Physics Commons^™

"Semiclassical Mastermind", Curtis Bair, Alexa S. Cunningham, Joshua Qualls

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Games are often used in the classroom to teach mathematical and physical concepts. Yet the available activities used to introduce quantum mechanics are often overwhelming even to upper-level students. Further, the "games" in question range in focus and complexity from superficial introductions to games where quantum strategies result in decidedly nonclassical advantages, making it nearly impossible for people interested in quantum mechanics to have a simple introduction to the topic. In this talk, we introduce a straightforward and newly developed "Semiclassical Mastermind" based on the original version of mastermind but replace the colored pegs with 6 possible qubits (x+, x-, …

High Energy Blue Light Induces Oxidative Stress And Retinal Cell Apoptosis, Jessica Malinsky

Capstone Showcase

Blue light (BL) is a high energy, short wavelength spanning 400 to 500 nm. Found in technological and environmental forms, BL has been shown to induce photochemical damage of the retina by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Excess ROS leads to oxidative stress, which disrupts retinal mitochondrial structure and function. As mitochondria amply occupy photoreceptors, they also contribute to oxidative stress due to their selectively significant absorption of BL at 400 to 500 nm. ROS generation that induces oxidative stress subsequently promotes retinal mitochondrial apoptosis. BL filtering and preventative mechanisms have been suggested to improve or repair BL-induced retinal damage, …

Raman Scattering Measurements And Analyses Of Gan Thin Films Grown On Zno Substrates By Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition, Zane Mcdaniel, Zhe Chuan Feng, Kevin Stokes

Symposium of Student Scholars

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) is a popularly used method of growing thin films of GaN on ZnO (GZ) substrates, which pair well due to their structural and characteristic similarities. In this research, optical characterization of the surface quality of GZ sample films is measured by analyzing Raman scattering (RS) using a Renishaw inVia spectrometer fitted with a 532nm laser. Samples were grown in an improved double injection block rotating disc reactor. Multiple samples' spectra show broad peaks that correspond with the E2 (high) and A1 (LO) branches of GaN, and nicely fitted curves are observed for the characteristic E2 …

P-39 Interdisciplinary Diffusion Lab, Sable Canales, Chloe Gaban, Mickey Kutzner

Celebration of Research and Creative Scholarship

Diffusion is a principle in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The rate of diffusion is affected by temperature, particle size, concentration, and material type. Students can model the rate of diffusion based on particle size by contrasting blue and yellow dyes. Two petri dishes containing agar-agar receive a drop of dye at the center. The radius of expansion is recorded over time. The variance of the distribution grows as 𝜎2=4𝐷𝑡, where 𝜎2 is the variance, D is the diffusion constant, and t is time. Graphing variance versus time gives a slope of 4D. Diffusion constants vary by particle size, allowing for …

Rheological Characterization Of Blood-Mimicking Fluids For Use In Particle Image Velocimetry, Anorin S. Ali

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Blood-mimicking fluids (BMFs) are often used to investigate blood flow using physical replicas of vessels with cardiovascular disease. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used with silicone poly-dimethyl siloxane (PDMS) vascular models to visualize this flow. The challenge is creating a blood-mimicking fluid that matches the viscosity profile, viscoelasticity, and density of whole blood while also matching the refractive index (RI) of PDMS. Water-glycerol solutions are commonly used with sodium iodide (NaI) added to increase the RI without changing viscosity. However, NaI is expensive, stains easily, and turns fluids from optically clear to yellow in less than a day. Furthermore, without …

Solving Partial Differential Equations Using The Finite Difference Method And The Fourier Spectral Method, Jenna Siobhan Parkinson

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This paper discusses the finite difference method and the Fourier spectral method for solving partial differential equations.

Producing And Measuring Oscillatory Shear In A Novel Microfluidic Chip, Sanaz Lordfard, Daniel Lorusso, Tamie L. Poepping, Hristo N Nikolov, Kayla Soon, Stephen Sims, Jeffrey Dixon, David Holdsworth

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Purpose: To demonstrate the effectiveness of a novel microfluidic device mimicking oscillatory blood flow, allowing cell biologists to examine how endothelial cells respond to a range of oscillatory shear stress levels.

Methods: The microfluidic chip consists of a circular-shaped reservoir, leading to a rectangular channel that is examined under a microscope. The plunger is connected to a speaker system and oscilloscope, allowing the plunger to apply a range of frequencies (5-60Hz) and voltages (5-10 V, leading to a variety in oscillation amplitudes) to the reservoir region. 1.1 um fluorescent particles diluted in distilled water were used for tracking. Processing was …

Polymer Translocation Through A Nanopore: Controlling Capture Conformations Using An Electrical Force, Matthew D. Wei

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Solid-state nanopore sensors remain a promising solution to the rising global demand for genome sequencing. These single-molecule sensing technologies require single-file translocation for high resolution and accurate detection. This study uses molecular dynamics-lattice Boltzmann simulations of the capture of a single polymer chain under pressure-driven hydrodynamic flow to investigate a method of increasing the single-file capture and translocation rate. By using a model force of two oppositely electrically charged rings, single-file capture in hydrodynamic flow can be amplified from about 45% to 51.5%. This paper found that the optimal values of force location, force strength, and system pressure/flow velocity are …

Travelling Wave Solutions On A Cylindrical Geometry, Karnav R. Raval

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Fluid equations are generally quite difficult and computationally-expensive to solve. However, if one is primarily interested in how the surface of the fluid deforms, we can re-formulate the governing equations purely in terms of free surface variables. Reformulating equations in such a way drastically cuts down on computational cost, and may be useful in areas such as modelling blood flow. Here, we study one such free-boundary formulation on a cylindrical geometry.

Ultra-Flat Au Surfaces On Finite Layer Mos2, Jeff Carlson, Timothy E. Kidd Ph.D., Andrew J. Stollenwerk Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

We have developed a method for creating ultra-flat Au surfaces by sputtering Au onto thin films of MoS₂. This method is more cost effective than current technologies. Our Au surfaces are subatomically flat over relatively large areas making them useful for self assembled monolayer (SAM) research.

A Lite Daq System For Precision Resistance Measurements, Nathan Schmidt, Timothy E. Kidd Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Data acquisition (DAQ) systems are frequently utilized in lab settings. Basic DAQ systems are a common occurrence in lab courses for this reason. Commonly, however, the DAQ systems utilized in such courses are proprietary, and do not allow students to understand how they operate beyond a “plug in and go” nature as a result. A further consequence is that these systems are not capable of being programmed, such as is often done with equipment used in professional labs. The DAQ systems used in lab courses aren’t easily replaced by the test equipment they seek to emulate due to cost. Ideally, …

Analysis Of Temperature Dependence Of Surface Roughness Of Gold Film On Mos2, Joshua Wolff, Jeff Carlson, Timothy E. Kidd Ph.D.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

We have developed a method to control the surface roughness of ultrathin Au surfaces on MoS₂ crystals through the use of annealing. Through this method, we are now able to utilize Au surfaces for a variety of research, such as research on self-assembled monolayers (SAM) as well as with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Using Digital Holographic Microscopy To Characterize Vibrio's Chemotaxis, Jacqueline Acres, Eric Valentino

Student Research Symposium

Vibrio alginolyticus is a marine bacterium that displays distinctive chemotactic behavior. Chemotaxis is the ability to move in response to a concentration gradient, either in the direction of nutrients or away from repellants. Vibrio's single, polar flagellum allows it to form a tight cloud in the presence of a chemoattractant. In this work, we experimentally characterize cloud sizes after both normal culture conditions and simulated microgravity using digital holographic microscopy or DHM. DHM allows visualization of volumetric samples by recording x,y,z and t information in holograms. Plane-by-plane reconstruction retrieves the z-plane information which can then by stitched together into hyperstacks …

Surface Plasmon Characterization In Ag Nanotriangles For Evaluation Of Fano Resonance Conditions, Nabila Islam

Student Research Symposium

Surface plasmon polariton (SPP) is a collective oscillation of electrons and light at the metal -dielectric interface excited by the incident radiation on metal surface through the momentum matching conditions. The properties of SPPs and the resonance conditions are highly dependent on the confining materials and geometry of the confining nanostructure. The sensitivity of the surface plasmon resonance to the property of the confining materials made Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors a central tool for biosensing. However, the frequency resolution of SPR sensors is typically limited by the broad resonance of the SPR mode. The resolution can be enhanced through …

Using Emitted Vibrational Frequencies To Determine Watermelon Sweetness, Jimmy Castro, Bennett Hasley

Scholars Day Conference

The current focus of this project is to gather audio signals from thumping watermelon to determine if there is any correlation between the sound produced and the sugar concentration of the watermelon. The audio signals are converted to harmonic frequencies using the FFT and then compared to the sweetness of the watermelon. The ultimate goal of this long-term project is to create a mobile app to be used by consumers when determining which watermelon they should buy at the store.

Optimizing A Passive Tracking Solar Panel System, Adrian Salazar-Rivera, Ryan Pickelman, Angela Douglass

Scholars Day Conference

For a solar panel to function efficiently, it must turn to face the sun throughout the day. Usually, an electronic device rotates a solar panel. In this experiment, hourly rotation of the panel was achieved through contraction of a shape memory alloy (SMA) and a gear system. A Fresnel lens directed the sun's rays onto the SMA causing it to contract. A delayed reset system was built to turn the panel from west to east at the end of the day. In addition, this project investigated different materials to properly heat and cool the SMA within the plexiglass housing apparatus. …

Can Rigorous Metaphorical Thinking Improve Learning Outcomes?, Arian Dovald

Campus Research Day

Theoretical metaphors are a novel way of analyzing theories in physics. Thinking of physical models as theoretical metaphors clarifies the role of language in scientific modeling. They show how theories make connections between concepts, language, and math. I propose a study to measure the effect on learning outcomes of explicit instruction on theoretical metaphors.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Chiral Magnetic Oxide: Mnmoteo6, Chase Hames, August Meads

Symposium of Student Scholars

The chiral materials lack mirror reflection symmetry in their crystal structures like right and left hands. Such materials often host unique non-collinear or topological magnetic textures such as magnetic skyrmions. If such magnetic textures are formed in insulating oxides with coupled electric and magnetic properties, then such magnetic structures can be controlled and manipulated using electric fields rather than electric current. With this motivation, we are synthesizing and characterizing chiral materials belonging to MMoTeO₆ (M=Mn, Co, Fe, Cu, Ni) family. I will discuss about the phase formation and solid-state synthesis of MnTeMoO₆ along with its structural, electrical and …

Solving Electron Spin Drift-Diffusion Equations In Presence Of Hyperfine Interactions, Dana Coleman, Bryan Stevens, Truman Schulz

Undergraduate Research Competition

Next generation technologies have been proposed where electron spin is used in addition to electron charge in order to improve functionality and efficiency of electronic devices. In this work, we study how nuclear fields, magnetic fields from atomic nuclei, influence spin transport characteristics in semiconductors. Nuclear fields are added to the spin drift- diffusion equation and the resulting spin distributions are calculated. Due to the complicated nature of the nuclear field, the steady state spin drift-diffusion equations are non-linear and must be solved numerically. In this work, we examine solutions for the spin distribution and spin current in the presence …

Building A Mach Zehnder Interferometer With Limited Resources, Alyssa Buren, Dylan J. Kirkeby, Daniel A. Nordquist, Gabriel M.J.A. Andres, Emily Grace

Celebration of Research

Interferometers are simple optical devices that function by splitting a coherent light beam. The beam is recombined using beam splitters and mirrors. The addition of the two light beams produces interference patterns in the forms of fringes which can be used to study the path taken by the two beams. This is old technology and we sought to construct an interferometer using rudimentary and cast-off equipment. The purpose is to show that modern physics concepts can be measured inexpensively and by undergraduate student design. Though we had no optics table and or optical mounts, by careful alignment and adjustments to …

Design And Construction Of R.C. Plane, Gabriel Andres, Dylan J. Kirkeby, Seth Druin, Nathan Mohr, Blake Pomajzl

Celebration of Research

This project was started to help students understand how to conduct a proper research project and to gain a general understanding of circuitry and aerodynamics. As undergraduate students, this was practical information and experience. Our project’s goal was to create a functioning airplane made from mainly on-hand pieces. We had to figure out how to improvise and use the resources we had creatively while troubleshooting many problems.

Young’S Modulus: Building A Device To Measure Material Strength To Understand Interatomic Bond Stiffness, Daniel A. Nordquist, Emily Grace

Celebration of Research

Young’s Modulus is an equation that is to measure the strength in different materials. A common application of Young’s Modulus is measuring the breaking point of cables. The understanding of the Young’s Modulus equation and its applications is a standard part of the introductory undergraduate physics sequence. We sought to construct a lab apparatus that would enable physics undergraduate students to measure and verify the results of the Young’s Modulus equation. These macroscopic measurements can then be used to further understand inter-atomic bond stiffness. This poster reviews the design, construction, and testing of a Young’s Modulus lab experiment. This lab …

Concept Design For Optical Tweezers To Be Used In Dna Research, Dylan J. Kirkeby, Gabriel Andres, Emily Grace, Karissa D. Carlson, Elizabeth Heeg, Eric Jones

Celebration of Research

Optical tweezers are a Nobel Prize-winning technology capable of trapping microscopic and sub-microscopic particles using a laser beam. There are several new and useful applications available with the use of optical tweezers. A single optical tweezers set up can cost upwards of two hundred thousand dollars; however, we have designed a cost effective set up to study damaged DNA for under thirty thousand dollars. Using this design, we applied for a grant that would give us the necessary funds to build this set up. The building process itself will be very useful hands-on time learning about the laser set up. …

Seizure Prediction In Epilepsy Patients, Gary Dean Cravens

NSU REACH and IPE Day

Purpose/Objective: Characterize rigorously the preictal period in epilepsy patients to improve the development of seizure prediction techniques. Background/Rationale: 30% of epilepsy patients are not well-controlled on medications and would benefit immensely from reliable seizure prediction. Methods/Methodology: Computational model consisting of in-silico Hodgkin-Huxley neurons arranged in a small-world topology using the Watts-Strogatz algorithm is used to generate synthetic electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. ECoG data from 18 epilepsy patients is used to validate the model. Unsupervised machine learning is used with both patient and synthetic data to identify potential electrophysiologic biomarkers of the preictal period. Results/Findings: The model has shown states corresponding to …

Design And Construction Of A Modular Nai(Tl) Detector Array For Use In The Parity- And Time Reversal Violation Measurements For Noptrex, Jon Mills, Jason Fry

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The goal of the NOPTREX collaboration is to probe the Standard Model by utilizing the properties of low energy neutron-nucleus resonances to find evidence of parity- and time-reversal-odd violations. In order to conduct these sensitive experiments, it is needed to design and simulate an array of modular, high precision NaI(Tl) detectors. These detectors will be designed to operate in both pulse and current modes. We have tentative beam time at LANSCE to perform a search for new parity violation in heavy nuclei as candidates for time reversal and to perform a research and development effort on the n+d=t+gamma experiment. We …

A Neutral Model Of 100 Million Years Of Chromosome Inversions In The Yeast Genus Lachancea, Brian Clark

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

A Quantum Mechanics Approach For The Dynamics Of An Immigration, Emigration Fission Model, Leon Arriola

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

High Speed Impact On Graphene Composites, Giovanny A. Espitia

Symposium of Student Scholars

Since the isolation of Graphene occurred in 2004, numerous studies attempting to exploit the properties of this carbon allotrope have been conducted. Graphene exists in a 2-D manner with sp2 bonds, which provides the allotrope with great electrical, conductive, and mechanical properties. In this paper however, we will focus on the latter in order to examine the feasibility of graphene composites for bulletproof material in the military. Pure graphene sheets count with high porosity density that leads to structural defects as well as poor mechanical properties due to physical contact being sole retainer. For this reason, the selected composite is …

Therapeautic Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles, Angel E. Vasquez

Symposium of Student Scholars

The overall goal of the research project is to create a glass that produces cerium oxide nanoparticles and as an efficient delivery mechanism. Cerium is able to exist as Ce3+ and Ce4+ because it has two partially filled subshells. This coexistence allows cerium oxide to have antioxidant properties that reduce the number of free radicals in that body that are associated with cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. In our laboratory, using a soluble borate glass, cerium oxide nanoparticles are created to coexist in Ce3+ and Ce4+ valences This borate glass composition is doped with different amounts of Cerium(IV) Oxide and …

Physical Properties Of Polar Magnetic Oxides Hofewo6

Symposium of Student Scholars

Polar magnetic oxides are interesting systems to study due to the possibility of hosting functional properties such as ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, etc. In this work, a new compound HoFeWO₆ is synthesized using high-temperature solid-state reaction and characterized using x-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, magnetization measurements, and dielectric measurements. The x-ray and neutron diffraction results indicate that HoFeWO₆ crystallizes in polar (non-centrosymmetric and achiral) orthorhombic structure P n a 21. The magnetization measurements indicate that HoFeWO₆ exhibit paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition at T_N = 18 K. The dielectric properties at room temperature indicate that the dielectric constant decreases with …