Nanoprobe Tools for Molecular Spectroscopy and Control
The development of tools and instruments for manipulation,
identification and testing of (molecular) structures at nanometer length scales has driven progress in science and technology. At these
length scales, the doors to new worlds in
biology, chemistry, and physics begin to open, enabling applications such as
real-time protein structure identification, molecular electronics, and quantum
computation. To approach these ambitious applications, however, we need tools to touch,
hold, and move molecular scale objects, and also be able to identify and control
molecules and molecular-scale objects like nanowires based on their chemical
species or function. How can broadly usable nanoscale tools with chemical
specificity and sensitivity be realized?
In this MURI we are designing and constructing a suite of
nanoprobe tools—both hardware and software—to do Molecular Spectroscopy and
Control. These are tools for nanoscale probing, manipulation, and
characterization of molecules, and they expand the capabilities of present
instruments by enabling electrical, magnetic and electromagnetic (e.g. optical)
interfaces to molecules. This will increase the accessible range of probe
frequencies and energies, ultimately allowing direct access to chemical
information available in the vibrational modes, electronic configuration, and
nuclear spin state of molecules. These tools are made possible by recent
advances in high frequency electronics, fabrication techniques, numerical
models, and novel electromagnetic materials. Through an open collaborative
effort that incorporates both advanced science and comprehensive education, our
designs will be made readily manufacturable and available for broad
dissemination to laboratories throughout the U.S. and allied countries. We will
demonstrate these tools and their capabilities for chemical analysis, directed
assembly, and quantum information processing.
