Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
University of British Columbia
$136,980.00
Low noise, flexible control system for Quasiparticle Interference measurements by low-temperature Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy
FY 2014-15
Summary
Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM and STS) is a powerful tool for understanding structure and electronic properties of materials on the nanoscale. Developments in equipment stability and noise have enabled new methods that further link the atomic-scale real-space picture that emerges from STM data to reciprocal space through so-called ""Quasiparticle Interference"" (QPI) measurements by exploiting scattering from defects. This method allows detailed comparison of surface structure and real-space electronic states with the band structure, and with advances in stability and noise, has been most recently been demonstrated to directly reveal information regarding many-body effects that underlie some of the most exciting problems in materials physics today. The combination of this many-body probe, with the ability to determine structure and select distinct surface terminations even on inhomogenous surfaces, offers a unique view that area-averaged methods such as angle-resolved photoemission cannot.We request a replacement and significant upgrade of the existing STM controller used for QPI measurements of complex materials systems. A replacement is required due to failing components and compatibility issues. Significant progress in controller stability and noise levels will allow us to further develop this technique, especially for probing many-body interactions where extremely dense data sets are required to meet the resolution demands of the resulting features. These methods will be applied to a number of materials systems that are of great interest to the materials community including graphene, cuprate superconductors and superconducting iron selenide. The information gleaned from both the real-space and reciprocal space electronic structure information will provide an understanding of the parameters that tune complex interactions in these materials and give rise to their interesting properties, providing a basis for materials design.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
473024-2015
Name nom
Burke, Sarah
Department département
Physics and Astronomy
Organization id
2
Institution établissement
University of British Columbia
Province en
British Columbia
Province fr
Colombie-Britannique
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2014
Competition year année de concours
2015
Award amount
136980
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1505
Committee name en
Physics
Committee name fr
Physique
Area of application code
1208
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Materials sciences
Area of application fr
Sciences des matériaux
Research subject code
3302
Research subject group en
Condensed matterphysics
Research subject group fr
Physique de la matière condensée
Research subject en
Electronic properties of solids
Research subject fr
Propriétés électroniques des solides
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Low noise, flexible control system for Quasiparticle Interference measurements by low-temperature Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM and STS) is a powerful tool for understanding structure and electronic properties of materials on the nanoscale. Developments in equipment stability and noise have enabled new methods that further link the atomic-scale real-space picture that emerges from STM data to reciprocal space through so-called ""Quasiparticle Interference"" (QPI) measurements by exploiting scattering from defects. This method allows detailed comparison of surface structure and real-space electronic states with the band structure, and with advances in stability and noise, has been most recently been demonstrated to directly reveal information regarding many-body effects that underlie some of the most exciting problems in materials physics today. The combination of this many-body probe, with the ability to determine structure and select distinct surface terminations even on inhomogenous surfaces, offers a unique view that area-averaged methods such as angle-resolved photoemission cannot.We request a replacement and significant upgrade of the existing STM controller used for QPI measurements of complex materials systems. A replacement is required due to failing components and compatibility issues. Significant progress in controller stability and noise levels will allow us to further develop this technique, especially for probing many-body interactions where extremely dense data sets are required to meet the resolution demands of the resulting features. These methods will be applied to a number of materials systems that are of great interest to the materials community including graphene, cuprate superconductors and superconducting iron selenide. The information gleaned from both the real-space and reciprocal space electronic structure information will provide an understanding of the parameters that tune complex interactions in these materials and give rise to their interesting properties, providing a basis for materials design.
