MRI STROBE CONSORTIUM: Development of a Hybrid Photon-Electron Microscopy System for Functional Imaging of Multi-Scale Materials

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Microscopic imaging is critical for discovery and innovation in science and technology, accelerating advances in materials, biological, nano and energy sciences, as well as nanoelectronics, data storage and medicine. However, many advanced materials are non-uniform and complex in structure and behavior. As a result, it is very challenging to understand how these materials work, or to implement smart design in order to harness their rich technological potential. Moreover, many nanoscale imaging techniques alter samples due to the need for extensive sample preparation, and each imaging method provides only a limited view of the material. To address these challenges, researchers at the STROBE Science and Technology Center are developing a new hybrid microscope to implement a new imaging modality: real-time imaging of nanostructured and complex materials using ultrafast illumination beams spanning the electromagnetic spectrum from the terahertz to the soft X-ray regions, as well as ultrafast pulses of electrons. This project also provides a unique opportunity for a large group of students and postdocs to do cutting edge research in imaging science, as well as experience how to translate advanced imaging concepts into a working microscope. After commissioning, more than 100 faculty, graduate students, and national lab and industry users will benefit from the new microscope, in research areas spanning physics, chemistry, materials science, mechanical and aerospace engineering.The goals of this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) project are to development a hybrid photon-electron functional microscope system and to implement a new imaging modality: real-time multimodal imaging of nanostructured materials using ultrafast excitation, combining illumination beams from the terahertz to X-ray, as well as ultrafast pulses of electrons. This unique microscope enables high spatial and temporal resolution, non-destructive, 3-dimensional imaging of nanostructured and low-density materials; functional imaging of buried interfaces; and multimodal imaging of common nanostructured samples, necessitating the use of common registration and sample manipulation to correlated information from different imaging modalities. Key features of the microscope include the ability to dynamically image charge/spin/energy transport and couplings at surfaces using nano-optical and low-energy electron imaging, as well as thick samples using X-ray and high-energy electron imaging, with nanometer spatial and femtosecond time resolution. Access to these new capabilities allow better understanding of charge and thermal transport in advance nanomaterials, as well as understanding how structure impacts new emergent physical phenomena in materials.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.