MRI: Acquisition of a Photo-Induced Force Microscope for High Resolution Nanoscale Spectroscopic Imaging and Analysis

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The development of next-generation materials and processes requires advanced tools for nanoscale imaging and chemical analysis. Conventional spectroscopy and microscopy techniques are unable to provide molecular-level information with high spatial resolution, limiting the ability of researchers to create high-performance materials with unprecedented functionality. To bridge such a critical gap in nanoscale characterization, this Major Research Instrumentation award supports Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with the acquisition and installation of a photo-induced force microscope (PiFM). The instrument will enable infrared absorption spectroscopy and chemical mapping of complex nanomaterials with better than 10-nanometer spatial resolution. Research projects supported by the PiFM will enhance the understanding of natural systems and develop new materials, chemicals, and processes that have high-impact applications in healthcare, computing, energy conversion and storage, and materials/environmental sustainability. The PiFM instrument will be installed in the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) CBIS Microscopy Core, a multiuser facility that provides expert instrument training and access to internal and external users from academic, industry, and non-profit sectors in the U.S. Northeast region. Additionally, the PiFM will be a crucial tool for educating the next generation of scientists in modern nanoscale characterization modalities that integrate imaging with chemical analysis. To that end, the PiFM will also be incorporated into hands-on learning experiences designed for K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students.With support from this Major Research Instrumentation award, the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will acquire and install a photo-induced force microscope (PiFM). The instrument will be placed in a multiuser instrumentation facility open to academic, industry, and non-profit researchers via remote or on-site access. Developed and commercialized within the past decade, PiFM is a cutting-edge platform that integrates non-contact atomic force microscopy with mechanical detection of near-field optical phenomena to generate label-free high-resolution images rich in molecular information. The spatial resolution of PiFM is 5 - 10 nm, making it the highest resolution technique available to date for molecular vibrational spectroscopic imaging. The PiFM will enable activities such as: visualizing the spatial distribution and evolution of chemical functionality and conformation of surface-bound (macro)molecules; characterizing nanoscale domains and interfaces in organic and inorganic materials non-destructively; and observing localized molecular alterations in materials resulting from disease or from novel materials fabrication processes. The PiFM will support ongoing research projects in three thematic categories: 1) Surface Modification and Interfacial Phenomena, 2) Nanoscale Interfaces and Structures, and 3) Chemically Inhomogeneous Materials. Example projects include: development of protein coatings for biomedical surface functionalization, optimization of enzymes for polymer depolymerization and recycling, design of filtration membranes with high selectivity and flux, study of semiconducting thin films and ferroelectrics for high performance microelectronics, elucidation of bone fragility mechanisms caused by diabetes, synthesis of metallopolymer blends as semiconducting films in ultra-sensitive FET-based sensors, development of bioelectronic materials with high in vivo compatibility and resilience, and other areas of multidisciplinary high-impact research. Open house showcases and workshops will be offered recruit new users from the surrounding region. Additionally, the PiFM will also be incorporated into undergraduate research training programs and K-12 educational outreach activities.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.