MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope for Interdisciplinary Research at Western Washington University

技术概述：PI将获得一个与生物光学显微镜相耦合的原子力显微镜，以支持西华盛顿大学先进材料科学与工程中心(AMSEC)的教职员工和学生参与的各种研究计划，并将是促进材料科学跨学科研究和教育的全校倡议的组成部分。该仪器是支持五个学术部门(化学、物理、地质、生物和心理学)研究的必要工具，将用于大约九门本科理工科课程。因此，该仪器不仅将影响所描述的具体研究计划，而且还有助于催化和促进在材料研究和教育方面更广泛的、全学院范围的倡议。WWU是一所以本科生为主的机构，该项目的相当一部分旨在培训学生在实验室课程中使用最先进的仪器，并让本科生参与有意义的、前沿的研究。将直接受益于该仪器的具体研究项目包括：测量用于有机电子的杂化共轭聚合物/金属纳米颗粒薄膜中的电荷传输和陷阱，了解通过有机气-液-固沉积形成的薄膜的形态以及液晶印迹，耦合磁力和新开发的磁性表面增强拉曼活性纳米粒子的光学测量，成像蛋白质纳米线的自组装，以及通过神经反应的联合成像和扫描探针测量来了解学习和记忆的神经机制。莱曼摘要：原子力显微镜(AFM)是一种工具，允许研究人员表征材料和表面的各种属性(包括表面结构、机械、电气、和磁性)在纳米量级的大小，在某些情况下甚至小到足以成像单个分子。PI将为西华盛顿大学的跨学科先进材料科学与工程中心(AMSEC)获得AFM学位，AMSEC是一所以本科生为主的机构，非常重视让本科生参与有意义的尖端研究。这种仪器将被用来教授学生关于材料和过程的性质，这些材料和过程发生在长度尺度上，是本科实验室中传统仪器无法达到的。它还将支持五个学术部门(化学、物理、地质、生物和心理学)的研究，项目范围从大脑功能的研究，到薄膜的磁性，再到了解纳米材料的光学和电学特性，纳米材料是在推进与医学、电子和通信相关的技术方面表现出希望的材料。该项目在弥合课堂和研究实验室之间的差距方面产生了广泛的影响。收购拟议的仪器将为合作和跨学科研究开辟新的途径。

Technical Summary: The PI will acquire an atomic force microscope coupled to a biological optical microscope to support a varied program of research involving faculty and students in the Advanced Materials Science and Engineering Center (AMSEC) at Western Washington University, and will be an integral part of a university- wide initiative promoting cross-disciplinary research and education in materials science. The instrumentation is necessary to support research in five academic departments (Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Biology, and Psychology) and would be used in about nine undergraduate science and engineering courses. The instrumentation will therefore impact not only the specific research programs described, but also help to catalyze and promote a broader, College-wide initiative in materials research and education. WWU is a predominately undergraduate institution, and a considerable component of the project is aimed at training students in the use of state-of-the-art instrumentation in laboratory coursework and involving undergraduates in meaningful, cutting-edge research. Specific research projects that will directly benefit from the instrumentation include measurement of charge transport and trapping in hybrid conjugated polymer/metal nanoparticle films for organic electronics, understanding morphology of films formed via organic vapor-liquid-solid deposition as well as liquid crystal imprinting, coupled magnetic force and optical measurements of newly developed magnetic surface-enhanced Raman active nanoparticles, imaging the self-assembling of protein nanowires, and understanding neural mechanisms of learning and memory through combined imaging and scanning probe measurements of neural responses.Layman Summary: The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a tool that allows researchers to characterize a variety of properties of materials and surfaces (including surface structure, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties) at size scales on the order of nanometers, even small enough to image individual molecules in some cases. The PI will acquire an AFM for the interdisciplinary Advanced Materials Science and Engineering Center (AMSEC) at Western Washington University, a predominately undergraduate institution that has a strong emphasis on engaging undergraduate students in meaningful, cutting-edge research. This instrumentation will be used to teach students about properties of materials and processes that occur on length scales inaccessible by traditional instrumentation in an undergraduate laboratory. It will also support research in five academic departments (Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Biology, and Psychology) in projects ranging from the study of brain function, to the magnetic properties of thin films, to understanding the optical and electrical properties of nanomaterials, materials that show promise in advancing technologies related to medicine, electronics, and communications. This project has a broad impact in bridging the gap between classroom and research lab. Acquisition of the proposed instrumentation will open new avenues for collaboration and cross-disciplinary research.