The Leeds EPSRC Nanoscience and Nanoequipment User Facility

该提案旨在为利兹大学的外部用户提供重要的“免费使用”泵启动访问，以获得最先进的纳米科学设备和纳米科学专业知识。分析的重点是软物质材料，即专门研究无机纳米系统和混合无机/有机系统/即生物纳米技术的纳米技术研究人员的访问。 我们在过去9年中提供高质量科学和培训的经验完善了这个小型设施的运营策略，我们将继续支持广泛的英国用户，推进高质量的协作科学，并提供高外部利用率为现有的、维护良好的资本设备。我们将使我们的活动与用户驱动的研究主题相一致，这些主题映射到与物理科学相关的EPSRC塑造能力倡议，以及具有社会重要性的主题。可行的设施将包括一个协同（“一站式”）用于表征和结构及器件制造的相互关联的技术的组合：低压扫描电子显微镜（SEM）;（低温）分析透射电子显微镜（TEM）;近环境压力X射线光电子能谱（XPS）;（低温）聚焦离子束（FIB）和电子束光刻（EBL）以及相关的洁净室入口。我们估计，这一设备基础及其固有能力将与EPSRC物理科学相关的51个主题中的50%相关。然而，如上所述，我们的目的是提供软物质材料的专业。作为一个团队，我们在有机/无机混合体系领域的纳米计量学研究方面有着良好的记录，并利用上述新获得的仪器，我们能够分析电子束敏感或“软”材料，并改进剂量控制，更快，更灵敏的检测器，特别值得注意的是，在冷冻，水合状态下，使我们能够探索近自然状态下软物质系统的分析科学。我们希望新的仪器能够在化学工程、电子工程、机械工程、物理、化学、食品科学、地球与环境以及生物科学领域产生重大影响。我们相信，这种综合分析方法最终将在整体科学理解和输出方面提供更富有成效的服务（在培训、成果、同行评审论文和赠款申请方面），而不是零敲碎打地提供许多单独的专业活动。我们也相信，作为一个集团，我们拥有的综合经验和设施，以提供这种全面的综合服务成功和有效。

This proposal is to provide significant "free at point of use" pump-priming access for external users to state-of-the-art nanoscience equipment and nanoscience expertise at the University of Leeds. Analysis is to be focused on soft matter materials i.e. access for nanotechnology researchers specialising in both inorganic nanosystems and hybrid inorganic/ organic systems / i.e. bionanotechnology. The operational strategy of this small-scale facility has been refined by our experience of delivering high quality science and training over the past 9 years and we will continue to support a broad range of UK users, advance high quality collaborative science, and provide a high external utilisation factor for existing, well maintained capital equipment. We will align our activities with user-driven research themes that map onto the EPSRC Shaping capabilities initiatives relevant to the Physical Sciences, as well as themes of societal importance. Accessible facilities will include a synergistic ("one stop shop") combination of inter-related techniques for both characterisation and structural and device fabrication: low voltage scanning electron microscopy (SEM); (cryo-) analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM); near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); (cryo-) focused ion beam (FIB) and electron beam lithography (EBL) together with associated cleanroom access. We estimate that this equipment base and its inherent capability would be relevant across up to 50% of the 51 themes associated with the EPSRC Physical Sciences. However, as stated above, it is our intention to provide a specialism in soft matter materials. As a group we have a strong track record in Nanometrology research in the area of hybrid organic/inorganic systems and with the newly acquired instrumentation outlined above, we are able to analyse electron beam sensitive or 'soft' materials with improved dose control, with faster, more sensitive detectors and of particular note, in the frozen, hydrated state, enabling us to explore analytical science on soft matter systems in the near-native state. We expect the new instrumentation to make significant impact in Chemical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Food Sciences, Earth & Environment, and Biological Sciences.We believe that this integrated analytical approach will ultimately provide a much more productive service both in terms of overall scientific understanding and also output (in terms of training, results, peer reviewed papers and grant applications), as opposed to the piecemeal provision of many separate specialist activities. We also believe that, as a grouping, we possess the combined experience and facilities to deliver this fully integrated service successfully and efficiently.