MRI: Acquisition of a High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope for a Central Facility Supporting Interdisciplinary Research and Training

MRI：为支持跨学科研究和培训的中央设施购置高分辨率扫描电子显微镜

• 批准号: 0923105
• 负责人: Tobias Baskin
• 金额: $ 51.11万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0923105&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Resolution; Scanning; Electron

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The funding will support the acquisition of a high-resolution scanning electron microscope (HR SEM). The instrument will be located in a new electron microscopy facility at the University of Massachusetts Amherst that will serve both life and materials sciences. For scientists wishing to investigate the smallest levels of structure, the HR SEM has become indispensable. Not only does it possess a resolution comparable to the transmission electron microscope, preparation of samples for imaging in the microscope is straightforward. In addition to being able to image the surface of the sample, thereby revealing its topography, the instrument is also able to determine which elements are present in the structure and at what concentration. The instrument will support the on-going research of scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as well as at the surrounding colleges (Smith, Mount Holyoke, Amherst, and Hampshire). For example, geoscientists are analyzing the composition of minerals, thereby improving understanding of the Earth; chemists and polymer scientists are investigating how to build devices, such photovoltaic cells, with superior performance by being able to manipulate components at the smallest possible scale; and biologists are elucidating how tiny filaments made by some bacteria can act as electrically conducting wires and how plant cell walls help guide cell development. All of these efforts, among many others, will be enhanced by acquisition of the HR SEM. The instrument will be used in many courses, ranging from upper level courses in theory and practice of SEM to more basic courses, designed to stimulate powers of observation and reasoning. The primary expected research outcome is the use of HR SEM data in publications. The new Central Facility will collate all such papers and will provide appropriate access on its web page. The expected educational outcomes are both conceptual (increasing understanding of SEM) and practical (increasing expertise in this methodology). The Central Facility will maintain a database on all courses taught, students served, and where possible, on the subsequent careers of student users of the instrument.

该奖项根据 2009 年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法 111-5）提供资金。该资金将支持购买高分辨率扫描电子显微镜 (HR SEM)。该仪器将位于马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校的一个新电子显微镜设施中，该设施将服务于生命和材料科学。对于希望研究最小结构水平的科学家来说，高分辨扫描电镜 (HR SEM) 已变得不可或缺。它不仅具有与透射电子显微镜相当的分辨率，而且在显微镜中成像的样品制备也很简单。除了能够对样品表面进行成像从而揭示其形貌之外，该仪器还能够确定结构中存在哪些元素以及浓度。该仪器将支持马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校以及周边学院（史密斯学院、曼荷莲学院、阿默斯特学院和汉普郡学院）科学家正在进行的研究。例如，地球科学家正在分析矿物的成分，从而增进对地球的了解；化学家和聚合物科学家正在研究如何通过能够以尽可能小的尺寸操纵组件来构建具有卓越性能的设备，例如光伏电池；生物学家正在阐明某些细菌产生的细丝如何充当导电线，以及植物细胞壁如何帮助引导细胞发育。除其他外，所有这些努力都将通过收购 HR SEM 得到加强。该仪器将用于许多课程，从SEM理论和实践的高级课程到更基础的课程，旨在激发观察力和推理能力。主要预期研究成果是在出版物中使用 HR SEM 数据。新的中央设施将整理所有此类文件，并在其网页上提供适当的访问权限。预期的教育成果既是概念性的（增加对 SEM 的理解）又是实践性的（增加该方法的专业知识）。中央设施将维护一个数据库，其中包含所有教授的课程、服务的学生以及在可能的情况下该仪器的学生用户的后续职业。