A Versatile, high-throughput, Analytical Transmission Electron Microscope (VATEM)

电子显微镜允许成像和光谱分辨率高达并包括原子分辨率，是材料表征的关键工具。最高的空间分辨率是在透射电子显微镜（TEM）中发现的，它使用非常薄的样品（纳米或10纳米厚度）来最小化光束扩散。术语“TEM”，实际上是指一系列实验技术，包括衍射衬度成像，高分辨率TEM（HRTEM），扫描TEM（STEM），能量色散X射线（EDX）光谱映射和电子能量损失光谱（EELS）。当前提案的目的是在牛津大学获得多功能，高通量，分析TEM（VATEM）。该仪器的目标是它应该是多功能的，因此能够解决尽可能广泛的材料科学问题;它应该是高通量的，最大限度地提高科学交付;它应该相对容易使用，使研究人员能够体验TEM方法的能力，并发展该领域的专业知识。长期以来，英国在TEM方法的开发和应用方面一直处于世界领先地位，并在世界领先的能力方面进行了大量投资，例如SuperSTEM（达雷斯伯里）和ePSIC（钻石光源）以及Rosalind富兰克林研究所，这些研究所提供特定的高水平能力。这些设施只有在大学英才中心的仪器支持基础设施的情况下才是可持续的。这里提议的仪器将成为支持区域和国家研究的基础设施的一个重要部分，VATEM被指定用于研究尽可能广泛的样品。该文书将涉及的科学组合在本提案中以能源储存和转换材料、核能材料和纳米材料领域为例，但潜在的应用范围远大于此。对于储能、光伏、核能、催化、抗降解和半导体器件应用至关重要的材料都具有由其纳米级结构和化学控制的关键特性。TEM中可用的成像和光谱方法可用于确定结构和化学。然而，也存在一些挑战。许多这样的材料是空气敏感的，电子束敏感的，或两者兼而有之。MEMS技术的发展进一步允许在包括冷却、加热、气体、厌氧、液体、光、电和机械刺激的各种环境下进行纳米级结构和成分测量。该仪器旨在应对这些挑战。VATEM将提供国家和国际研究人员，他们可以证明仪器的能力将满足他们的研究需要。

Electron microscopes allow imaging and spectroscopy at resolution up to and including atomic resolution, and are key tools for materials characterisation. The highest spatial resolutions are found in the transmission electron microscope (TEM), which makes use of a very thin samples (nanometres or 10s of nanometres thickness) to minimise beam spreading. The term "TEM", actually refers to a range of experimental techniques, including diffraction contrast imaging, high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), scanning TEM (STEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy mapping and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS).The aim of the current proposal is to procure a Versatile, high-throughput, Analytical TEM (VATEM) at the University of Oxford. The aim of the instrument is that it should be versatile and therefore able to address the widest possible range of materials science problems; it should be high-throughput maximising the science delivery; and it should be relatively easy to use to enable researchers to experience the capabilities of TEM methods and to develop expertise in the field. It will be accessible to researchers ranging from undergraduates performing research projects to experienced academics.The UK has long been a world-leader in TEM method development and application, with substantial investment in world-leading capabilities such as those at SuperSTEM (Daresbury) and ePSIC (Diamond Light Source) and the Rosalind Franklin Institute which provide specific, high-level capabilities. Such facilities are only sustainable with a supporting infrastructure of instruments located at university centres of excellence. The instrument proposed here will form an important part of that infrastructure supporting regional and national research.The VATEM has been specified to study the widest possible range of samples. The portfolio of science that the instrument will address is exemplified in this proposal in the fields of materials for energy storage and conversion, materials for nuclear energy and nanomaterials, but the potential breadth of application is much greater than this. Materials critical for applications in energy storage, photovoltaic, nuclear, catalytic, degradation resistant and semiconductor devices all have key properties controlled by their structure and chemistry at the nanoscale. The imaging and spectroscopy methods available in a TEM can be used to determine structure and chemistry. There are, however, a number of challenges. Many such materials are either air-sensitive, electron-beam sensitive, or both. Developments in MEMS technology further allows nanoscale structure and composition measurements under a variety of environments including cooling, heating, gases, anaerobic, liquids, optical, electrical and mechanical stimuli. The instrument has been designed to address these challenges.The VATEM will be available researchers national and internationally who can demonstrate that the instruments capability will be meet a need in their research.