Research at FAST

30 Our Research Platforms State-of-the-art Facilities To facilitate cutting-edge research on multiple fronts (such as ultrafast spectroscopy, energy harvesting and storage, optical materials and device characterization, electron microscopy), AP has purchased major equipment, with PolyU support, worth over HK$30M. Recent equipment acquisitions include: • A state-of-the-art Themis Z Double Aberration- Corrected STEM , with ultra-sensitive direct-detection electron-counting camera (K3) and a cryo-transfer holder (HK$30M), through a CRF equipment grant (UGC, HKSAR) and PolyU matching fund. This system offers atomic-scale information of a wide range of materials with unparalleled speed, efficiency and repeatability and is ideally suited for beam sensitive materials, as well as providing unprecedented regional capabilities for (sub) atomic materials characterization. • An Environmental TEM Probe (Protochips Atmosphere System) allowing in situ chemical reactions inside TEM microscope, enabling atomic resolution imaging of dynamic nanoscale processes. This system features high gas handling flexibility, software-controlled vapor introduction, and an integrated residual gas analyzer. The setup is ideally-suited for research involving catalysis, nanomaterials, and electronic devices in controlled atmosphere. • A High-performance X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS) Instrument with Dual X-ray Sources (Thermo Scientific) , offering fully-automated, multi-technique analysis with high throughput. In addition to XPS, it is integrated with multiple analytical techniques such as ISS, UPS, REELS and Raman spectroscopy, enabling users to conduct true correlative analysis and thereby unlocking potential advances in microelectronics, ultra- thin films, nanotechnology development and many other applications. • Our AFM-based Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM, Bruker) has a spatial resolution better than 100 nm and is housed in a glove box for air-sensitive samples and investigations. The AFM probes can be immersed in liquid, allowing nanoscale studies o f t opo l og y, me chan i c s , and e l e c t r o chemi c a l processes, in a tightly-controlled environment. Other significant research facilities available in the Department include: • X-ray atomic pair distribution function analysis technique • Molecular beam epitaxy system with STM capabilities • Computer cluster facility for DFT calculations • FTIR spectrometer with IR microscope system • Physical property measurement system • AFM-based near-field SNOM system • Photovoltaic characterization system • Packaging and testing s ystem for bat teries and supercapacitors Department of Applied Physics University Research Facility in Materials Characterization and Device Fabrication (UMF) Many AP research activities benefit from the facilities in the University Research Facility in Materials Characterization and Device Fabrication (UMF). Established in 2014, our UMF provides a gateway to world-class materials characterization and device fabrication research. Our UMF’s major facilities include: • Over 600m 2 of floor space and up to class-100 Cleanroom, for device fabrication, processing (including lithographic processes, thin film deposition and device etching) and characterization. • The Electron Microscopy Centre, with state-of-the-art scanning transmission electron microscopes and a dual-beam focused ion beam microscope. • The Materials Research Centre, with facilities for materials synthesis (including Furnaces and thin film deposition systems) and characterization (including AFM, XRD, SEM, etc.). All UMF facilities are available to full-time PolyU staff and associated researchers including graduate students and assistants working in materials science and engineering.