MRI: Acquisition of a Confocal Raman Microscope for Multidisciplinary Research at Oakland University

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Non-technical Description:This Major Research Instrumentation award acquires a confocal Raman spectrometer to support research, education, and outreach activities at Oakland University (OU). A Raman spectrometer is an optical instrument that measures vibrations of atoms in molecules and materials. It performs non-invasive materials characterizations with high spatial and spectral resolutions, supports existing research activities, and enables new research directions across disciplines from chemistry, physics, biological science to materials science pursued by researchers at OU. The Raman instrument provides research training and education opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students through research projects, curriculum, and laboratory sessions, and is integrated into outreach activities to help under-represented community members excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Located at OU, this advanced Raman instrument also provides research and educational opportunities to nearby universities and industry, and promotes research collaborations.Technical Description:Raman spectroscopy analyzes the inelastic scattering between incident photons and vibrations of molecules and materials, determines their vibrational modes, and provides a structural fingerprint by which molecules and materials can be identified. The acquired Raman instrument supports a wide range of research topics at OU spanning battery materials, chemical and biosensors, two-dimensional magnet and magnetism, mineral-organic interactions, to organic electronics. The advanced features of this Raman instrument include (i) confocal Raman with high spatial and spectral resolutions (0.5 micrometer and 0.2 cm-1); (ii) electrochemical cells with optical windows; (iii) a cooling and heating stage working from 77 K to 873 K; and (iv) photoluminescence measurement capability from visible to near-infrared (up to 2000 nm). These characteristics enable fundamental research, from understanding the electrochemical processes at electrode-electrolyte interfaces for high energy density batteries and greenhouse gas sensors, to investigation of hybrid magnonics phenomena for future quantum transduction systems and devices.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.