Ultrafast imaging system for materials characterization

These RTI funds will enable the construction of a cutting-edge ultrafast imaging system for the study of renewable energy materials and biomaterials with an unprecedented combination of imaging modalities and high temporal and spatial resolution. This apparatus will be custom built by the Ultrafast Quantum Control Group at Dalhousie using an innovative, flexible design that incorporates transient absorption, photoluminescence, and second-harmonic generation imaging platforms into a single multifunctional architecture. This apparatus will be the centre of an interdisciplinary research program in materials characterization, with dual thrusts in the investigation of transport in promising materials for solar cell applications and the imaging of plastic damage and loss of order in single collagen fibrils under stress. The materials science research program enabled by this infrastructure will represent an excellent training environment for the next generation of scientists and researchers, will foster innovation in renewable energy technologies, and will provide new insights into soft tissue injuries for the benefit of the Canadian economy and the well-being of all Canadians.