CDs and DVDs as Diffraction Gratings

13 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Rama Balachandran, Karen Porter Davis, NNCI Nano

The objective of this lab is to compare the diffraction behavior of light waves between a CD and DVD. CDs and DVDs contain regularly spaced micrometer sized features which can act like a diffraction grating. Using commercial electronic storage devices like CDs and DVDs as gratings rather than...

Catalytic Converters and Nanocatalysts

12 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Cheryl Powers, NNCI Nano

This two part lesson with an optional third lesson is designed to explore the reactions involved in catalytic converters and the importance of nanocatalysts in the reactions.  Student activities can be done as guided or independent inquiry

Doping to Create a Semiconductor: Changing conductive properties through diffusion

14 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Kaye Sheets, NNCI Nano

In the semiconductor industry scientists take advantage of diffusion to “dope” or introduce atoms into a silicon wafer to change its conductive properties. The lesson simulates the diffusion of a gas phase substance (ammonia) into a solid substrate (gelatin)  and compares the...

Optical Hyperspace: Light in Hyperbolic Materials

14 Jan 2020 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Evgenii Narimanov

Hyperbolic metamaterias are strongly anisotropic composite media that behave as either metals or dielectrics in different directions. They can be fabricated n many different ways, such as metallic layers that are separated from each other by thin dielectric spacers, or using arrays of parallel...

A Python Script for Siesta Structure/Coordinate Block Generation

06 Jan 2020 | Downloads | Contributor(s): Kamalpreet Singh

Siesta Structure/Coordinate Block Generation This script will read a .xyz file and prepare a coordinate file for Siesta. The coordinate block can be copied directly to the clipboard or saved as a text file.

A Python Script to Generate an Eigenvalue Spectrum from the EIG File (SIESTA)

06 Jan 2020 | Downloads | Contributor(s): Kamalpreet Singh

EIG Plot - Eigenvalue spectrum Generation This script automatically plots the .EIG file generated by the SIESTA (Spanish Initiative for Electronic Simulations with Thousands of Atoms) program to see the eigenvalue spectrum to visualize the spread of eigenvalues.

Spatial Complexity in Correlated Electronic Systems

08 Jan 2020 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Erica W. Carlson

I will discuss how understanding the formation of these patterns is vital to our understanding of electronic properties and to our eventual technological control of quantum matter. We have defined new paradigms for interpreting and understanding nanoscale electronic textures observed at the...

Polyaniline Synthesized Conducting Polymer for Applicable Uses as Nanomaterials

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Mark Dignan, NNCI Nano

This lesson introduces students to polyaniline, a conducting polymer. It demonstrates how nanofibers significantly improve the processing of polyaniline and its performance as a conventional application involving polymer interactions with its environment (i.e. inorganic and organic uses). The...

Modeling Sanning Probe Microscopes (SPM)

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Woodward Maxwell, NNCI Nano

The Modeling Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) lab is designed to show students the principles of how a Scanning Probe Microscope works and how mapping on a smaller scale provides a more detailed view of a surface. Students will use a conductivity apparatus to model the mapping behavior of an...

Visualizing Diffusion in Real Time and on a Macroscle

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Ryan Stuart, NNCI Nano

This lesson has been designed to help students visualize how diffusion occurs by creating a macro version of a permeable membrane. The goal is to have students see how molecular size (atomic radii) impact diffusion at the nanoscale. In addition, they will observe diffusion rates of iodine with...

Turning Fruit Juice into Graphene Quantum Dots

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): John Gomm, NNCI Nano

Graphene, a sub-nanometer thick sheet made of carbon, was isolated just over a decade ago (2004), yet swiftly won the Nobel Prize for Geim and Novoselov in 2010 for its properties of high strength, conductivity, and transparency. Students will replicate the procedure used to isolate graphene...

Golden Opportunities: Gold Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

14 Jan 2020 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Catherine J. Murphy

In this talk I will discuss how these nanoparticles are prepared, how their surface chemistry can be tuned, how apparent cytotoxicity can be traced back to reagents in the synthesis rather than the particles per se, how protein orientation can be controlled on their surfaces, how cells respond...

Seeing Nano II: Using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to see Nano-size Objects

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Samantha Andrews, NNCI Nano

Students will explore the storage capacities of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The AFM allows us to image objects that are extremely small in size, often on the nanoscale (10-9m). Students will access an AFM via Remotely Accessible Instruments for...

Sensitivity & Resolution of Quantum-Enhanced Imaging: Decoherence, Coherence, and Ancillas

29 Apr 2020 | Online Presentations | Contributor(s): Bahaa E. A. Saleh

Outline:Brief overview of quantum-enhanced sensing & imagingQuantum limits on precision of phase measurement: combatting decoherence with ancillaQuantum limits on precision of phase-gradient measurement: Role of beam size Quantum limits on two-point resolution: coherence resurrects Rayleigh’s...

Refraction of Light: Forensics Lab

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Karen Porter-Davis, NNCI Nano

This lesson uses forensic science investigations to help students understand the refraction of light. Using The Marching Band Analogy, the students firsts “experience” how wavelengths of light can slow and bend.

Nanotechnology in Electronics: An Introduction to the units on LEDs, Thermistors, and Transistors

12 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Jacyln Murray, NNCI Nano

The purpose of the following group of lab units is to illustrate properties associated with nanotechnology and the electronics industry through utilization of semiconductors.  By using macro-examples of actual nano-circuitry, students will understand what is happening on the...

Electrodeposition and Synthesis of Nickel Nanowires

14 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Stephen Stillanous, Paul Longwell, Zulekia Torres, Ronald Redwing, Mary Shoemaker, NNCI Nano

This is a two part lesson for high school chemistry students. In part 1, the lab is designed to introduce students to the applications of forcing a chemical reaction using an electrical current. Students will discover how a flow of electrons allows cations in solution to revert to a solid state...

Surface Area to Volume of Nanoparticles

28 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Manuel Cassilas, NNCI Nano

This two part lesson is designed to help students understand how nanoparticles may be more effective catalysts by investigating how the surface area-to-volume ratio of a substance is affected as its shape and size changes. This lab is meant to complement a chemistry unit on catalysts....

Ice Cream Break with Nanoscience: Nucleations and Colloid Suspensions

06 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Raeanne L. Napoleon, Marilyn Garza, NNCI Nano

This lesson is designed to demonstrate how liquid nitrogen cools a mixture at such a rapid rate that it precipitates extremely fine ice crystals from a homogeneous mixture of cream and other ingredients. It is also designed to show how ice cream can be made smoother and creamier through...

Modeling Self Assembly Middle School Version

15 Jan 2020 | Teaching Materials | Contributor(s): Roquel Stanley, Angela Berenstein, NNCI Nano

This is the middle school version of a more complex high school lesson. There are two activities in this lesson, the Fly Prison and the Water Maze.  The Fly Prison is a hands-on modeling activity designed to introduce students to the area of nanotechnology and give them a basic...