Atomic Force Microscopy System for Biomedical, Materials, and Environmental Research

原子力显微镜系统（AFM）是用于在纳米尺度上成像、测量和操作样品的前沿科学研究工具之一。样品信息是通过用压电驱动的机械探针扫描其表面来获取的。所要求的AFM将是奥肯那根校区唯一的AFM，因此，它将提供给校园内的所有研究人员。在这个建议中，我们强调了一些由不同的教师群体进行的多学科研究，这些研究将受益于该设备。该设备的合作研究人员来自生物医学工程、电气工程、环境工程、机械工程、材料工程和生物物理学等领域。因此，新的AFM系统将支持UBC奥肯那根校区至少七个研究项目的当前和未来研究活动。AFM系统是任何大学校园必不可少的工具，特别是在我们拥有强大的材料和生物/纳米材料研究人员的奥肯那根校园。由于在奥肯那根校区、附近的任何当地学院或研究机构都没有AFM系统，到其他机构进行测量的旅行给各自的研究项目带来了巨大的旅行成本和研究延误。更具体地说，由申请人领导的发现资助和战略项目迫切依赖于AFM系统在我们校园的使用。从长远的角度来看，我们与新兴的当地工业有几个合作机会，可以使用AFM进行新材料的表征。进一步的拖延可能会导致我们失去一些潜在的合作，并对研究项目造成重大损害。拟议的AFM系统将设在工程大楼的综合生物微/纳米技术实验室。我们预计该仪器最初将每周使用约20小时，但随着校园了解AFM的功能，整个校园的用户每月将使用接近或超过140小时。因此，许多院系的研究项目将受到严重影响。该设备将支持大约20名研究生和本科生的跨学科研究。所有将使用原子力显微镜的学生都将接受原子力显微镜如何工作、如何操作原子力显微镜以及如何解释原子力显微镜数据的全面培训。这包括测试背后的理论，仪器校准，样品制备，实验设计和数据分析。AFM的使用将极大地增强他们在显微镜和表面表征技术方面的训练，并真正扩展他们的研究技能。

Atomic force microscopy system (AFM) is one of the leading-edge scientific research tools for imaging, measuring, and manipulating samples at the nanoscale level. Specimen information is acquired by scanning its surface with a piezoelectrically driven mechanical probe. The requested AFM will be the only one on the Okanagan campus and, as such, it will be made available to all researchers on the campus. In this proposal, we highlight some of the multidisciplinary research performed by a diverse group of faculty that will benefit from this equipment. The researchers collaborating for this piece of equipment are from the fields of biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, and biophysics. Therefore, the new AFM system will support current and future research activities of at least seven research programs from UBC’s Okanagan campus. The AFM system is an essential tool on any University campus and especially in the Okanagan campus where we have a strong contingency of materials and bio/nanomaterials researchers. Since there is no AFM system on the Okanagan campus nor in any of the local colleges or research facilities nearby, the travel to other institutions to make measurements has imposed a significant cost of travel and research delay for the respective research programs. More specifically, the discovery grants and strategic projects led by the applicants are urgently dependent on the use of an AFM system on our campus. From a long term perspective, we have several collaboration opportunities with the emerging local industries on the characterization of new materials that can be pursued using the AFM. Further delays will possibly result in losing some of our potential collaborations and significant damage to research programs. The proposed AFM system will be located in the CFI funded Integrated Bio-Micro/Nanotechnology Laboratory in the Engineering Building. We expect that the instrument will initially be used for about 20 hours per week but grow to close to or exceeding 140 hrs per month by users across the campus as the campus learns of the capabilities of the AFM. Therefore, there will be serious impacts to the research programs of many faculties. This equipment will support interdisciplinary research for approximately 20 graduate and undergraduate students. All students who will be working with the AFM will be thoroughly trained in how the AFM works, how to operate the AFM and how to interpret the data from the AFM. This includes the theory behind the tests, instrument calibration, sample preparation, experimental design, and data analysis. The use of the AFM will enhance their training in microscopy and surface characterization techniques immensely and truly allow the expansion of their research skills.