MRI: Acquisition of Dual Beam FIB/SEM to Enable New Capability for Research, Education and Training at UDC

非技术：主要研究仪器奖允许在哥伦比亚特区大学（UDC）获得与扫描电子显微镜集成的聚焦离子束。该工具将帮助UDC，一个历史上的黑人学院和大学，其目标转变为一个有效的城市研究机构，服务于不同的学生群体。该仪器可以产生纳米级分辨率的表面、截面和三维结构的高分辨率图像。纳米级的表征和分析将促进和有利于教师和学生在国家需要的前沿研究领域的研究。该仪器将使研究中心的多学科研究能够进入广泛的领域。这些包括用于控制系统的磁性装置、用于能量收集的太阳能电池、用于热管理和能源系统的纳米材料和纳米装置、用于减轻危害的土壤改良以及用于可持续性的水资源回收技术。该仪器将成为UDC研究基础设施的关键组成部分。该工具还将在广泛的STEM学科的本科生和研究生的教育和培训中发挥关键作用。该仪器的活动将丰富学生的教育经验，并提供有益的研究培训。该仪器将促进与周边大学和社区学院的伙伴关系，为学生提供体验式学习。有关显微镜的教育资源将通过研讨会和工程开放日向教师和高中生传播。这些活动将向K-12学生介绍显微镜的基本概念和技术。技术：双光束聚焦离子束扫描电子显微镜（SEM/FIB）提供了卓越的性能，以纳米级分辨率分析工程和天然材料的三维结构表征和成分信息。FIB使用铣削功能在材料内部创建横截面，以说明其纳米级的内部结构。FIB/SEM补充了UDC现有的纳米技术和表征资源，并在高分辨率成像、深度剖面和3D重建以及纳米级化学光谱学领域提供了急需的能力，以催化新的科学发现。它将成为一个不可或缺的研究工具，将创造和加强(1)理解和制造新颖的，直接写入纳米流体结构；（ii）铁磁（FM）电极组成对基于磁隧道结的分子自旋电子学器件（MTJMSDs）的磁性和输运性质的影响；（iii）对自组装纳米胶束基材料相变能量学的基本理解；（iv）了解纳米线微观结构与制造条件以及由此产生的光伏性能之间的关系；(5)了解微生物诱导方解石降水（MICP）和其他矿物降水过程的纳微机制及其对砂土和粉质土宏观力学特性的影响；（六）防止鸟粪石/橄榄石的不受控制的沉淀和溶解，以及金属螯合物的生物降解或化学裂解以在受控环境中回收的知识。该仪器将为在纳米级电子和光电子器件、先进制造、用于可再生能源的纳米技术以及跨不同学科和机构的环境和岩土工程应用等领域提高跨学科合作水平奠定基础。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。

Nontechnical:The Major Research Instrumentation award allows the acquisition of a focused ion beam integrated with a scanning electron microscope at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). This instrument will aid UDC, a historically black college and university, in its goal to transform into an effective urban research institution serving a diverse student population. The instrument can produce high resolution images with nanoscale resolution of surfaces, cross-sections and three-dimensional structures. Characterization and analysis at the nanoscale will promote and benefit faculty and student research in the cutting-edge research fields of national needs. The instrument will enable multidisciplinary research at UDC into a wide range of fields. These include magnetic devices for control systems, solar cell for energy harvesting, nanomaterials and nanodevices for thermal management and energy systems, soil improvement for hazard mitigation, and water resources recovery techniques for sustainability. This instrument will be a key component of UDC’s research infrastructure. The instrument will also play a critical role in the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students from a broad spectrum of STEM disciplines. The activities enabled by the instrument will enrich students’ educational experience and provide rewarding research training. The instrument will foster partnerships with surrounding universities and community colleges to provide experiential learning to students. Educational resources on microscopy will be disseminated through workshops and engineering open houses to teachers and high school students. These activities will introduce of K-12 students to the fundamental concepts and techniques of microscopy.Technical:The Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM/FIB) delivers superior performance to analyze three-dimensional structural characterization and compositional information of engineered and natural materials at nano-scale resolution. The FIB uses the milling function to create cross section inside the material that illustrates its internal structure at the nano-scale. The FIB/SEM complements the existing nanotechnology and characterization resources at UDC and provides much-needed capabilities in the areas of high-resolution imaging, depth profiling and 3D reconstruction, and chemical spectroscopy at the nanoscale to catalyze new scientific discoveries. It will serve as an indispensable tool for research that will create and enhance (i) understanding and fabrication of novel, direct-write nanofluidic structures; (ii) knowledge about the effect of ferromagnetic (FM) electrode composition on magnetic and transport properties of magnetic tunnel junction based molecular spintronics devices (MTJMSDs); (iii) fundamental understanding of the energetics of phase change inside self-assembled nano-micelle-based materials; (iv) understanding the correlation between nanowire microstructure and fabrication conditions as well as the resulting photovoltaic performance; (v) understanding of the nano-micro mechanisms of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) and other mineral precipitation processes and their effects on the macro mechanical properties of sand and silty soils; and (vi) knowledge about the prevention of uncontrolled precipitation and dissolution of the minerals struvite/vivianite as well as biodegradation or chemical cleavage of metal-chelate complex to recover it in a controlled environment. The instrument will set the stage for increased levels of interdisciplinary collaborations in the fields of nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices, advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology for renewable energy as well as environmental and geotechnical engineering applications across different disciplines and institutions.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.