Acquisition of a Cyber-Enabled Multi-User Scanning Electron Microscope

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。在化学研究仪器和设施：多用户计划（CRIF:MU）的支持下，托莱多大学化学系将获得一台网络支持的冷阴极场发射扫描电子显微镜，该显微镜带有一个能量色散x射线光谱单元，三个用于表面形貌和/或z对比成像的电子探测器，以及电子束感应电流成像能力。托莱多大学（University of Toledo）以及俄亥俄州邻近机构的研究人员将使用这种显微镜来研究技术先进材料的特性。这些研究包括：(1)复合负热膨胀材料的性能；(2)非晶硅和纳米晶硅光伏（PV）材料和器件以及薄膜PV材料的性能；(3)电化学传感器表征；(4)微萃取取样装置的表征；(5)纳米结构材料的研究。该显微镜将被大量本科生和研究生用于教学和研究。通过网络和其他方式，邻近大学和高中的学生，包括一些在家接受教育的学生，将扩大使用这种乐器的机会。扫描电子显微镜，就像在这个奖项下购买的那样，允许化学家以极高的空间分辨率探测材料的结构，并具有额外的化学和电子表征能力。当探测纳米材料的化学和物理性质时，这种程度的细节是特别需要的，因为纳米材料的化学非均质性正是在这些长度尺度上发生变化的。如果没有这种程度的细节，开发新型纳米材料的进程将会缓慢得多。这项资助提供的基础设施将用于教学和培训广泛的年轻科学家，使他们掌握重要的、前沿的实验方法。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities: Multiuser program (CRIF:MU), the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toledo will acquire a cyber-enabled, cold cathode field emission scanning electron microscope, with an energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy unit, three electron detectors for surface topography and/or Z-contrast imaging, and electron beam-induced-current imaging capability. The microscope will be used by researchers at University of Toledo, as well as by neighboring institutions in Ohio to study the properties of technologically advanced materials. These studies include: (1) the properties of composite negative thermal expansion materials; (2) the properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) materials and devices, as well as thin film PV materials; (3) the characterization of electrochemical sensors; (4) the characterization of microextraction sampling devices; and (5) studies of nanostructured materials. The miroscope will be used by large numbers of undergraduate and graduate students, both in instructional settings as well as in research. Access to the instrument will be widened, via cyber-enabling and other means, to students in neighboring colleges and high-schools, including a number of home-schooled students.Scanning electron microscopes, like the one purchased under this award, allow chemists to probe the structure of materials with extraordinarily high spatial resolution and with additional chemical and electronic characterization capabilities. This level of detail is especially needed when probing the chemical and physical properties of nanoscale materials, where the chemical heterogeneity changes at precisely these length scales. Without this level of detail, the progress towards new kinds of nanoscale materials will be made much more slowly. The infrastructure made available with this grant will be used in teaching and training a broad range of young scientists in important, cutting-edge, experimental methods.