MRI-RUI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope to Advance Research and Education at Missouri State University

技术摘要：本项目的目标是获得场发射扫描电子显微镜（FESEM），以支持材料相关的研究和培训活动，在密苏里州州立大学（MSU）和周围的西南密苏里州机构。目前，只有一个19岁的SEM和没有功能的透射电子显微镜（TEM）在校园里，这对资助的研究的成功施加了重大的阻抗。该项目的智力价值在于FEI Quanta 200 FEG FESEM提供的独特功能，配备了X射线能量色散光谱仪（EDS）和扫描透射电子显微镜（STEM）探测器，将使研究人员，教育工作者和学生能够获得表面形貌的高分辨率二次电子和背散射电子图像，空间元素分布（EDS映射和线扫描）和导电或非导电样品的内部结构（STEM）。特别是，该仪器将用于探索各种材料的形态，结构和成分与其电，光，磁和生物学特性之间的相关性，用于资助项目。此外，它将改善研究生和本科生材料表征的教育课程，并促进不同部门和不同大学校园的研究人员之间的合作。更广泛的影响反映了这样一个事实，即本科生和研究生通过使用FESEM仪器的研究项目获得的培训和技能将很好地为他们在大学，高科技产业和政府研究实验室等地方的研究生学习和就业服务。新仪器还将为密歇根州立大学现有的外展计划做出巨大贡献，以激励K-12学生，特别是女性和少数族裔学生，从事科学和工程职业。非技术摘要：近年来，密苏里州州立大学一直在招募核心教师和一系列令人印象深刻的物理设施和设备，以支持有关电子、光学和磁性材料物理表征的基础研究。然而，这个小组缺乏一个重要的分析仪器在他们的研究武器库，场发射扫描电子显微镜（FESEM），必须依靠一个老化的传统扫描电子显微镜（SEM），以支持他们的基础研究工作。FESEM是一种高分辨率显微镜，旨在揭示典型光学显微镜无法触及的微小物体的表面细节，以三维方式呈现所获取的图像，并通过从这些表面获得X射线来分析样品表面的元素组成。因此，购买配备适当探测器的FEI Quanta 200 FESEM将提高密苏里州州立大学的科学研究和教育能力。特别是，该仪器将用于检查各种材料的形态和组成，用于八个具体的研究项目，涉及它们的磁性，光学，电子和生物学特性。选定的课程将进行修订，以纳入FESEM作为课程的一部分，本科生和研究生都将接受使用该仪器进行材料表征的培训。除了加强MSU的材料科学计划外，拟议的仪器将在校园内的几个科学部门之间产生跨学科合作，并鼓励未来与其他大学和研究中心的合作。重要的是，这一工具将有助于现有的大学努力招募多样化的学生群体，并让学生接触科学发现和各种学习观点。

Technical Abstract:The objective of this project is to acquire a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) to support materials related research and training activities at Missouri State University (MSU) and surrounding southwest Missouri institutions. Currently, there is only one 19-year-old SEM and no functioning transmission electron microscope (TEM) on campus, which imposes significant impedance to the success of funded research. The intellectual merit of this project is that the unique capabilities provided by an FEI Quanta 200 FEG FESEM, equipped with an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) detector, will enable researchers, educators, and students to obtain high resolution secondary electron and backscattered electron images of surface topography, spatial elemental distribution (EDS mapping and line-scans), and internal structures (STEM) for conductive or nonconductive samples. In particular, the instrument will be used to explore correlations between morphology, structures, and compositions of various materials and their electrical, optical, magnetic, and biological properties for funded projects. In addition, it will improve the educational curriculum in material characterizations for both graduate and undergraduate students and stimulate collaborations among researchers across different departments and different university campuses. The broader impact reflects the fact that training and skills acquired by undergraduate and graduate students through research projects using the FESEM instrument will serve them well for graduate study and employment in places such as in universities, high-tech industry, and government research laboratories. The new instrument will also contribute greatly toward existing MSU outreach programs to motivate K-12 students, especially female and minority students, to pursue careers in science and engineering.Non-Technical Abstract:In recent years, Missouri State University has been acquiring a core of faculty members and an impressive array of physical facilities and equipment to support basic research concerning the physical characterization of electronic, optical, and magnetic materials. However, this group lacks an important analytical instrument in their research arsenal, a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and must depend on an aged conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM) to support their fundamental research efforts. A FESEM is a high-resolution microscope designed to reveal surface details of minute objects beyond the reach of a typical light microscope, present the acquired images in three dimensions, and analyze sample surfaces for their elemental composition by obtaining X-rays from those surfaces. Therefore, the acquisition of an FEI Quanta 200 FESEM, equipped with appropriate detectors, will enhance the capabilities for scientific research and education at Missouri State University. In particular, the instrument will be used to examine the morphology and composition of various materials for eight specific research projects concerned with their magnetic, optical, electronic, and biological properties. Selected courses will be revised to incorporate the FESEM as part of the curriculum, and both undergraduate and graduate students will be trained in materials characterization using this instrument. In addition to strengthening the materials science program at MSU, the proposed instrument will engender interdisciplinary cooperation among several science departments on campus and encourage future collaborations with other universities and research centers. Importantly, this instrument will contribute to existing university efforts to recruit a diverse student population and expose students to discovery science and a variety of learning perspectives.