{"id":61391,"date":"2016-07-19T18:08:00","date_gmt":"2016-07-19T22:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-387512"},"modified":"2023-07-26T12:19:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T16:19:28","slug":"photonic-and-quantum-interactions-of-atomic-scale-junctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/space-tech-research-grants\/photonic-and-quantum-interactions-of-atomic-scale-junctions\/","title":{"rendered":"Photonic and Quantum Interactions of Atomic-Scale Junctions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Garrison Crouch<\/strong><br>\n<em>University of Notre Dame<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1365\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?w=1365\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Garrison Crouch\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=200,300 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=768,1152 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=683,1024 683w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=1024,1536 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=1365,2048 1365w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=267,400 267w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=400,600 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=600,900 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=800,1200 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?resize=1333,2000 1333w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1365px) 100vw, 1365px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Garrison Crouch<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In this proposal, the fundamental quantum and photonic interactions of bimetallic atomic-scale junctions (ASJs) will be explored, with three major space technology-related applications in focus: 1) chemical sensing, 2) smart\/metamaterials, and 3) memristor-based computing. An ASJ is a type of quantum-point contact, created by electrochemically depositing silver between two nanoscale electrodes. This connection can be formed and destroyed by applying the appropriate voltage potential across the electrodes, and thus controlled to the point where the junction narrows to the width of a single atom. At this point, the junction can exhibit a phenomenon known as quantized conductance. \u009d In this region, the junction is especially sensitive to disturbances in the surrounding environment. Previous research has demonstrated the potential of a single ASJ in sensing chemicals bound to the junction at this narrowest section; this proposal will extend on that work by examining parallel and serial arrays of ASJs for chemical sensing and memristive computing, as well as the interaction of the junctions in 3-dimensional configurations with light for metamaterials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The objectives of this project are to establish control over junction growth in massively parallel arrays both through direct electrical contact and with photo-induced charging, then utilize this control to examine the potential application of these junctions in the areas described above. Junctions will be created using electrochemical deposition between conductive electrodes, which may be lithographically-defined macroscale electrodes on a wafer, a conductive AFM tip, or nanoparticles stimulated with focused lasers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Achieving these objectives would be highly significant to both NASA and the community at large. Due to the junctions\u2019 small space and weight, a massively parallel array of junctions would not take up more than a few square millimeters of area on a silicon wafer yet could perform a wide array of functions; thus, they are ideally suited to the tight weight and size requirements of terrestrially-launched space missions. The applications of ASJs in chemical sensing and memristor-based neural network applications could allow for new experiments and data analysis not possible with existing technology. In addition, the fundamental insights into quantum and photonic phenomena gained by devices that operate at room-temperature and under simple conditions would also greatly benefit the scientific community and science education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"\/directorates\/spacetech\/strg\/nstrf-2016\"><strong>Back to NSTRF 2016 Full List<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Garrison Crouch University of Notre Dame In this proposal, the fundamental quantum and photonic interactions of bimetallic atomic-scale junctions (ASJs) will be explored, with three major space technology-related applications in focus: 1) chemical sensing, 2) smart\/metamaterials, and 3) memristor-based computing. An ASJ is a type of quantum-point contact, created by electrochemically depositing silver between two […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":63440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3337],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[9529,12750],"coauthors":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Photonic and Quantum Interactions of Atomic-Scale Junctions","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/space-tech-research-grants\/photonic-and-quantum-interactions-of-atomic-scale-junctions\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/space-tech-research-grants\/photonic-and-quantum-interactions-of-atomic-scale-junctions\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Directorates","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Loura Hall"}],"creator":["Loura Hall"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Directorates","Space Technology Mission Directorate","Space Technology Research Grants"],"dateCreated":"2016-07-19T22:08:00Z","datePublished":"2016-07-19T22:08:00Z","dateModified":"2023-07-26T16:19:28Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Photonic and Quantum Interactions of Atomic-Scale Junctions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/space-tech-research-grants\/photonic-and-quantum-interactions-of-atomic-scale-junctions\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2016-07-19T22:08:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Directorates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Directorates,Space Technology Mission Directorate,Space Technology Research Grants\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Loura Hall\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":2,"time_ago":"8 years","featured_image":{"id":63440,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/crouch_garrison.jpg","title":"crouch_garrison","alt":"Garrison Crouch","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61391"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61391"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":463539,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61391\/revisions\/463539"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61391"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=61391"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=61391"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=61391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}