SBIR Phase II: Three-Dimensional Atom Probe Imaging for Nano-Biotechnology

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目将开发局部电极原子探针（LEAP），以快速提供纳米生物技术设备的三维原子尺度成像和元素识别。纳米生物技术器件的结构表征目前存在问题，因为现有的显微镜和分析技术在原子尺度上的定量成像方面存在很大的局限性。此外，目前的显微镜技术不能充分地分辨三维生物大分子，这是纳米生物技术设备所固有的。在开发出更好的分析仪器之前，研究人员在开发更复杂的纳米生物技术设备时将“盲目”。本二期项目的总体目标是在纳米生物技术器件上快速分析生物和有机分子的三维原子尺度结构和元素组成。重点是开发使用LEAP技术分析商业样本的技术，并向学术和工业研究人员启动该技术的商业化和营销。该项目的商业应用将在生物分析仪器和纳米生物技术设备领域。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop the Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP) to rapidly provide three-dimensional atomic-scale imaging and elemental identification of nano-biotechnology devices. Structural characterization of nano-biotechnology devices is currently problematic because available microscopy and analytical techniques have substantial limitations in quantitative imaging at the atomic-scale. Moreover, current microscopy techniques cannot adequately resolve three-dimensional biomacromolecules, which are intrinsic to nano-biotechnology devices. Until better analytical instrumentation is developed, researchers will "fly blind" as they develop more complex nano-biotechnology devices. The overall goal of this Phase II project is to rapidly analyze the three-dimensional atomic-scale structure and elemental composition of biological and organic molecules on nano-biotechnology devices. The focus will be on developing technologies to analyze commercial specimens using LEAP technology, and to initiate commercialization and marketing of this technology to academic and industrial researchers. The commercial application of this project will be in the area of bioanalytical instrumentation and nano-biotechnology devices.