IMR: Acquisition of a FESEM for Characterization of Advanced Materials and Development of Improved EBSD Tools.

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A thermal-source field-emission SEM (FESEM) will be acquired to perform structural characterization on nano-scale and nano-crystalline materials. Specifically, projects in the development and optimization of functional thin films will be enabled by this instrument. The WSU MEMS based engine which operates on layers of piezo-electric films (lead zirconate titanate, PZT) currently produces power sufficient to operate small electrical devices (such as a wrist-watch). Optimization of the structures through strategic processing will boost the power output to tens of watts. This will be accomplished through complete structural characterization of the grain structure and local crystallographic texture. Such analysis is only possible through electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) on an FESEM. Cu interconnects for integrated circuits have enabled continued miniaturization of the interconnect structure that now requires maximum spatial resolution for adequate crystallographic analysis of the structures. Local crystallogaprhic texture and grain boundary structure (including twin boundary content and morphology) are important for improved manufacturability and resistance to electromigration that now has driving forces on the order of 106 A/cm2. Finally, mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials are controlled by mechanisms that are not considered to be important in conventional polycrystals. Investigation of the mechanisms controlling the performance of nanocrystalline metals requires complete structural characterization on the scale of the crystallites that can be accomplished using the FESEM. The instrument will add significant new strength to existing funded research areas such as MEMS, structures and properties of metal films for microelectronics applications, the study of radiation induced structures in wide bandgap materials, and nano-materials for biological applications. In addition to the several graduate students that will be primary users of the FESEM, there will be access to the instrumentation for various undergraduate students working on specific topic areas under one of the principal or ancillary users, or as part of the requirements to complete undergraduate research projects. The instrument will be used by undergraduate students in a Materials Characterization Laboratory course, and will be highly utilized in our NSF sponsored REU program in Characterization of Advanced Materials (in which about 50% of the participants are women or minority students). The proposed FESEM can easily be adapted for remote operation and will be remotely operated for training purposes. This will benefit existing courses on our main campus. In the future, this remote access will be offered to the various high school and community colleges in Washington State that may have an interest. A field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) will be purchased for use in characterization of nano-scale materials. Advances in SEM technology have enabled superior imaging resolution, via the field emission electron source. Electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis enables crystallographic information (phase and orientation) to be obtained in the SEM. These enhancements have empowered researchers to embark on an entirely new class of research that previously could not be reasonably approached with any other analytical instrumentation. Fine structures in crystalline materials ultimately control the macroscopic properties of materials. The FESEM will be used to develop microstructure-property relationships and processing/synthesis-microstructure relationships in several key application areas. It will be used to further develop and optimize the world's smallest engine currently in development at WSU. This micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device is only millimeters in total dimension, and can generate power on the order of tens of watts. The power-generating films in this device are sub-micron in thickness, with structural features on the order of 50 nm. Local structure analysis can only be performed using an FESEM in concert with EBSD technology. Additional major research projects require the characterization power of the FESEM. Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials are generally superior to conventional materials. Optimizing the structures of such materials will allow for stronger, more efficient materials that will result in lighter, stronger materials for use in automotive, aerospace, and structural applications. Finally, modern integrated circuits require highly optimized interconnect structure with minimum feature sizes on the order of 100 nm and shrinking with each new generation. This research will continue to further the understanding of optimal structures, particularly in the copper interconnect wires, that will lead to increased speed and reliability of computer chips.In addition to the several graduate students that will be primary users of the FESEM, there will be access to the instrumentation for various undergraduate students working on specific topic areas under one of the principal or ancillary users, or as part of the requirements to complete undergraduate research projects. The instrument will be used by undergraduate students in a Materials Characterization Laboratory course, and will be highly utilized in our NSF sponsored REU program in Characterization of Advanced Materials (in which about 50% of the participants are women or minority students). The proposed FESEM can easily be adapted for remote operation and will be remotely operated for training purposes. This will benefit existing courses on our main campus. In the future, this remote access will be offered to the various high school and community colleges in Washington State that may have an interest.