MRI: Acquisition of a Multipurpose X-ray Diffractometer for Interdisciplinary Materials Research and Education

这一重大研究仪器奖支持阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校购买一台用于跨学科材料研究和教学的多功能X射线衍射仪。晶体结构、晶体取向和纳米材料的X射线表征在新材料的开发中起着关键作用。与该项目相关的教职员工涉及各种研究领域，包括用于工业应用的超硬材料、半导体、用于激光的新型材料、用于能源应用的材料，以及用于植入物和再生医学研究的生物材料。该仪器还在包括生物学、生物医学工程、化学、材料科学和工程以及物理在内的广泛学科的研究生和本科生的教育中发挥着重要作用。参与这个项目的研究生和本科生中，有很大一部分属于在科学和工程学科中代表性不足的群体。购置多用途衍射仪可开发新课程，并加强薄膜器件和纳米结构领域的现有课程。这些研究生和本科水平的课程加强了对急需的先进制造工人的培训。最近在X射线探测器技术、X射线反射镜和X射线单色仪方面的创新使新型衍射仪成为可能，它可以在一台仪器上提供所有所需的X射线测量，并且在不同应用之间切换时间最短。这种多用途X射线衍射仪的获得使我们能够通过小角X射线散射来研究块体和薄膜材料、材料中的择优取向或织构以及纳米结构样品的颗粒/孔径大小和均匀性。它使在金属上沉积纳米结构金刚石薄膜、用于中红外激光的掺杂硫化物晶体、用于燃料电池的氧化物材料、用于大功率电子器件的外延半导体、催化剂、纳米复合材料以及用于生物医学植入物和组织工程应用的材料等方面的变革性研究成为可能。这些研究由一个跨学科的教员团队领导，导致对结构相变和界面、极端环境下的机械磨损行为、中红外激光的效率、晶体材料的纹理和应变以及材料的生物兼容性有了基本的了解。

This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the University of Alabama at Birmingham to acquire a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer for interdisciplinary materials research and education. X-ray characterization of crystal structures, crystal orientations, and nanometer-sized materials plays a key role in development of new materials. The faculty members associated with this project are involved in a variety of research fields including super-hard materials for industrial applications, semiconductors, novel materials for lasers, materials for energy applications, and biomaterials used in implants and regenerative medicine research. This instrument also plays a significant role in the education of graduate and undergraduate students in a wide range of disciplines including biology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, materials science and engineering, and physics. A significant fraction of graduate and undergraduate students involved in this project belongs to groups that are underrepresented in the science and engineering disciplines. The acquisition of multipurpose diffractometer allows for development of new courses and enhancement of existing courses in the area of thin-film devices and nanostructures. Such courses at graduate and undergraduate levels enhance training for much needed advanced manufacturing workforce.Recent innovations in x-ray detector technologies, x-ray mirrors, and x-ray monochromators have made it possible for a new class of diffractometers that can provide all the desired x-ray measurements in one instrument with minimal switching time between various applications. This acquisition of a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer allows studies on bulk and thin-film materials, preferred orientation or texture in materials, and particle/pore size, homogeneity of the nanostructured samples by small-angle x-ray scattering. It enables transformative research in nanostructured diamond thin-film deposition on metals, doped chalcogenide crystals for mid-infrared lasers, oxide materials for fuel cells, epitaxial semiconductors for high-power electronic devices, catalysts, nanocomposites, and materials for biomedical implants and tissue engineering applications. These studies are led by an interdisciplinary team of faculty and result in a fundamental understanding of structural phase transformations and interfaces, mechanical wear behavior in extreme environments, efficiency of mid infrared lasers, texture and strain in crystalline materials, and biocompatibility of materials.