66th Annual STS (2006-2007)
Finalists
Nora Xu

ILLINOIS
Nora Xu, 17, of Naperville, developed a unique x-ray scattering method for determining the number of layers in nanocrystalline supperlattice (NCS) thin films for her Intel Science Talent Search physics project. Since self-assembly of NCS multilayer thin films cannot be controlled, it is difficult to determine how many layers are present. To solve the problem, Nora developed a mathematical model that treated the multilayer NCS film as a 2D crystal in 3D space. Using her model, diffraction patterns of x-ray scattering can be derived and used to predict the number of layers in multilayer NCS films. Understanding the function-structure relationship of NCSs would allow specific NCSs to be developed, such as gold nanocrystals for use in optoelectronics and drug delivery for cancer patients. Nora's analysis is believed to be the first to characterize NCSs using x-ray scattering in a quantitative manner. At Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, in Aurora, Nora plays varsity tennis and is copy editor of the school science magazine, Hadron. The daughter of Dr. Ming Xu and Yihong Xiao, Nora hopes to study physics at CalTech or MIT and pursue a career as a professor.