Grambling State News

Grambling State University (GSU) Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Haeyon Yang has been awarded a $253,000 National Science Foundation grant for major research instrumentation.

The goal of Yang’s project, titled “MRI: Track 1 — Acquisition of multiscale imaging capability and education,” is to enhance the research and educational infrastructure for physics and biology at GSU through the acquisition and successful operation of nanoscale imaging capability provided by Atomic Force Microscopy.

This technology will significantly enhance research in physics and other STEM areas by increasing capability to image surfaces of organic and/or in-organic materials in nanometer scale. This added capability will also continue to broaden research competitiveness in this area, as well as recruiting other research-active physics faculty members.

MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to obtain next-generation research instruments by developing instruments with new capabilities that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers, and builders.

Yang said the grant acquisition will enhance ongoing research in biological sciences, materials science, and plasma physics at GSU.

“Researchers will be able to study the mechanical properties of tissues and cells in pathological states such as liver fibrosis, endothelial dysfunction, and cancer,” Yang said. “Data collected by the new capability will enhance understanding of layered magnetic nanoparticles for stronger magnets, as well as the distribution of grain and composition in nanocomposites for hypersonic applications.

“GSU researchers will be able to investigate the physics of confined plasma, including the interaction of laser pulses with plasma, to understand how the change of the laser plasma affects the transformation of the ablated materials into novel nanoparticles and Quantum Dots during the Laser Ablation in Liquid process. The grant helps advance GSU’s research capability to a world-class level.”

Yang said the nanoscale imaging capability the grant will provide is based on a scanning probe microscope (SPM) coupled with a confocal microscope (CM).

“The Grambling SPM uses a sharp probe attached to the end of a cantilever that scans the surface of a sample,” Yang said. “The probe is so small that it can touch individual atoms and detect the tiny forces between the probe and the sample, allowing us to map the morphology of the surface in nanometer scale. The CM uses laser light to scan the sample in “slices” or optical sections while blocking out-of-focus light.

“Stacking multiple optical sections together allows us to create a three-dimensional image of the sample. So, the combination of SPM and CM gives us both topographical and optical information, in other words, we can see details of the surface and internal structures.”

Yang said the grant will not only help recruit more research-active physics faculty members but that he expects it to also help bolster the number of physics students at GSU.

“We already see strong interest in the Physics program based on student inquiries,” Yang said. “The current Physics research program at Grambling has resulted in an invitation to present at the annual (Fall 2024) meeting of Materials Research Society, which is a top-notch, international conference.

“One of our physics undergraduate students is scheduled to give a presentation at this conference. The acquisition of nanoscale imaging capability will broaden research participation and deepen our understanding of the physics of materials, which will attract more students to the physics program.”