Equipment: MRI: Track 1: Acquisition of a Thermal Laser Epitaxy System

Non-technical description: Quantum materials offer new opportunities for quantum information and energy efficient electronics. Particularly interesting are thin films of quantum materials. Not only are these films readily applicable for device geometries, but these geometries can be used to explore additional emergent phenomena not present in the bulk materials. This major research instrumentation (MRI) project supports the acquisition of a new thermal laser epitaxy system for the synthesis of next-generation quantum materials in the thin film form. The instrument supports research that addresses major societal needs, including lower power computing, quantum information science, integrated photonics, advanced electronics and new materials for energy technologies. The system is incorporated into education efforts, providing robust training to students on the synthesis of high-quality materials for next-generation devices. Technical description: Thermal laser epitaxy has emerged as a powerful thin film deposition technique. Similar to molecular-beam epitaxy, elemental constituents are deposited on a substrate. However, the thermal laser epitaxy platform uses CO2 lasers to directly heat the elemental source material and target substrate rather than resistive heating. Notably, the substrate temperature can be heated to above 2000 ◦C in some substrates, to enable new thermodynamic growth regimes. The platform also enables the deposition of elemental species including refractory metals. The project enables the synthesis of a new generation of superconducting, electro-optic, thermal and other functional materials for targeted devices. Overall, the project establishes a shared user capability that complements existing national synthesis facilities and expands access to a new thermodynamic growth regime for thin film quantum materials. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.