MRI: Acquisition of a field emission scanning electron microscope to expand characterization capabilities at the University of Iowa

爱荷华大学(UI)将购买一台场发射扫描电子显微镜(FE-SEM)，增加不同的成像和检测能力。该FE-SEM系统将1)提高收集和分析的数据的质量和范围，2)提高数据收集的速度，从而使研究和教育资金得到更有效的利用，3)促进对稳健数据集的量化评估，4)为21世纪的STEM学生提供更多的机会，使他们使用强大的、用户友好的分析工具，以相对较少的培训时间轻松地学习，5)为本科生和研究生的研究和教学提供关键支持，跨越广泛的学科，6)由地球和AMP的教员定期使用；环境科学系，以及化学和人类学系的研究人员和爱荷华州地质调查局的工作人员，7)为工程学院和物理与天文学系的用户提供新水平的微纳成像能力，8)极大地增强伊利诺伊大学的电子显微镜能力，从而为大学内部和周围地区更广泛的用户群开辟了新的研究途径。将仪器放入新的爱荷华州材料分析、测试和制造(MATFab)设施将为仪器、UI的研究人员、确定为主要用户的邻近机构(爱荷华州立大学、康奈尔学院)以及其他偶尔使用该仪器的机构(北爱荷华州大学、堪萨斯州立大学、普渡大学)的研究人员提供关键的工作人员和基础设施支持。我们预计，这台仪器将成为一个地区性设施，吸引来自中西部其他地方的用户，因为它具有该地区其他地方所没有的独特能力。添加具有自动化矿物学功能的场发射扫描电子显微镜(FE-SEM)将扩大地球科学研究和教育的范围，并改变爱荷华大学现有设施的材料表征能力。在地球和材料科学的许多原位微量分析应用中，详细的化学和纹理样品表征日益成为重要的组成部分。正确的解释最终取决于对感兴趣的材料或颗粒的主要背景的理解。建立这一背景包括记录样品中矿物或物相的分布和空间关系。二次电子(SE)和背散射电子(BSE)成像将与自动化能量色散X射线光谱分析(EDS)相结合，用于快速识别矿物并定量表征各种材料的矿物丰度、元素分布和纹理特性。阴极发光(CL)成像能力将极大地加强当前在岩石学和地质年代学研究中的微量元素分区表征方面的研究工作。所有信号的同时自动收集将提供矿物分布和结构以及主要、次要和微量元素分布的尖端关联。场发射源将在测绘应用中实现最大的信号产生和源寿命，同时还能够实现纳米级成像分辨率，以表征合成和天然纳米材料。该仪器将主要用于与地质年代学和岩石年代学、构造和变质组构分析、火成岩岩石学和沉积地层表征有关的应用，但其他应用将包括经济地质学、考古学和人类学，以及环境表面膜、合成催化材料和光电半导体设备的表征，以及工程应用。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，被认为值得支持。

A Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) with added diverse imaging and detection capabilities will be acquired by the University of Iowa (UI). This FE-SEM system will 1) improve the quality and range of data that will be collected and analyzed, 2) increase the speed of data collection and thereby enable more efficient and effective use of research and educational funds, 3) facilitate quantitative evaluation of robust datasets, 4) provide additional opportunities for training STEM students for the 21st Century on a robust, user-friendly analytical tool that can be easily learned with comparatively low training time, 5) provide key support for undergraduate and graduate student research and teaching across a wide spectrum of disciplines, 6) be used regularly by faculty in the Earth & Environmental Sciences Department, as well as researchers in the Chemistry and Anthropology Departments and staff in the Iowa Geological Survey, 7) deliver a new level of micro and nano imaging capability for users from the College of Engineering and Department of Physics and Astronomy, and 8) greatly enhance electron microscopy competencies at UI thereby opening new avenues of research to a wider user base within the university itself and surrounding region. Placement of the instrument into the new Iowa Materials Analysis, Testing, and Fabrication (MATFab) facility will provide critical staff and infrastructure support for the instrument, researchers at UI, easy access for researchers at UI and from neighboring institutions (Iowa State University, Cornell College) who identified as major users, as well as others who would be occasional users (University of Northern Iowa, Kansas State University, Purdue University). We envisage that this instrument will become a regional facility, attracting users from elsewhere in the Midwest, given its unique capabilities that are not available elsewhere in the region.Addition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) with automated mineralogy capabilities will expand the scope of Earth Science research and education and transform the materials characterization capabilities of existing facilities available at the University of Iowa. Detailed chemical and textural sample characterization are increasingly critical components of many in-situ microanalytical applications in the Earth and material sciences. Correct interpretation ultimately rests on understanding the primary context of the material or grains of interest. Establishing this context involves documenting the distribution and spatial relationships of minerals or phases within a sample. Secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electron (BSE) imaging will be combined with automated energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis for rapid mineral identification and quantitative characterization of mineral abundance, elemental distributions, and textural properties across a broad range of materials. Cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging capabilities will greatly enhance current research efforts in trace element zoning characterization for petrologic and geochronologic studies. Simultaneous automated collection of all signals will provide cutting edge correlation of mineral distribution and textures and major, minor and trace element distributions. A field emission source will enable maximum signal generation and source longevity for mapping applications while also enabling nanometer scale imaging resolution for characterization of synthetic and natural nanomaterials. The instrument will be primarily used for applications related to geochronology and petrochronology, structural and metamorphic fabric analysis, igneous petrology, and characterization of sedimentary strata, but other applications will include economic geology, archeology and anthropology, and characterization of environmental surface films, synthesized catalytic materials and optoelectronic semi-conductor devices, as well as engineering applications.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.