MRI: Acquisition of EDS Microanalysis and Nanometer Pattern Generation Systems for Electron Microscopy Facilities at a Primarily Undergraduate Consortium

技术摘要波莫纳学院将获得新的EDS微分析和纳米模式生成系统，以加强波莫纳学院的电子显微镜设施。这些子系统将被添加到学院的场发射扫描电子显微镜中。EDS系统由一个x射线探测器，一个脉冲处理器和一个分析仪组成，用于识别元素组成和亚微米分辨率的特定元素映射。纳米图案生成系统将允许在聚合物中设计和创建任意图案，其特征小于50纳米，放置精度小于5纳米。我们也将升级舞台控制器和In-Lenssecondary电子探测器。主要研究项目将包括结构制造和表征，材料研究和性能优化的组合方法，以及“寒武纪大爆发”时期的特殊化石矿床。除此之外，来自克莱蒙特学院联盟的教职员工也表示有兴趣在生物学、化学、工程学、地质学和物理学的研究项目中添加这些特殊功能。我们预计，化学、地质和物理实验课程的课程修改将导致波莫纳学院大约一半的本科生接触到这种仪器。此外，每年有几个项目将大量未被充分代表的少数民族K-12学生和教师带到波莫纳学院。我们将在拓展项目中使用这个设施来激励这些学生考虑科学的未来。大量的大学生已经体验到了电子显微镜的神奇。该设施允许学生研究碳纳米管，薄膜的纳米结构，化学传感器，化学反应，以及在各种地质过程中形成的晶体和岩石结构。与传统显微镜相比，这种技术的优点是在图像的放大倍率和聚焦深度方面都有了实质性的改进。电子显微镜在现代电子学、生物学、材料科学和纳米技术的发展中都发挥了关键作用。虽然我们目前的显微镜允许我们观察样品，但eds系统将允许我们识别这些样品中的化学元素。换句话说，我们不仅可以对样品进行成像，还可以知道它们是由什么制成的。纳米模式生成系统将电子显微镜从一个拍照的工具转变为一个可以绘制微小模式的工具，这些模式可以变成电子产品、传感器、马达、隧道、光学开关和过滤器。在这种模式下，电子束被聚焦到一个细微的点上，然后由计算机在二维空间上扫描，从而写出图形。图案被写在一种特殊的聚合物抗蚀剂薄膜上，然后可以显影以显示最终的图案。这些图案可以通过蚀刻、电镀、冲压和许多其他技术从聚合物转移到其他材料上。

Technical AbstractPomona College will acquire new EDS microanalysis and nanometer pattern generationsystems to enhance the electron microscope facility at Pomona College. Thesesubsystems will be added to the college's field emission scanning electron microscope.The EDS system consists of an X-ray detector, a pulse processor, and an analyzer usedfor identification of elemental composition and mapping of specific elements withsubmicron resolution. The nanometer pattern generation system will allow the design andcreation of arbitrary patterns in polymers with features smaller than 50 nm withplacement accuracy less than 5 nm. We will upgrade the stage controller and In-Lenssecondary electron detector as well. The primary research projects will includenanostructure fabrication and characterization, combinatorial methods for materialsresearch and performance optimization, and the exceptional fossil deposits from theperiod of the 'Cambrian Explosion'. In addition to this, faculty colleagues from acrossthe Claremont Colleges Consortium have expressed interest in adding these specificcapabilities for research programs in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geology, andPhysics. We anticipate that curricular modifications of laboratory courses in Chemistry,Geology, and Physics will result in approximately half of all undergraduates enrolled atPomona College being exposed to this instrumentation. Additionally, each year severalprograms bring large numbers of under-represented minority K-12 students and teachersto Pomona College. We will use this facility in outreach programs to inspire thesestudents to consider a future in science.Lay AbstractLarge numbers of our undergraduate students are already experiencing the wonders ofelectron microscopy. This facility allows students to study carbon nanotubes,nanostructures of thin films, chemical sensors, chemical reactions, and crystal and rockstructures formed in a variety of geologic processes. The advantages of this techniqueover traditional microscopy are a substantial improvement in both magnification anddepth of focus in the images. Electron microscopes have played a key role in both theadvances in modern electronics, biology, materials science, and the development ofnanotechnology. While our current microscope allows us to look at samples, the EDSsystem will allow us to identify the chemical elements in these samples. In other words,not only will we be able to image the samples, but we will also know what they are madefrom. The nanometer pattern generation system converts the electron microscope from atool for taking pictures to one that can draw tiny patterns that can be turned intoelectronics, sensors, motors, tunnels, optical switches and filters. In this mode anelectron beam is focused to a fine point and scanned by a computer in two dimensions towrite the patterns. The patterns are written in a special polymer resist film that can thenbe developed to show the final patterns. These patterns can be transferred from thepolymers to other materials by etching, plating, stamping, and many other techniques.