MRI: Acquisition of a Confocal and Tip-Enhanced Raman and Photoluminescence Microscope

非技术描述：传统的光学显微镜，即使具有可能达到的最佳空间分辨率，也不足以研究非常小的结构，例如在自然界中经常发现的结构，纳米技术和小规模工程。在这个项目中，一个先进的扫描探针显微镜系统允许科学家和工程师克服这一限制。光从显微镜的纳米级尖端反射，以探索精细结构并辨别复杂材料的组成。跨越多个长度尺度的能力，从体积到接近分子的尺度，提供了对复杂自然和工程系统中属性的异质性的新理解。该项目显著提高了STEM（科学技术工程数学）学科的研究和教育能力，同时为研究生和本科生的研究培训和教育提供了新的机会。这些活动为中佛罗里达大学（UCF）、西班牙裔服务机构和美国南部的不同人群提供服务。技术描述：该项目涉及在UCF获得集成共聚焦，尖端增强拉曼系统（TERS）和尖端增强光致发光（TEPL）显微镜。该平台在原子力显微镜上实现了尖端增强近场光学原理，突破了传统拉曼共聚焦显微镜的衍射极限。TERS配置实现了大约10 nm的横向分辨率。显微镜配备了几个激发激光器，覆盖了大部分可见波长和近红外波长，以适应广泛的研究项目。该系统使跨学科研究能够了解广泛的新兴材料的结构-性质关系，包括二维材料、钙钛矿、纳米颗粒、生物材料、农药、复合材料、软组织（例如植物细胞）、陨石和小行星，用于电子、光电子、催化、生物传感、纳米医学、纳米农业和行星科学。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-Technical Description:A traditional optical microscopy, even with the best possible spatial resolution that can be achieved, is not sufficient to study very small structures, such as the ones often found in nature, nanotechnology and small-scale engineering. In this project, an advanced scanning probe microscopy system allows scientists and engineers to overcome this limitation. Light is reflected off a nanoscale tip of the microscope to explore fine structures and discern composition of complex materials. The ability to span multiple length scales, from bulk to a scale approaching that of molecules, offers new understanding of the heterogeneities contributing to properties in complex natural and engineered systems. The project significantly enhances research and education capabilities across the boundaries of STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) disciplines, while providing new opportunities in graduate and undergraduate research training and education. These activities serve a diverse population at the University of Central Florida (UCF), a Hispanic Serving Institution, and the Southern US. Technical Description:The project involves the acquisition of an integrated confocal, tip-enhanced Raman system (TERS) and tip-enhanced photoluminescence (TEPL) microscope at UCF. The platform implements the principle of tip-enhanced near-field optics on an atomic force microscope to surpass the diffraction limit of conventional Raman confocal microscopy. The TERS configuration achieves a lateral resolution of approximately 10 nm. The microscope is equipped with several excitation lasers, covering most of the visible wavelengths plus near infrared , to accommodate a wide range of research projects. The system enables interdisciplinary research to understand the structure-property relationships of a broad range of emerging materials including two-dimensional materials, perovskites, nanoparticles, biomaterials, pesticides, composites, soft tissues (e.g., plant cells), meteorites and asteroids for applications in electronics, optoelectronics, catalysis, biosensing, nanomedicine, nano-agriculture and planetary sciences.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.