrum of new insulating                      thin-film substrates with varying reactivity and                                electron-transfer properties suitable for application with                      IETS.  The film materials will include metal oxides, metal                      nitrides, mixed metal oxides, and diamond-like carbon.                          Structural characterization of the films will be performed by                   electron microprobe analysis, transmission electron microscopy,                 infrared spectroscopy and IETS.  Tunneling spectra of a number                  of adsorbed probe molecules will be measured in order to                        classify the substrate materials with respect to their barrier                  quality and chemical inertness.                                                                                                                                 Electronic and vibrational spectroscopies utilizing photons as                  probes have contributed greatly to our knowledge of the                         structure, bonding and reactivity of materials.  They are                       limited, however, by the selection rules that govern photon                     emission, absorption and scattering.  Inelastic electron                        tunneling is not limited by these optical selection rules and                   is thus a powerful tool for spectroscopic characterization of                   adsorbed molecular species.  Low-lying electronic transitions                   and both allowed and forbidden vibrational modes can be                         detected.  Development of a catalog of insulating materials                     with sufficient diversity that virtually any molecular species                  can be matched to a relatively inert substrate for                              spectroscopic investigation will greatly enhance the general                    utility of this technique.  It will find increased application                  both in fundamental molecular spectroscopy and in                               technologically relevant fields such as corrosion, adhesion,                    catalysis and microelectronic device fabrication.
{'FirstName': 'Ursula', 'LastName': 'Mazur', 'EmailAddress': 'umazur@mail.wsu.edu', 'StartDate': '07/15/1988', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'Washington State University', 'CityName': 'PULLMAN', 'ZipCode': '991641060', 'PhoneNumber': '5093359661', 'StreetAddress': '280 Lighty', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Washington', 'StateCode': 'WA'}
{'Code': '1972', 'Text': 'ELECTROCHEMISTRY & SURFACE CHE'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8805612.xml'}