MRI: Acquisition of a Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscope (neaSNOM) with Combined Nano-Infrared/Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Research & Education

该合同支持采购定制的下一代近场扫描光学显微镜仪器，能够执行联合原子力显微镜以及红外和尖端增强拉曼光谱的互补光谱技术。与现有系统相比，该仪器提供了极高的检测灵敏度和分辨率，样品体积比使用可见光到中红外波长的传统显微工具小约10亿倍。这使得灵敏度提高了大约10亿倍，而空间分辨率提高了100到10000个量级。该仪器位于中佛罗里达大学，将为该地区的多学科研究人员提供对材料、组件和设备的新颖深入分析，这些分析对于在一系列前沿研究和教育项目中扩展对材料性能的理解至关重要。该仪器通过提供前所未有的新的空间、光谱和时间域，协同补充了UCF科学和工程领域的研究优势和合作，支持各种研究领域，包括生物研究、等离子体表面相互作用、光伏、聚合物、无机光学材料、半导体器件、传感器等。UCF是联邦政府认可的西班牙裔服务机构，拥有超过70,000名学生，是美国最大的R1大学之一。该仪器将提供独特的培训、研究和指导机会，为学生提供实践经验和尖端技能。UCF目前开设的表面科学、纳米技术、光学材料科学、光谱学、甚至天体生物学等几门课程都将直接受益于这款最先进的仪器所提供的特定内容的材料。该研究获得了下一代近场扫描光学显微镜（neaSNOM），该显微镜由该团队配置，由Neaspec定制，可同时执行原子力显微镜（AFM）和纳米级（10纳米空间分辨率）傅里叶变换红外（nanoFTIR）和尖端增强拉曼光谱（nanoTERS）。独特的是，neaSNOM仪器可以用纳米oftir和纳米光谱仪分析同一个10纳米点，通过两种互补技术实现同时的高光谱制图。该系统是模块化的，易于重新配置，以适应用户定义的光源，探测器，从太赫兹到近紫外波长的泵浦探针研究，以及光致发光研究。该仪器通过提供前所未有的新的空间、光谱和时间域，协同补充了UCF科学和工程领域的研究优势和合作，支持各种研究领域，包括行星科学、生物研究、等离子体表面相互作用、光伏、聚合物、无机光学材料、半导体器件、传感器、超快光谱等。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award supports the acquisition of a custom next-generation Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscope Instrument, capable of performing combined Atomic Force Microscopy as well as the complementary spectroscopic techniques of infrared and Tip-Enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Compared to existing systems, this instrument provides extremely high detection sensitivity and resolution on sample volume approximately a billion times smaller than that of traditional microscopic tools using wavelengths in the visible to mid-infrared. This results in approximately a one-billion-fold increase in sensitivity while the spatial resolution is improved by a factor of 100 to 10000 of magnitude. Housed at the University of Central Florida, the instrument will provide multi-disciplinary researchers within the region access to novel in-depth analyses of materials, components, and devices critical to expanding the understanding of material performance in a range of cutting-edge research and educational programs. The instrument synergistically complements research strengths and collaborations across UCF science and engineering by offering unprecedented access to new spatial, spectral, and temporal domains, supporting a diverse range of research areas including biological studies, plasmonic surface interactions, photovoltaics, polymers, inorganic optical materials, semiconductor devices, sensors, and more. UCF is federally recognized as a Hispanic serving institution, and with over 70,000 students, UCF is among the largest R1 universities in the United States. This instrument will enable unique training, research, and mentoring opportunities that give students hands-on experience and cutting-edge skills. Several classes currently offered at UCF on surface science, nanotechnology, optical materials science, spectroscopy, and even astrobiology will directly benefit by incorporating content-specific material from this state-of-the-art instrument. This research enables the acquisition of a next-generation Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscope (neaSNOM), configured by the team and custom-built by Neaspec to perform simultaneous Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and nanoscale (10 nm spatial resolution) Fourier Transform infrared (nanoFTIR) and Tip-Enhanced Raman spectroscopy (nanoTERS). Uniquely, the neaSNOM instrument can analyze the same 10-nm spot with nanoFTIR and nanoTERS, enabling simultaneous hyperspectral mapping via two complementary techniques. The system is modular and easily reconfigured to accommodate user-defined light-sources, detectors, pump-probe studies from THz to near-UV wavelengths, and photoluminescence studies. The instrument synergistically complements research strengths and collaborations across UCF science and engineering by offering unprecedented access to new spatial, spectral, and temporal domains, supporting a diverse range of research areas including planetary science, biological studies, plasmonic surface interactions, photovoltaics, polymers, inorganic optical materials, semiconductor devices, sensors, ultrafast spectroscopy, and more.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.