MRI: Acquisition of a DualBeam FIB/SEM

这个奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助的。在提交给重大研究仪器(MRI)计划的这份提案中，PI要求48万美元来购买材料表征设备。要求的是双束FIB/扫描电子显微镜(聚焦离子束/扫描电子显微镜)系统。该仪器将装备在扫描电子显微镜附近的现有空间。该机构将提供翻修资金。一名全职、专注的微束专家和一名兼职电子工程师将监督维护和操作。微束专家将负责现场新用户培训。使用情况将由FIB委员会分配，该委员会还将设定用户费率，并通过机构资金、赠款和用户费用管理维护成本。该仪器将有助于样品表征、样品制备和微/纳米制造。它将支持多个项目，使调查人员能够确定来自各种来源的小样本的特征，如高压矿物物理实验、天然钻石和熔体包裹体、陨石有机物和太阳前颗粒以及化学气相沉积单晶钻石。金刚石顶锤的性能将通过针对FIB/SEM的电池组装设计的微/纳米制造努力而得到提高。FIB/SEM将是正在进行的宇宙化学和天体生物学、有机地球化学和古代生物化学、无机地球化学和岩石学以及高压地球物理研究的重要补充。该仪器将服务于地区和社区的需求。由于机构的支持，该仪器将有效地运行，并允许所有技能水平的研究人员(学生、博士后、PI)进行高精度分析。将与COMPRES进行强有力的对接。将向所有用户提供培训，此次收购将加强多个跨学科研究项目，并培训未来的扫描电子显微镜和高压物理科学家。***

0923127Fei"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." In this proposal submitted to the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the PIs request $480K to acquire materials characterization equipment. Requested is a dual beam FIB/SEM (focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope) system. The instrument will be outfitted in existing space in proximity to the SEM. The institution will provide renovation funding. A full-time, dedicated microbeam specialist and a part-time electronics engineer will oversee maintenance and operation. The microbeam specialist will be responsible for on-site new user training. Usage will be allocated by an FIB committee which will also set user rates and administer maintenance costs through institutional funds, grants and user fees. The instrumentation will assist in sample characterization, sample preparation and micro/nano fabrication. It will support multiple projects allowing investigators to characterize small samples from various sources such as high-pressure mineral physics experiments, natural diamond and melt inclusions, meteoric organic matter and pre-solar grains, and CVD single crystal diamond. Diamond anvil performance will be enhanced through micro/nano-fabrication efforts targeted at cell assembly design made possible by the FIB/SEM. The FIB/SEM will be a critical addition to ongoing studies in cosmochemistry and astrobiology, organic geochemistry and ancient biochemistry, inorganic geochemistry and petrology, and high pressure geophysics. The instrumentation will serve a regional and community need. Due to the institutional support, the instrument will operate effectively and allowing high-precision analysis by researchers (students, post-docs, PIs) of all skill levels. There will be a strong interfacing with COMPRES. Training will be made available to all users and this acquisition will enhance multiple interdisciplinary research projects and train future SEM and high pressure physics scientists. ***