Research Facilities
The U.S. Department of Commerce has identified advanced materials as one of five emerging technologies the United States must master to remain competitive in the world marketplace. The Materials Science Department addresses the educational and technological challenges of creating, applying, and characterizing new materials for manufacturing products for the 21st century.
The Department has facilities to study properties of polymers and composites, including thermophysical, rheological, and mechanical properties of solids, liquid crystals, melts and solutions; surface analytical chemistry including metal-polymer interfaces, adhesion, corrosion, and chemical vapor deposition; scanning electron microscopy and Auger spectroscopy of magnetic materials; optical, magnetic, and electrical characterization and analysis; scanning tunneling microscopy; resonant ionization mass spectrometry; solderability and X-ray diffraction; low-energy electron diffraction, and electrical characterization.
| MTSE Research Facilities |
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| Departmental Major Shared Equipment |
| The MTSE department has undergone much expansion in the past couple years, mainly due to congressional and DOD/ARL support. This page describes some of the major equipment that was acquired under this program. The rest of the equipment falls under supervision of the Laboratory for Atomic Scale Characterization. |
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| Laboratory for Electronic Materials and Devices (LEMD) |
| This new laboratory combines assorted surface science techniques (X-ray Photoelectron and Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy) and ion beam characterization techniques (Rutherford Backscattering, Ion Channeling) with in-situ growth capability afforded by an ultrahigh vacuum cluster tool deposition system. Topics of investigation include advanced gate dielectrics and devices, high-field chemical reaction pathways and surface preparation for enhanced device performance. |
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| Laboratory for Atomic Scale Characterization |
| The Laboratory for Atomic Scale Characterization houses equipment brought in under the auspices of ARTI. Available equipment includes an FEI Tecnai F20ST TEM, an FEI Nova 200 Analytical Dual Beam FIB, an Imago LEAP, a Philips EM420 TEM, a JOEL 5800 SEM, and several optical microscopes for characterization of virtually any material. |
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| Laboratory of Advanced Polymers and Optimized Materials (LAPOM) |
| Development of materials with improved mechanical, tribological and thermophysical properties, including thermoplastics, thermosets, polymer-based composites and coatings. High strength, wide service temperature range, low thermal expansivity, low static and dynamic surface friction, high adhesion of coatings to ceramic and metal substrates, high scratch and mar resistance. |
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| Mechanical Testing and Rheology Laboratory |
| The Mechanical and Rheology Laboratory focuses on structure property relationships to increase the reliability of materials. Tensile, creep, fatigue, compression and shear testing is done in thermally controlled new equipment. Current emphasis is on hybrid organic-inorganic polymer nanocomposites using nanotubes an nanoclays for high temperature coatings and structural elements with dual electronic and optical functionality. Mechanical interrelationships between strain rate-temperature and deformation are developed. Electronic and optical properties are probed through simultaneous determination of thermally stimulated currents and thermoluminesence. |
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| Materials Synthesis and Processing Laboratory |
| Research interests focus on the development and characterization of aerogels, xerogels, and other ovel ceramics for semiconductor, dielectric energy, and sensor applications. Low K xerogel films, biomaterial growth templates, and antibacterial coatings are current research programs. Small angle neutron scattering, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, gas absorption, and infrared spectroscopy are among the characterization techniques employed. |
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| Energy Materials Laboratory |
| Click here for more information. |
| Associated Department Equipment |
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