Development of a light detector for a low temperature scanning tunnelling microscope

• Grant number: 17/17358-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Fernando Zagonel
• Grantee: Luiza Lober de Souza Piva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (IFGW). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/23399-9 - Heterostructures in semiconducting nanowires: nanometric light emitters studied by scanning tunnelling microscopy, AP.JP

Abstract

This project aims to implement, test and improve a light detection system that will be installed in a Scanning Tunneling Microscope operating at Low Temperatures (LT-STM). This system is made of a parabolic mirror, a converging lens and an optical fiber bundle. The student will face the challenge of aligning these elements with sub-micrometric precision and develop alignment protocols to align the mirror with respect to the tunnel junction. Such procedures are crucial to the Young Investigators Project that funds the purchase of the LT-STM and which final objective is the study of the luminescence of nanostructured semiconductors. The work of this project relates mostly with is the assembly of all optical elements of the light detection system and of the alignment system and with finding best operation strategies. (AU)