MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope with STEM and EDS Capabilities for Interdisciplinary Research and Education at Towson University

本提案中要求的扫描电子显微镜是能够以极高（纳米级）分辨率获得各种材料和生物样本图像的仪器。该仪器还具有高精度分析材料化学成分的能力。拟议的仪器将用于推进生物，化学，地质和物理科学的几个领域的研究，涉及陶森大学（TU）费舍尔科学与数学学院多个部门的教师和学生。新的扫描电子显微镜提供的高分辨率成像和化学分析有望实现突破性发现，这些发现将影响这些不同学科的基础科学，同时也有助于对社会进步和维持至关重要的几项技术。拟议研究项目的例子包括提高我们对昆虫神经系统如何以及如何检测，分析，编码和响应化学感觉信息的理解，探索和操纵纳米技术基础的极小尺寸限制下的材料行为，利用“Meta材料”的力量为了在高温下实现超导性，从而有可能彻底改变包括电力传输和量子计算在内的许多技术，开发对实现可行的可再生和清洁能源技术至关重要的催化剂材料，并了解地质系统中的矿物生物特征保护，这是在地外栖息地寻找生命形式的关键。这些项目将为TU和合作机构的本科生和硕士生积极参与提供机会，他们将接受教师的培训和监督，使用这种先进的仪器进行跨学科研究。学生的研究将导致他们在期刊出版物和会议演示文稿的作者。参与学生的研究和职业生涯预计将大大受益于这种先进仪器的实践经验和培训。此外，仪器和它使研究也将用于提高教室和实验室的指示，在几个本科生和硕士水平的课程，由生物科学，化学，物理，天文学和地球科学部门提供。K-12合作伙伴将通过与仪器相关的外联活动（如现场参观和演示）受益。这项来自重大研究仪器计划的奖项支持陶森大学（TU）购买最先进的低真空30 keV肖特基场发射扫描电子显微镜（FESEM），该显微镜具有扫描透射模式（S-TEM）纳米分辨率、原位电子束图案化、以及通过能量色散X射线光谱（EDS）进行元素分析。该仪器对于满足无机、电子、环境、法医、昆虫学和地球生物学材料方面正在进行的和未来的研究项目的需要至关重要。FESEM将产生先进的科学理解，提高研究周转速度，以及TU研究人员及其来自邻近机构的忠实用户的技术创新，即马里兰州洛约拉大学和古彻学院的决定性影响。除了作为一个灵活的工具，迎合正在进行的跨学科研究在TU，它将填补空白，作为一个内部成像，表征和结构制造仪器。该项目解决了个人和跨学科的不同研究问题，同时分享共同的表征和制造需求。简而言之，这些是：（1）使用射束减速对生物样品中表面上和表面下孔内的表皮结构进行成像;（2）以纳米分辨率对零维、二维和三维对象进行成像以理解光学性质变化的能力;（3）以S-TEM模式用高分辨率量子尺寸的纳米团簇、铁磁流体、超材料超导体、钙钛矿催化剂进行分辨;（4）获得高分辨率光刻图案化的能力，和（5）使用EDS的元素分析。仪器内的这套成像，制造和化学分析功能将使TU及其邻居的研究人员能够与学生合著者一起支持正在进行的研究活动，同时也推动了课程中的新学习成果。它将使学生了解关键技术。这种教育重点主要是本科院校，如TU，提供了这种培训的独特机会。

The scanning electron microscope requested in this proposal is an instrument capable of obtaining images of various materials and biological specimens with extremely high (nanoscale) resolution. The instrument also includes capability for analyzing the chemical composition of materials with high precision. The proposed instrument will be used to advance research in several areas of biological, chemical, geological and physical sciences, involving faculty and students across multiple departments in the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics at Towson University (TU). The ultrahigh resolution imaging and chemical analysis offered by the new scanning electron microscope is expected to enable break through discoveries that will impact the fundamental science in these diverse disciplines while also contributing to several technologies that are key to societal advancement and sustenance. Examples from the proposed research projects include enhancing our understanding of how and what chemosensory information is detected, analyzed, encoded, and responded to by the insect nervous system, exploring and manipulating the behavior of materials at extremely small size limits that underlie nanotechnology, harnessing the power of "meta materials" to achieve superconductivity at high temperatures with the potential of revolutionizing many technologies including power transmission and quantum computing, developing catalyst materials that are essential for achieving viable renewable and clean energy technologies, and understanding the mineral biosignature preservation in geological systems which is the key to finding life forms in extraterrestrial habitats. These projects will provide opportunities for active participation of undergraduate and master's students at TU and collaborating institutions, who will be trained and supervised by the faculty members on the use of this advanced instrument for interdisciplinary research. Student research will result in their authorship in journal publications and conference presentations. The research and professional careers of participating students is expected to benefit greatly from the hands-on experience and training on this advanced instrument. In addition, the instrument and the research it enables will also be employed to enhance class room and laboratory instructions in several undergraduate and master's level courses offered by the departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences. The K-12 partners will benefit through outreach activities, such as site visits and demonstrations, involving the instrument.This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports Towson University's (TU) acquisition of a state-of-the-art low vacuum 30keV Schottky field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with capabilities for nanometer resolution in scanning transmission mode (S-TEM), in-situ e-beam patterning, and elemental analysis via energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The instrument is crucial to meet the needs in ongoing and future research projects in inorganic, electronic, environmental, forensic, entomological and geobiological material. The FESEM will make a decisive impact in generating advanced scientific understanding, increased speed of research turn-around, and technological innovation by researchers at TU and its committed users from neighboring institutions, namely Loyola University of Maryland and Goucher College. Besides being a flexible tool catering to the ongoing inter-disciplinary research at TU, it will fill a void by serving as an in-house imaging, characterization, and structure fabrication instrument. The project addresses distinct research questions in individual and cross-disciplines, while sharing common characterization and fabrication needs. In short, these are: (1) image cuticular structures on the surface and within subsurface pores in biological samples using beam deceleration; (2) the ability to image with nanometer resolution zero-, two- and three-dimensional objects to understand optical property changes; (3) resolve with high resolution quantum sized nano clusters, ferro-fluids, metamaterial superconductors, perovskite catalysts, in S-TEM mode; (4) the ability to obtain high resolution lithographic patterning, and (5) elemental analysis using EDS. This suite of imaging, fabrication and chemical analysis capabilities within the instrument will allow researchers at TU, and its neighbors, to bolster ongoing research activities with student co-authors, while also propelling new learning outcomes in courses. It will equip students with an understanding of key technologies. This educational emphasis of primarily undergraduate institutions, like TU, affords unique opportunities for such training.