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Lynsey's Project Page - RISE summer 2003 |
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Intern: Lynsey Turgeon,
Mentor: Norma Alcantar
Faculty Supervisor: Jacob Israelachvili
Department: Chemical Engineering |
OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CDSE
There is much interest in the optical and mechanical properties of
nanoparticles since they often have properties much different than bulk
materials. There is a special interest in the properties of CdSe
nanoparticles due to their photoluminescence. CdSe nanoparticles have an
excellent tunable band gap through the visible range, which can be utilized
when creating quantum-dot lasers, single electron transistors, and optical
probes. These nanoparticles can also be used as carriers for photocopying,
ultrasound contrast agents, and as absorbents. To study the mechanical and
optical properties of CdSe, a device called the Surface Forces Apparatus (SFA)
is used. The SFA measures the friction force of two nanoparticle films
laterally shearing with varying velocity and applied pressure. In another
experiment, a spectrometer is used along with a camera to record the fringes
seen as a result of diffraction. My job in the lab involves analyzing the
data obtained through these experiments. I use various programs such as
Excel, KaleidaGraph, Origin, and Winview as an aid. I make various
measurements such as friction force and absorption and graph the results as
functions of sliding velocity and wavelength. From my research we hope to
better understand the properties of CdSe.
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