1. What is the Research Question?
James Milender
Del Rio High School
San Felipe – Del Rio C.I.S.D.
Dr. Sy-Bor Wen, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

2. Types of Research Conducted in the Lab
Laser Ablation
Laser Ablation to form Core/Shell Nanoparticles
Using Nanoparticles to focus lasers to smaller beam widths
Courtesy of Young Kyong Jo

3. Texas A&M University Faculty Mentor
Dr. Sy-Bor Wen, Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering
University of California at Berkeley, CA 2006
M.S. Mechanical Engineering
National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 1999
B.S. Mechanical Engineering
National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 1997
Currently researching the production of core/shell nanoparticle production using laser ablation and focusing lasers using nanoparticles.

4. Background Information
Core/Shell Nanoparticles can be produced by various processes
Chemically
Laser ablation
Advantages of Core/Shell Nanoparticles
Changes in optical properties
Changes in magnetic properties

5. Relevance of the Research
Core/Shell Nanoparticles
Biomedical applications
Treatment of cancer cells
Laser Ablation
Better IC chips

6. Summer Research Core/Shell Nanoparticle Generation with Lasers

7. ICC Camera Used to image extremely low light sources.
Used to image the plasma plumes.

8. The Containment Chamber

9. The Containment Chamber during Laser Ablation of Cu

10. The Process The Excimer laser is fired at the Germanium (Ge) plate
A plasma plume of Ge is generated that lasts for 200 – 300 milliseconds
As the plume cools and the Ge condenses the plasma changes into Ge nanoparticles
Courtesy of Young Kyong Jo

11. The Process (continued)
The Nd:YAG laser is fired at the Copper (Cu) rod 200 milliseconds after the Excimer laser is fired.
A Cu plasma plume is generated around the Ge nanoparticles.
The Cu coats the Ge nanoparticles to form the Cu Ge core/shell nanoparticles.
Courtesy of Young Kyong Jo

12. Two pulsed laser ablation (Optical fiber Vs. Copper fiber)
Sample alignment
Nd:YAG laser
Copper Fiber
0.25 mm
Excimer Laser
Optical Fiber
Courtesy of Young Kyong Jo

13. Plume emission images with different delay times
(40 mJ )
Courtesy of Young Kyong Jo

14. The Process (continued)
The Core/Shell Nanoparticles are collected on a TEM grid placed within the containment chamber
Two types of microscopes used for scanning
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
Transmitting Electron Microscope (TEM)

15. Nanoparticle on TEM grid
Courtesy of Young Kyong Jo

16. Variables
The position of the nanoparticle collection device in the containment chamber.
Delay times between the Excimer laser and Nd:YAG laser
Using different background gases, i.e. argon, helium, etc.
Ablation time of the two materials.
Varying the energy output of the lasers.

17. Summary Types of Research Conducted Faculty Mentor Information
Background and Relevance
Summer Research Experiment
Core/Shell Nanoparticle Generation
Experiment Variables

18. Ideas for Classroom Lesson
Lasers!
Energy beaming ??

19. Acknowledgements Dr. Sy-Bor Wen, Assistant Professor
Young Kyong Jo, Ph. D. Student
Texas A&M University
Dwight Look College of Engineering
National Science Foundation
E3 Program Coordinators
E3 Participants