Week+of+Aug+17+-+21

Task list for My project this year 
 * 1) Rewire/reconstruct the laser box so that it can be plugged into an outlet instead of using batteries.
 * 2) Use COMSOL to run calculations with different parameters to see how we can get the optimum temperature increase in the gold (should we replace the clips with something else in order to keep heat from being conducted away from the gold, should the size of the gold sample itself be shrunk, should we concentrate or diffuse the laser, etc.)
 * 3) Get clear before and after images of Au (111) when it is shot with the laser. The scopes are said to be less drifty during the winter because it is less humid so there is a better chance of this in the months to come.
 * 4) Determine the amount that the gold expands because of the laser.
 * 5) Figure out a way to better align the laser ( mirrors, lenses, etc. )
 * 6) Find out what is the largest temperature change we can create. When the gold-platinum thermocouple is finally calibrated we can use it to more accurately determine the temperature change of the gold.
 * 7) Using the Data I have collected so far and the data that I will collect in the upcoming year I will make powerpoint presentations to present my research.
 * 8) Talk with Dr. Kandel about how this project can be taken farther and other things that can be done with this project.
 * 9) Add diagrams, pictures of my experiments, and scan images to the wiki ( I will try to figure out a way to display models from my COMSOL calculations ).
 * 10) If during this year Annette's scope ( the grad student whose scope I am currenty using ) is replaced by the new scope that is being designed I will have to familiarize myself with it and learn how to work the new scope.

19th of August  -Spent the afternoon scanning and shooting the Au (111) sample with the laser. The scope would not approach/scan at first, but this problem was able to be corrected by turning up the gain. To achieve the better images I adjusted the gain until the line in the scan window would begin to create what looked like a sinusoidal curve. I then lowered the gain a small bit until the line in the scan window did not look like this and the problem was corrected. I did get a period where I had a descent tip and was getting ok images, but this lasted only until I shot the laser. The laser did not ruin the tip, but it made the scope very "drifty." In addition to this I think that in order to make our results better I should figure out a way to rewire and/or rebuild the laser box so that it can be plugged in into a outlet rather than relying on our batteries. Earlier in the summer we found out if the batteries are becoming weak the expansion of the gold is significantly less than with new batteries (approximately 140 Angstroms versus 2500 Angstroms). I will discuss this with Dr. Kandel and Becky.

21st of August

-I was unable to conduct research in the lab today because there would have been no supervision for me because of a chemistry department meeting. I will try to commit to extra hours next week to make up for this.


 * The Next day that I am in the lab I am taking my ND lab book home in order to tranfer data onto the wiki. ** **I will also be bringing a flash drive to download images of my scans so I can put them on the wiki.** 

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