Collaborative Research: Development of a turnkey SQUID microscope platform for paleomagnetism and installation in a National Multi-User Facility

岩石保存着古代地磁场的重要记录。然而，由于复杂的磁史和矿物学，一些记录仍然无法获取。这一合作项目的主要目标是在麻省理工学院开发和建造一台磁性显微镜，以测量地球岩石和其他地质样品中的古地磁记录，并升级加州理工学院的第二台仪器，使这些测量成为可能。这些将共享一个共同的平台，该平台将在全国范围内扩大古地磁研究机会，并能够独立验证结果。此外，该平台的细节将传播给科学界，以便进行广泛的应用。由于错综复杂的磁史和复杂的矿物学，许多可能保存古代地磁场重要记录的岩石仍然无法接触到。这一合作项目的主要目标是在麻省理工学院开发和建造一个新的扫描超导量子干涉装置(SQUID)显微镜(SSM)平台，以测量地球岩石和其他地质样品中的古地磁记录，并升级加州理工学院的第二台仪器，使这些测量成为可能。这些机构将共享一个共同平台，以便能够同时开展来自不同研究小组的多个研究项目，并独立核实结果。此外，还将向科学界传播该平台的详细情况，以便进行广泛的应用。这种新的SSM将具有独特的功能组合，其中包括成本更低、使用时间更长的无制冷剂操作、优于1x10^-15Am2的磁矩灵敏度以及100微米的空间分辨率。它将在面积高达50 mm x 50 mm的位置网格中映射垂直于样本平面的磁场分量，扫描速度高达5 mm/s。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Rocks preserve important records of ancient geomagnetic fields. However, some records have remained inaccessible due to complex magnetic histories and mineralogy. The main goals of this collaborative project are to develop and build a magnetic microscope at MIT to measure paleomagnetic records in Earth rocks and other geological samples and to upgrade a second instrument at Caltech to enable these measurements. These will share a common platform that will expand paleomagnetic research opportunities nationally and enable independently verifying results. In addition, details of the platform will be disseminated to the scientific community to enable a broad range of applications.Many rocks that might preserve important records of ancient geomagnetic fields have remained inaccessible due to a combination of intricate magnetic histories and complex mineralogies. The main goals of this collaborative project are to develop and build a new Scanning Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) Microscope (SSM) platform at MIT to measure paleomagnetic records in Earth rocks and other geological samples and to upgrade a second instrument at Caltech to enable these measurements. These will share a common platform that will allow for conducting multiple research projects from different research groups concurrently and for independently verifying results. In addition, details of the platform will be disseminated to the scientific community to enable a broad range of applications. This new SSM will have a unique combination of capabilities, which include cryogen-free operation for lower costs and long uninterrupted use, magnetic moment sensitivity of better than 1x10^-15 Am2, and spatial resolution of 100 micrometers. It will map the component of the magnetic field normal to the sample plane in a grid of positions with area up to 50 mm x 50 mm and with scanning speed of up to 5 mm/s.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.