MRI: Acquisition of X-Ray Diffraction System

这项重大研究仪器(MRI)计划拨款支持购买最先进的X射线衍射系统(XRD)，以促进物理、化学、材料科学和工程方面的研究和教育活动。波多黎各大学凯伊校区位于岛的东南部，为来自全岛的教职员工和学生提供了进入X射线衍射仪系统的途径。X射线衍射仪系统使九个以上的研究小组能够使用只有该设施才有的衍射技术来推进他们的研究项目。主要用户包括波多黎各大学Mayaguez校区和Ana G.Mendez大学的教员，而普遍定期审议庞塞、里奥·皮德拉斯和胡马考校区的研究人员也作为次要用户受益。该项目促进不同研究小组之间的合作，对教职员工和学生的培训，以及教育活动。培训和研讨会提供给参与研究或参加包括使用该仪器在内的课程的本科生。所获得的高分辨率X射线衍射系统是表征薄膜、纳米结构和低衍射材料结晶度的理想选择。平行光束光学元件、通道切割式单色仪和测角仪的三轴测量能力相结合，可实现高分辨率测量。面积探测器的增加允许研究晶体取向，不仅改善了为特定晶体相获得的信息，而且还提供了关于晶体结构、缺陷和晶体尺寸等信息。该仪器能够研究纳米颗粒、多层膜和具有纳米形貌的薄膜。此外，高温加热附件以及纹理、应力和Rietveld插件提供了先进的技术，如倒易空间映射、摇摆曲线和极图测量。受益于该仪器的项目包括多铁性隧道结的研究、用于表面增强拉曼光谱的银纳米颗粒的表征、用于传感十亿分之一范围内有害气体的氧化锌的研究、掺杂GaN中的缺陷的调查，以及在包括不同物理和化学分支学科以及各种仪器技术的综合本科实验室实验中的使用。该项目由美国国家科学基金会综合活动办公室(OIA)联合资助。和既定的激励竞争性研究计划(EPSCoR)。该奖项反映了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，认为值得支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program grant supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art X-Ray Diffraction System (XRD) to advance research and educational activities in physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Located in the southeast of the island, the Cayey campus of the University of Puerto Rico provides access to the XRD system to faculty and students from across the island. The XRD system enables over nine research groups to advance their research projects using diffraction techniques which are only available at this facility. Primary users include faculty from the University of Puerto Rico in the Mayaguez Campus, and the Ana G. Mendez University while researchers from UPR Ponce, Río Piedras, and Humacao campus also benefit as secondary users. The project promotes collaboration between different research groups, training for faculty and students, and educational activities. Training and workshops are offered to undergraduate students participating in research or taking courses that include the use of this instrumentation.The obtained high-resolution X-Ray diffraction system is ideal for the characterization of crystallinity in thin films, nanostructures, and low diffracting materials. The combination of the parallel beam optics, a channel-cut monochromator, and the goniometer’s triple-axis measurement capacity, allows for high-resolution measurements. The addition of an area detector allows for the study of crystal orientations, not only improving the information obtained for a particular crystal phase, but also providing information on the crystalline texture, defects, and crystalline size amongst others. This instrument enables the study of nanoparticles, multilayers, and thin films with nanometric morphologies. Furthermore, the high-temperature heating attachment and the texture, stress, and Rietveld plugins provide advanced techniques such as reciprocal space mapping, rocking curve, and pole figures measurements. Projects that benefit from this instrument include studies of multiferroic tunnel junctions, characterization of silver nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, studies of zinc oxide for sensing harmful gases in the parts per billion range, investigations of defects in doped GaN, and the use of the XRD system in integrated undergraduate laboratory experiments including topics from different physics and chemistry sub-disciplines and a variety of instrumental techniques.This project is jointly funded by the NSF Office of Integrated Activities (OIA), and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.