MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope for Research in Northern New England

该项目由主要研究仪器(MRI)和既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助。非技术描述：该主要研究仪器奖支持购买先进的扫描透射式电子显微镜(STEM)，该实验室位于达特茅斯学院电子显微镜设施内的一个专门建造的实验室中。虽然STEM位于达特茅斯，但它为新英格兰北部的地区研究和教学机会提供服务，包括在新汉普郡大学、佛蒙特州大学和缅因州奥罗诺大学，它是唯一的此类显微镜。远程监控和操作能力方便了非现场用户的访问，包括全州范围内主要由本科院校(PUI)组成的网络中的课程和项目。STEM支持本科生、研究生和博士后研究员的教学和研究培训，并通过达特茅斯大学和新汉普郡大学的项目，以及通过全州Pui Idea生物医学研究卓越网络的远程培训和推广，扩大女性和代表不足的群体在生物、化学、工程和材料科学领域的参与。许多研究项目旨在产生直接的社会效益，满足能源生产和储存、气敏、先进材料和催化剂等关键需求。技术说明：收购的STEM拥有一支工作在20千伏到200千伏的高亮度场发射枪，并配备了能量色散X射线能谱仪(EDS)。该显微镜使许多需要高分辨率成像和元素分析的项目成为可能，以及对生物和光束敏感样品进行层析成像和低剂量成像。它使研究能够回答关于各种先进材料的结构、形成、性质和相互作用的基本问题，这些先进材料包括高熵合金、金属间化合物、多孔有机材料、渐进成形的薄板、tau-MnAl和NiFe永磁体、质子交换膜电池、用于辐射损伤检测的硅设备、硅Ge锡合金、钠S电池材料、单独的和嵌入在多孔膜中的纳米颗粒、新型锂电池材料、纳米晶体合金和纳米层化合物、二维过渡金属二卤化物、非氧化物陶瓷、这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并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。

This project is jointly funded by Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).Non-technical Description:This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the acquisition of an advanced scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), which is housed in a purpose-built laboratory within the Electron Microscope Facility at Dartmouth College. While located at Dartmouth, the STEM serves regional research and teaching opportunities over Northern New England including at the University of New Hampshire, the University of Vermont, and the University of Maine-Orono, where it is the only microscope of its kind. The remote monitoring and operation capabilities facilitate access for off-site users, including for courses and projects in statewide networks of primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI). The STEM supports teaching and research training of undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows, and broadens the participation of women and under-represented groups in biology, chemistry, engineering, and materials science through programs at Dartmouth and the University of New Hampshire, and through remote training and outreach via statewide PUI IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence. Many of the research projects are designed to yield direct benefits to society, addressing critical needs including energy production and storage, gas-sensing, advanced materials, and catalysts.Technical Description:The acquired STEM has a high-brightness field emission gun capable of operating from 20 kV to 200 kV, and is equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The microscope makes possible many projects requiring high-resolution imaging and elemental analysis, as well as tomography and low-dose imaging for biological and beam-sensitive specimens. It enables research to answer fundamental questions regarding the structure, formation, properties, and interactions of a wide range of advanced materials such as high-entropy alloys, intermetallic compounds, porous organic materials, incrementally-formed sheet metal, tau-MnAl and NiFe permanent magnets, proton-exchange membrane cells, silicon devices for radiation damage detection, SiGeSn alloys, Na-S battery materials, nanoparticles alone and embedded in porous thin films, novel Li battery materials, nanocrystalline alloys and nanolaminates, two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, non-oxide ceramics, and biomolecular specimens and biomaterials.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.