Acquisition of a High-Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope for Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Research

在主要研究仪器（MRI）项目的支持下，芝加哥大学的Norbert F. Scherer及其同事将获得一台高分辨率扫描透射电子显微镜（S/TEM），用于跨学科纳米科学研究。STEM将用于研究纳米物理、纳米化学和纳米生物学中的系统。一些应用包括纳米晶体的表征；二嵌段共聚物，用于制作纳米粒子阵列线；电活性二嵌段共聚物的相分离与结构研究血红蛋白纤维形成与镰状细胞性贫血；基因组尺度的遗传分析与新型纳米结构材料的制备生物膜;利用光刻胶进行高分辨率电子束书写；以及新的直接模式形成方法。结构和细胞生物学以及纳米科学前沿的许多研究都需要通过透射电子显微镜（TEM）和扫描透射电子显微镜（S/TEM）对标本进行常规表征。高端TEM在图像分辨率和易于解释方面是无与伦比的。此外，随着断层扫描等新功能的出现，电子显微镜正在进入一个新的时代，在这个时代，它的应用可以用（近）原子分辨率来观察分子结构。

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Norbert F. Scherer and colleagues at the University of Chicago will acquire a high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) for interdisciplinary nanoscience research. The STEM will be used to study systems in nano-physics, nano-chemistry, and nano-biology. Some of the applications include characterization of nanocrystals; diblock copolymer used for making nanoparticle array wires; phase separation and structure studies for electroactive diblock copolymers; hemoglobin fiber formation and sickle cell anemia; genome-scale genetic analysis and fabrication of nano-structured materials with novel properties; biomembranes; high resolution e-beam writing using photoresists; and new direct methods of pattern formation. Much of the research at the forefront of structural and cell biology and nanoscience requires routine characterization of specimens by a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM). High-end TEM is unsurpassed in terms of image resolution and ease of interpretation. In addition, with new capabilities such as tomography, electron microscopy is entering a new era in which its application can visualize molecular structure with (near-) atomic resolution.