1. Partnership for Research and Education in Nanomaterials between Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
PI: Prof. Branislav Vlahovic
Co-PIs: Prof. K. Vinodgopal
Prof. Marvin Wu
Prof. Fei Yan
Prof. Vincent Crespi (PSU)
November 2, 2015

2. Participating Senior Personnel
Name Institution/Department Thrust
Karen Dvoyan NCCU / Physics Thrust 1
Igor Filikhin NCCU / Physics Thrust 1
Shawn Sendlinger NCCU / Chemistry Thrust 3
Yongan Tang NCCU / Physics Thrust 2
Darlene Taylor NCCU / Chemistry Thrust 3
Ani Tshantshapanyan NCCU / Physics Thrust 1
Branislav Vlahovic NCCU / Physics Thrust 1, Seed 2
Kizhanipuram Vinodgopal NCCU / Chemistry Thrust 3
Marvin Wu NCCU / Physics Thrusts 1, 3
Fei Yan NCCU / Chemistry Thrust 2
Vincent Crespi PSU / Physics, Materials Science Thrusts 1, 3
Ismalia Dabo PSU / Materials Science Thrust 1
Venkatraman Gopalan PSU / Materials Science Seed 1, 2
Christine Keating PSU / Chemistry Thrust 1
Thomas Mallouk PSU / Chemistry, Physics Thrust 3
Mauricio Terrones PSU / Materials Science Thrust 3
Douglas Werner PSU / Electrical Engineering Thrust 2
Jun Zhu PSU / Physics Thrust 3

3. Education Overview
Goal: increase in the participation of minority students in material science.
Pathways towards achieving the goal:
Innovative peer mentoring “Penn Pal” program which will pair minority participants in the MRSEC program with NCCU student participants in PREM
Engaging students in productive research experiences at the frontiers of material science supported by close mentoring by both NCCU and MRSEC faculty and researchers at all levels
Providing these students with the educational skills necessary to enhance their competitiveness and continued success in materials related graduate programs.

4. Selena Arrington-Boyd
Student Information
Thrust 1
Thrust 2
Thrust 3
Graduate
Olumide Oni
Melissa Kerr
Nirmal Maharjan
Nicole Sciortino
Selena Arrington-Boyd
Undergraduate
Malik Ko
Lamanuel White
Aleaha Schenk

5. Research Overview The research thrusts are: Potential outcomes:
Charge transport in individual and coupled semiconductor nanostructures
Plasmonic materials for optical filter and sensor applications
Functionalized 2D materials for spintronic and electronic applications, and
Seed projects on properties of nanoscale patterned ferroics and development of perovskite based multiferroic materials.
Potential outcomes:
Uncovering new phenomena in coupled nanoscale semiconductor and metal oxide systems
Development of novel nanoparticles and nanostructured thin films for optoelectrical and magnetic applications
Creating a new generation of carbon based electronic and spintronic devices
Developing nanostructured ferroic materials with tunable coercivities.

6. Synergy between NCCU & PSU
Research thrusts at NCCU and responsible person
IRGs/Seed projects at PSU and responsible person
Charge transport in individual and coupled semiconductor nanostructures –Wu
IRG 4- Dr. Chris Keating
Plasmonic materials for optical filter and sensor applications, - Yan
IRG 4-“Multicomponent Assemblies for Collective Function” - Dr. Douglas Werner
Functionalized 2D materials for spintronic and electronic applications- Vinodgopal
Seed project on “Electronically Tunable Magnetism in Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenides” at our partner- Dr. Tom Mallouk
Seed Project: Properties of nanoscale patterned ferroics - Rasic
IRG 1- Dr Venkat Gopalan
Seed Project: Development of perovskite based multiferroic materials-Vlahovic

7. Thrust 1: Charge Transport in Semiconductor Nanostructures
Marvin Wu (Physics, NCCU)
Characterizing carrier dynamics in semiconductor nanowires and nanowire assemblies using ultrafast microscopy
Charge transport in organic and inorganic – organic hybrid devices
Apply spatially resolved ultrafast microscopy to examine coupled metal oxide systems.
Chris Keating (Chemistry, Penn State)
Self- and directed assembly of nanowires
novel assembly methods to accurately position nanoscale materials on electrical contacts
high resolution transmission electron microscopy

8. Modeling of Electron States and Tunneling in Nanoscale Structures (B
Modeling of Electron States and Tunneling in Nanoscale Structures (B. Vlahovic, I. Filikhin, K. Dvoyan, A. Tshantshapanyan, and I. Dabo (PSU))
Calculation of electronic energy levels and wavefunctions of quantum dots
kp-perturbation theory in a single subband approach
Energy dependent quasi-particle effective mass approximation (non-parabolic approach)
Effects of symmetry on charge tunneling between quantum dots
Understanding of the structure-property relation that govern the optoelectronic behavior
Ismaila Dabo (Materials Science, Penn State)
First principles calculation of electronic levels and band structure in photovoltaic materials

9. Thrust 2: Surface Plasmonic-Based Photonic Devices
Dr. Fei Yan Assistant Professor, Chemistry (NCCU)
Shape-controlled synthesis of anisotropic gold nanoparticles
Chemical sensing based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Shape-controlled synthesis of anisotropic gold nanoparticle with tunable plasmonic properties
Dr. Yongan Tang Assistant Professor, Physics (NCCU)
Development of multispectral IR filters with metallic nano-structures
Metallic nano particles for optical absorption enhancement
Surface plasmonic multispectral imaging device
Dr. Douglas Werner
Professor, Electrical Engineering (PSU)
Theoretical and computational electromagnetics
Metamaterials
Quasi two-dimensional metasurfaces

10. Thrust 3: Covalent Functionalization of Graphene:
A pathway to reproducible band-gaps and spintronics
K. Vinodgopal, Marvin Wu and Shawn Sendlinger (NCCU)
Tom Mallouk, M. Terrones and J. Zhu (PSU)
Hexahapto Graphene Transition Metal Complexes
Cr(CO)6 + graphene
h6( graphene)Cr(CO)3
SEM image of (η6-graphene)Cr(CO)3
obtained via CVD
SEM image of (η6 reduced graphene oxide)Cr(CO)3
obtained via wet chemistry
Nirmal Maharjan
Lamanuel White
Nicole Sciortino
Things to do: XPS and AFM characterization

11. Seed Projects AFM analysis of pulsed laser deposited SrTiO3 on PVDF
Ferroic Mareial design (G. Rasic and V. Gopalan)
Use innovative design at the nano scale to alter and improve the physical properties of ferroic materials
Coercivity reduction up to 90% in sol gel fabricated polycrystalline NiFe2O4 as compared to plane film
Perovskite based multiferroics and polymer-ceramic composite (B. Vlahovic, G. Rasic, V. Gopalan (PSU)
Mechanical activation can lead to the room temperature formation of almost pure Ba0.77Sr0.23TiO3 phase
Creation and movement of structural defects, phase transformations, order disorder transition
AFM analysis of pulsed laser deposited SrTiO3 on PVDF

12. We have also showed that mechanical activation can lead to the room temperature formation of almost pure Ba0.77Sr0.23TiO3 phase
Micrographs of a) PVDF; b) PVDF-BT nanocomposite
Obtained results indicate that mechanical activation has a pronounced influence on BaTiO3 lattice spectra, thus affecting the stability of the crystal structure and formation of tetragonal nanocrystalline BaTiO3.

13. NCCU facilities FEI NanoSEM 630 Scanning electron microscope system
An AIST – Horiba integrated AFM – Raman system
Ultrafast regeneratively amplified Ti:Al2O3 laser system
Pulsed electron beam - 2 MeV, 200 mA, peak current of 20A
UHV deposition chamber
UV-Photoemission electron microscopy

14. Class 1000 cleanroom
NMR
300 GHz microwave system
He temperature TSC
DLTS and Hall systems
98 processors supercomputer

15. Proposed collaborative activities between NCCU & PSU
Student research experience at PSU:
2 graduate and 2 undergraduate students from NCCU each year will spend the summer at PSU working on collaborative research.
Penn Pal program: Each of the visiting undergraduates from NCCU will be paired with a Penn State Millennium Scholar at a similar academic level who is working in the thrust partner’s labs. Planning visit by PSU MRSEC Outreach Coordinator to NCCU- November to meet identified NCCU student participants.
Post doc visits: The postdoctoral fellows who are involved in each of these thrusts will spend most of the summer months at Penn State and provide an additional level of daily supervision and local knowledge to both MS and undergraduate students.
Faculty exchanges: MRSEC and NCCU PREM faculty will exchange visits. Prof. Mallouk scheduled to visit NCCU April 2016.