2012 SURF Research Opportunities
Opportunities for 2013 will be posted by December 17, 2012.
Application deadline will be February 15, 2013.
Thermophysical Properties Division
638-1 Development of Practical Biofuels
Thomas J. Bruno, 303-497-5158, bruno[at]boulder.nist.gov
The best method to study the phase properties of biofuels is the composition-explicit distillation curve developed at NIST. The technique provides an energy content channel in addition to the volatility of a fuel. We have applied this method to biodiesel, and this summer we will extend this to include aviation fuels. A SURF student working on this will become expert at gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and many other analytical techniques. Contact advisor for more details.
638-2 Vapor Analysis in Forensic Sciences
Thomas J. Bruno, 303-497-5158, bruno[at]boulder.nist.gov
A new, very high sensitivity method to trap and analyze vapors is cryoadsorption, a technique recently developed at NIST. It has been used to test for explosives, buried corpses and spoiled food. We will extend this to the detection of pollutants, often the result of illegal dumping. A SURF student working on this will become expert at gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and many other analytical techniques. Contact advisor for more details.
Materials Reliability Division
653-1 Alternative Energy: Transportation of Hydrogen Fuel
Andy Slifka, 303-497-3744, slifka[at]boulder.nist.gov
Alternative energy will take many forms in the U.S. in the future. Hydrogen will be a part of the overall alternative energy strategy, and the most efficient means of fuel transport is by pipeline. Hydrogen embrittles steel, so we are measuring the extent of that embrittlement in a range of steels and determining why it occurs. If you don’t mind danger and destruction, come and break steels in our high-pressure hydrogen chamber.
653-2 Microscale Thermogravimetric Analysis
Elisabeth Mansfield, 303-497-6405, mansfiel[at]boulder.nist.gov
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of materials uses a sensitive balance which monitors the weight of a sample as the temperature is increased. TGA can be used to evaluate purity of nanoparticles. We designed a new system to do microscale TGA of nanoparticle samples using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). SURF participants on this project will help build the new instrumentation into a more user-friendly product. Students with programming experience are highly encouraged to apply.
653-3 Raman Spectroscopy of Photonic Nanomaterials
Lawrence Robins, 303-497-6794, lrobins[at]boulder.nist.gov
We are using Raman spectroscopy to investigate the properties of nanomaterials for photonic devices, including III-nitride nanowires and graphene-metal structures. Raman spectroscopy enables measurements of properties such as strain and carrier concentration through interactions with lattice vibrations (phonons). Students interesting in learning a key analytical technique, and contributing to leading-edge research on nanomaterials growth and characterization, are encouraged to apply.
653-4 Nanotechnology for Water Treatment
Lauren Greenlee, 303-497-4234, greenlee[at]boulder.nist.gov
Next-generation drinking water treatment technologies are addressing emerging contaminants through advanced materials, including reactive nanoparticles. Selected SURF participants will assist research efforts to synthesize, characterize, and integrate nanoparticles into membranes for water treatment. This project will give the participant the opportunity to perform and present results from experiments designed to further understand nanoparticle interactions in aqueous environments.
653-5 Microscale Measurement of Mechanical Properties
Nick Barbosa, 303-497-3445, barbosa[at]boulder.nist.gov
We evaluate the mechanical properties of structural and thin-film materials with microscale tests (e.g., nanoindentation, microtensile, fatigue, and thermomechanical techniques). Microscale tests require microfabrication, electron microscopy, electrical testing, and MEMS. Applications include materials for next generation nuclear power, materials with large microstructural gradients, and materials for space applications. Students will perform hands-on research with the potential for publication.
Quantum Electronics and Photonics Division
686-1 Entangled Photon Pair Generation for Quantum Optics Applications
Shellee Dyer, 303-497-7463, sdyer[at]boulder.nist.gov
Our team has developed some of the world’s best single-photon detectors. Our superconducting nanowire detectors have extremely low timing jitter, and our transition-edge sensors have near-unity quantum efficiency and photon-number resolution capacity. The student will use these detectors along with silicon waveguides and/or optical fibers to generate and characterize entangled photon pairs.
686-2 Continuous Variable Quantum States of Light
Thomas Gerrits, 303-497-4661, gerrits[at]boulder.nist.gov
Continuous variable optical quantum states are a promising technology for many applications such as metrology and quantum information processing. The student will learn various quantum phenomena and characterization methods, and will be involved in the ongoing development of new quantum-state sources and their characterization. The experimental work involves the use of femtosecond laser pulses, high-speed single-photon detectors, photo-number-resolving detectors and homodyne detection.
686-3 Precision Imaging Facility Software Development
Bob Schwall, 303-497-4732, schwall[at]boulder.nist.gov
In early 2012 the Precision Imaging Facility will open at NIST Boulder. This houses 4 of the world’s most powerful imaging systems <https://sites.google.com/site/precisionimagingfacility/about-the>. The student will help develop software to dissect and reconstruct atom-by-atom models from data sets generated by the instruments. The project provides the opportunity to work on the cutting edge of scientific software and user interface development. Offers will be made to 1 or more students.
686-4 Precision Imaging Facility
Bob Schwall, 303-497-4732, schwall[at]boulder.nist.gov
In early 2012 the Precision Imaging Facility will open at NIST Boulder. This facility houses 4 of the world’s most powerful imaging systems <https://sites.google.com/site/precisionimagingfacility/about-the> plus a full complement of sample preparation and characterization equipment. The student will assist in facility startup and initial demonstration experiments in areas such as nanoscale materials and devices for renewable energy metrology. Offers will be made to 1 or more students.
Electromagnetics Division
687-1 Microsystems for Bio-Imaging and Metrology
John Moreland, 303-497-3641, moreland[at]boulder.nist.gov
This project uses micro- and nano-systems (MEMS and NEMS) for new instrumentation in biomedical research. We are interested in applications of nanometer-scale magnetic particles in microfluidics and in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Some examples include novel probe microscopes, ultra-sensitive magnetometers for bio-assays, high-resolution MR spectrometer probes, magnetic manipulation and measurement of molecules, and radio-frequency tags and contrast agents for MRI.
687-3 Magnetic Nanoagents for Bio-Imaging
Robert Usselman, Michael Boss, and Stephen Russek, 303-497-5097, russek@boulder.nist.gov
Fabricate and characterize magnetic nanostructures, such as artificially mineralized ferritin and viral cages, for use as multifunctional MRI agents. Characterization will include SQUID magnetometry, NMR, ESR, TEM, and imaging in a clinical 3T MRI scanner. The goal is to optimize the magnetic properties of the nanostructures to give maximum MRI contrast. The contrast will be modeled theoretically based on water proton transport models and the interaction with free and superparamagnetic spins.
687-5 Graphene Beyond the Microscale
Mark Keller, 303-497-5430, mkeller[at]boulder.nist.gov
The excitement generated by the exceptional physical properties of graphene led to the 2010 Nobel prize in physics for its discoverers. We are developing methods for graphene synthesis over millimeter length scales with the performance and uniformity required for practical electronic, mechanical, and chemical devices. SURF participants will learn a variety of film deposition techniques, use various characterization tools, and gain hands-on experience with the strongest material known.
687-6 Wireless Technology for Firefighters
Kate Remley, 303-497-3652, remley[at]boulder.nist.gov
This project develops lab-based tests for new wireless devices used by firefighters. Field-test data are used to develop lab-based test methods. This year, we are focused on testing wireless emergency beacons in subterranean environments like subways, and high-loss environments like skyscrapers. The student will help with data collection and analysis in field locations, and then will test wireless devices in the laboratory.
687-7 Reverberation Chamber Testing of Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output Radios
William Young, 303-497-3471, wfy[at]boulder.nist.gov
NIST is developing ways to ensure the reliability of emerging wireless equipment used in public safety applications, such as emergency beacons and search and rescue robots. These advanced wireless systems use multiple antenna technology to increase data throughput and communication reliability. This project includes developing reverberation chamber tests that reproduce radio-frequency environments experienced by fielded systems to support laboratory testing of multiple-antenna wireless systems.
687-8 Resonance Phenomena in Magnetic Thin Films
Eric Evarts, Bill Rippard, Matthew Pufall, 303-497-4835, ere[at]boulder.nist.gov
Future spin-based nanoscale devices require new magnetic materials to function. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) can be used to extract important material properties of magnetic films from the resonance location, size, and shape. The student will use vacuum deposition techniques to grow magnetic thin films, and use vector network analyzer-based FMR and other measurement techniques to characterize and optimize the films’ magnetic resonance properties for integration into future spintronic devices.
687-9 Microwave Calorimeter Development
Tom Crowley, 303-497-4133, crowley[at]boulder.nist.gov
NIST accurately measures microwave power with a set of calorimeters that measure the heat produced when microwave power is absorbed. In this project, an alternative calorimeter design will be investigated through modeling and a set of experiments that utilize existing systems. The student can expect to learn about heat transport and precision microwave measurements.
687-10 Electromagnetic Response of Nanoparticles in Microfluidic Channels
James Booth, 303-497-7900, booth[at]boulder.nist.gov
Our project is currently using microfluidic networks to develop on-chip microwave-frequency measurement and control structures for small fluid volumes. Our project goals are to accurately determine the electromagnetic properties of proteins, biomolecules, and nanoparticles in solution over the extremely broad frequency range from 100 Hz to 100 GHz.
687-11 Development and Deployment of a Measurement Database
David Novotny, 303-497-3168, drnovotny[at]boulder.nist.gov
We are developing a database and interface to track the calibrations done by the Antenna Project. We need to input, access, sort & search multiple datasets to be able to record, compare, & trace both new and historical measurements. Both the base application and the user-interface should be built using Microsoft SQL or Access. We see this as a project for a CS/CE/IT student with demonstrated knowledge of database fundamentals & VBA, and the ability to write well-documented, maintainable code
Time and Frequency Division
688-1 Optical Atomic Clocks
Chris Oates, 303-497-7654, oates[at]boulder.nist.gov
The student will aid in the development of next-generation optical atomic clocks. Many techniques of atomic physics will be introduced, including laser cooling, magneto-optical trapping, optical lattices, laser stabilization, and ultra-high resolution spectroscopy. The student will gain experience with different laser systems, including diode lasers, green and yellow light sources based on nonlinear conversion of infrared fiber lasers, and red Ti:sapphire lasers.
688-2 Quantum Information Processing with Ion Arrays in Penning Ion Traps
John Bollinger, 303-497-5861, jjb[at]boulder.nist.gov
The high level of control developed for atomic systems enables the implementation and study of otherwise unsolvable many-body Hamiltonians. In this project the student will assist with experimental efforts to engineer quantum magnetic interactions between a few hundred ions stored in a Penning trap. Depending on the project, the student will gain experience with lasers and optics, ultrahigh vacuum techniques, or general instrumentation and experimental control.
688-3 Chip-Scale Atomic Magnetometry
Svenja Knappe, 303-497-3334, knappe[at]boulder.nist.gov
We design and build very sensitive millimeter-scale magnetometers by combining micro-electromechanical (MEMS) systems with atomic laser spectroscopy. One potential application includes sensing biomagnetic fields originating from the human brain for diagnostic purposes. The student could gain experience in lasers, spectroscopy, magnetometry, MEMS, micro-optics, shielding of magnetic fields, electronics, and computerized control and data acquisition.
688-4 Femtosecond Laser Frequency Combs
Scott Diddams, 303-497-7459, sdiddams[at]boulder.nist.gov
The past few years have brought a revolution in the field of optical frequency standards and metrology, including work that led in part to the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics. This project will involve research in this exciting area. The student will help develop and use femtosecond laser frequency combs for applications in optical clocks, molecular fingerprinting, astronomy, waveform synthesis and timing distribution.
Applied and Computational Mathematics Division
771-1 Quantum State Estimation
Scott Glancy, 303-497-3369, sglancy[at]boulder.nist.gov
Because of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, it is impossible to learn the state of a quantum system from a single measurement. However, by making a series of different measurements, one can estimate the quantum state using quantum state estimation. We are developing algorithms and writing software to estimate quantum states prepared in quantum experiments at NIST. This will be a good opportunity to gain practical programming experience, and learn both quantum theory and statistics.
