MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope and Surface Profilometer for Surface Analysis Facility at Syracuse University

技术摘要对许多科学学科来说，表征和操纵纳米级表面的能力是至关重要的。新型薄膜超导器件的开发，各种纳米材料的合成，钙钛矿材料化学气相沉积新前体分子的研究，以及模拟星际尘埃颗粒上分子形成的研究，只是锡拉丘兹大学将受益于这些能力的活跃研究领域中的几个。我们计划建立一个用户设施，用于在广泛的长度尺度上使用多种技术分析表面。物理系最近购买的一台扫描电子显微镜(SEM)将构成这一设施的起点。我们将用原子力显微镜、具有三维扫描能力的表面轮廓仪和通用光学显微镜来补充这个扫描电子显微镜，原子力显微镜能够在几个不同的环境中进行多种成像模式，这样的设施的建设将为许多非常活跃于表面研究的研究小组提供重要的资源，并将促进来自雪城大学多个系和附近机构的小组之间的协同合作。我们计划在我们的物理和化学本科实验室课程中使用这些新仪器。此外，来自全国各地参加化学系夏季REU项目的本科生将被鼓励从事利用新设施的研究项目。因此，表面分析设施将提供各种机会，吸引物理、化学、生物化学和生物学的新学生，并有望获得令人兴奋的研究和教育经验。非技术摘要能够表征小于人类头发宽度的长度尺度的表面的性质的能力对许多科学学科至关重要，并且需要专门的设备。由超导体制成的新型电子设备的开发，各种纳米材料的合成，用于沉积某些具有重要技术意义的材料的薄膜的新分子的研究，以及模拟星际尘埃颗粒上的分子形成的研究，只是锡拉丘兹大学将受益于这些能力的活跃研究领域中的几个。我们计划建立一个用户设施，用于在广泛的长度尺度上使用多种技术分析表面。物理系最近获得了一台扫描电子显微镜，用于对带有电子束的表面进行成像，这将成为该设施的起点。我们将用原子力显微镜来补充这台仪器，原子力显微镜能够在原子尺度上对各种表面的地形进行成像，表面轮廓仪用于在一侧几厘米的区域内对高度变化很大的表面进行成像，以及一台通用光学显微镜来利用光获取详细的表面图像。建造这样一个设施将为许多在表面研究方面非常活跃的研究小组提供重要资源，并将促进来自锡拉丘兹大学多个系和附近机构的小组之间的协同合作。我们计划在我们的物理和化学本科实验室课程中使用这些新仪器。此外，来自全国各地参加化学系夏季REU项目的本科生将被鼓励从事利用新设施的研究项目。因此，表面分析设施将提供各种机会，吸引物理、化学、生物化学和生物学的新学生，并有望获得令人兴奋的研究和教育经验。

Technical AbstractThe ability to characterize and manipulate surfaces down to the nanoscale is crucial for many scientific disciplines. The development of novel thin-film superconducting devices, the synthesis of various nanomaterials, the study of new precursor molecules for chemical vapor deposition of perovskite materials, and the investigation of molecule formation on simulated interstellar dust grains are only a few of the active areas of research at Syracuse University that would benefit from such capabilities. We plan to build a user facility for analyzing surfaces with multiple techniques over a wide range of length scales. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), recently acquired by the Physics Department, will form the starting point for this facility. We will complement this SEM with an atomic force microscope, capable of multiple imaging modes in several different environments, a surface profilometer with three-dimensional scanning capabilities, and a general-purpose optical microscope.The construction of such a facility will provide a crucial resource for many research groups that are very active in the study of surfaces and will facilitate synergistic collaborations among groups from multiple departments at Syracuse University and nearby institutions. We plan to utilize the new instruments in our undergraduate lab courses in physics and chemistry. In addition, undergraduate students from around the country who participate in the summer REU program run by the Chemistry Department will be encouraged to pursue research projects that make use of the new facility. Thus, the surface analysis facility will provide a variety of opportunities for attracting new students in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and biology with the prospect of exciting research and educational experiences.Non-Technical AbstractThe ability to characterize the nature of surfaces down to length scales 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair is crucial for many scientific disciplines and requires specialized equipment. The development of novel electronic devices made from superconductors, the synthesis of various nanomaterials, the study of new molecules for depositing films of certain technologically- important materials, and the investigation of molecule formation on simulated interstellar dust grains are only a few of the active areas of research at Syracuse University that would benefit from such capabilities. We plan to build a user facility for analyzing surfaces with multiple techniques over a wide range of length scales. The Physics Department recently acquired a scanning electron microscope, useful for imaging surfaces with a beam of electrons, that will form the starting point for this facility. We will complement this instrument with an atomic force microscope, capable of imaging the topography of a wide variety of surfaces at the atomic scale, a surface profilometer for imaging surfaces with substantial height variations over areas up to several centimeters on a side, and a general-purpose optical microscope for acquiring detailed surface images using light. The construction of such a facility will provide a crucial resource for many research groups that are very active in the study of surfaces and will facilitate synergistic collaborations among groups from multiple departments at Syracuse University and nearby institutions. We plan to utilize the new instruments in our undergraduate lab courses in physics and chemistry. In addition, undergraduate students from around the country who participate in the summer REU program run by the Chemistry Department will be encouraged to pursue research projects that make use of the new facility. Thus, the surface analysis facility will provide a variety of opportunities for attracting new students in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and biology with the prospect of exciting research and educational experiences.