Upgrade of Scanning Probe Microscopy Facility

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*** 9709273 WILLETT This award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities Program (CRIF) will assist the Department of Chemistry at Washington State University acquire a scanning probe microscope (SPM). This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including the study of the kinetics of growth of self assembled monolayers, the evaluation of forces at protein surfaces, the study of the enhanced deposition of materials controlled on the nanoscale by precisely applied stress, studies of molecular electronic materials, and determination of the orientation of deposited molecular films. The scanning probe microscope (SPM) enables researchers to image atoms directly. The technique uses the piezoelectric effect which involves bringing an extremely sharp metal needle within a few angstroms of the sample surface. The distance is small enough for electrons to leak or tunnel across the gap and generate a minute current. As the gap between the tip and the sample increases, the current decreases. As then probe crosses the sample, moving back and forth across its surface, it traces out a contour map of the sample's surface atoms. The SPM is used in the control of material used to fabricate semiconductor circuits. ***