Alfred University awarded NSF grant for ellipsometry equipment acquisition

Myungkoo Kang, assistant professor of ceramic engineering is principal investigator in the program, “MRI: Acquisition of an In-Situ Infrared Spectroscopic Ellipsometer,” which received approval on a $347,740 NSF grant. S.K. Sundaram, Inamori Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Mehdi Kabir, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, are co-principal investigators.

The grant monies will facilitate the purchase of a state-of-the-art in situ infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry system. Ellipsometry uses polarized light to characterize thin film and bulk materials. The light undergoes a change in polarization as it interacts with the sample structure, , Kang explained. The data are then analyzed to determine material properties of interest, such as complex refractive index dispersion.

“A spectroscopic ellipsometer would allow researchers to cross correlate data with other types of optical, structural, microscopic, and chemical metrology tools to better establish quantitative process-structure-property relationships for a wide variety of optical material systems, thereby truly advancing cutting-edge optical materials research at Alfred University,” he said.

The infrared radiation (IR) in-situ IR spectroscopic ellipsometer, when used in tandem with the University’s existing visible near infrared radiation (NIR) spectroscopic ellipsometry system, would enable a first-of-its-kind versatile system for the region. According to Kang, Alfred University will be the only institution in Western New York with such unique versatility on temperature-wavelength measurement domain, thus becoming a centerpiece in making transformational progress in the University’s research areas of interest.

Kang said the instrument meets a critical need to support multi-disciplinary research and education programs including Ceramic Engineering, Glass Science, Materials Science & Engineering, Biomaterials Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering at Alfred University as well as the greater western New York State region.

The research projects enabled by the instrument have potential major technological impacts on core interests of faculty and their collaborators, including glass photonics, fundamental glass physics, electro and high temperature ceramics, biomedical sensors, and additive manufacturing. Educational offerings will be strengthened by incorporating the instrument, data analysis, and interpretation into undergraduate and graduate courses, thus providing an authentic hands-on experience.

“The acquisition of the instrument would enhance the student learning experience since we plan to actively incorporate a hands-on experimental session on the key optical metrology tool into our coursework,” Kang said, noting the equipment will be utilized by graduate and undergraduate students alike.

“For the graduate-level course, the ellipsometer will be used directly by the students during lab sessions and then later in their dissertation research. We also have highly motivated undergraduate students with strong interest in characterization, and those students will be given training and permission to use the instrument.”

Kang noted the equipment will also be beneficial to the Inamori School of Engineering’s outreach initiatives. “. Through our Inamori Museum of Technical Ceramics and summer high school student programs, we have many high school visits and similar on-campus engineering events. We plan to have the spectroscopic ellipsometry facility actively involved in these programs, thereby having a tangible impact on reaching out to young people.”