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新一代近场扫描光学显微镜仪器，该仪器能够执行组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，该仪器在样品体积上提供了极高的检测灵敏度和分辨率，样品体积约为使用可见光至中红外波长的传统显微工具的十亿分之一。这使得灵敏度提高了约10亿倍，而空间分辨率提高了100%到10000。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、部件和设备的新颖深入分析，这些分析对于在一系列尖端研究和教育项目中扩大对材料性能的理解至关重要。该仪器通过提供进入新的空间、光谱和时间领域的前所未有的通道，支持包括生物学研究、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、传感器等在内的各种研究领域，从而协同补充了UCF科学和工程领域的研究实力和合作。加州大学伯克利分校是联邦政府公认的西班牙裔服务机构，拥有超过7万名学生，是美国最大的R1大学之一。该工具将提供独特的培训、研究和指导机会，为学生提供实践经验和尖端技能。UCF目前提供的几门课程，包括表面科学、纳米技术、光学材料科学、光谱学，甚至天体生物学，都将直接受益于纳入这种最先进仪器的特定内容材料。这项研究使得能够获得由团队配置并由Neaspec定制的新一代近场扫描光学显微镜(NeaSNOM)，以同时执行原子力显微镜(AFM)和纳米级(10 nm空间分辨率)傅里叶变换红外(NanFTIR)和针尖增强拉曼光谱(NanTERS)。独一无二的是，neaSNOM仪器可以使用NanFTIR和NanTERS分析相同的10 nm光斑，通过两种互补技术实现同步高光谱映射。该系统是模块化的，很容易重新配置，以适应用户定义的光源、探测器、从太赫兹到近紫外光波长的泵浦-探测器研究，以及光致发光研究。该仪器通过提供进入新的空间、光谱和时间领域的前所未有的途径，支持包括行星科学、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、超快光谱等在内的各种研究领域，协同补充了UCF科学和工程领域的研究实力和合作。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。

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.