Surface Chemistry Studies with Cluster Ion Beams

在化学系化学测量和成像项目的支持下，宾夕法尼亚州立大学的Nicholas Winograd教授和他的团队专注于阐明高能粒子与固体相互作用的基本方面，目标是推进二次离子质谱（西姆斯）实验的实用性。 这项研究的结果应该在聚合物科学、天体物理学、药物发现、有机电子学、有机光化学和分子特异性成像等不同领域找到材料表征应用。 C60等团簇离子源的出现为分子深度分析提供了独特的机会。 在这种情况下，分子固体的层被团簇源去除，而没有显著的化学损伤积累，并且深度分辨率小于10 nm。这种方式提供了前所未有的空间分辨率询问埋界面的可能性。 分子特异性成像是西姆斯的另一个独特功能，当与分子深度分析相结合时，产生化学的三维渲染。 优化这些实验的协议将开发从集群轰击事件的计算机模拟的预测，并通过在模型系统中进行实验，其中一些参数，如弹丸能量和角度，可以系统地检查。 一个特别强调的是放在表征气体团簇离子束，现在产生氩团簇超过2000个原子，并寻找新的含氢物种，可以通过动态创建的预形成的离子增强电离。 最终的目标，然后，是获得一个基本的了解团簇固体相互作用，并提供一个新的基于质谱的三维成像协议，在纳米尺度上运行。这种新的方法应该找到有价值的应用范围广泛的生物学家和材料科学家的表征目的。该项目将包括三名研究生的参与，他们将开发用于成像和团簇离子束的新型仪器。 他们将获得旨在成为他们研究生职业生涯中宝贵资产的技能。在整个努力中，双重重点放在获得离子-固体相互作用的基本理解，并利用这些信息来推进应用。 这种理念为该计划提供了协同作用，并为参与者提供了独特的学习体验。国际合作和外展到高中学生通过SEECoS计划也提出了建议。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Nicholas Winograd and his group at Pennsylvania State University focus on elucidating the fundamental aspects of the interaction of energetic particles with solids, with the goal of advancing the utility of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) experiments. Results from this research should find materials characterization applications in such diverse fields as polymer science, astrophysics, drug discovery, organic electronics, organic photovoltaics and molecule-specific imaging. The emergence of cluster ion sources such as C60 has opened unique opportunities in molecular depth profiling. In this situation, the layers of a molecular solid are removed by the cluster source without significant accumulation of chemical damage and with a depth resolution of less than 10 nm. This modality offers the possibility of interrogating buried interfaces with unprecedented spatial resolution. Molecule-specific imaging is another unique feature of SIMS, and when combined with molecular depth profiling, yields a 3-dimensional rendering of the chemistry. Protocols for optimizing these experiments will be developed from predictions of computer simulations of the cluster bombardment event, and by performing experiments on model systems where a number of parameters, such as projectile energy and angle, can be systematically examined. A special emphasis is placed upon characterizing gas cluster ion beams that now produce argon clusters with more than 2000 atoms, and on searching for new H-containing species that may enhance ionization through dynamically created pre-formed ions. The ultimate goal, then, is to acquire a fundamental understanding of cluster-solid interactions and to provide a new mass spectrometry-based 3-dimensional imaging protocol that operates on the nanoscale. This new methodology should find valuable applications to a wide range of biologists and material scientists for characterization purposes. The project will include participation of three graduate students who will develop novel instrumentation for imaging and for cluster ion beams. They will acquire skills that are designed to be valuable assets in their post-graduate careers. Throughout this effort, dual emphasis is placed upon acquiring a fundamental understanding of ion-solid interactions, and of utilizing this information to advance the applications. This philosophy lends a synergism to the program and provides a unique learning experience for those involved. International collaboration and outreaching to high school students through the SEECoS program are also proposed.