Aquisition of a Scanning Electron Microscope for Materials Research and Education

该补助金支持购买扫描电子显微镜（SEM），以支持材料中基本现象的研究。它还将被用作本科生的培训中心，在那里他们将学习在物理学，生物学，材料科学和化学领域进行研究所采用的技术和过程。波多黎各大学，卡伊（UPR，卡伊）是一个非博士。位于美国波多黎各联邦山区中心的一所授予机构。 两个代表性的项目将使用SEM的能力是：（1）立方氮化硼薄膜的合成使用物理气相沉积;和（2）金属-绝缘体-半导体（MIS）结构的表征和优化。物理系将提供一个关于SEM技术的课程，其中 介绍了软、硬物质研究的原理和技术。学生将有动手准备样品和生产高分辨率的三维图像的经验。还将准备一个短期课程，以认证将使用该仪器作为其研究一部分的学生。物理实验方法课程将SEM作为学生开展实验的一个站点。 生物学课程的学生，如植物学，也有望成为参与者。10%的仪器时间将被分配到演示和研讨会上的使用和应用SEM，特别是针对学生注册的课程，如物理科学和分析化学，来自社区的大学预科学生，以及其他感兴趣的人。 计划为初中和高中女生举办一个特别讲习班，鼓励她们从事科学职业。

This grant supports the acquisition of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to support research on fundamental phenomena in materials. It will also be used as a training center for undergraduate students, where they will learn techniques and processes employed in doing research in areas of Physics, Biology, Materials Science and Chemistry. The University of Puerto Rico, Cayey (UPR, Cayey) is a non-PhD. granting institution located in the mountainous center of the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Two representative projects that will use the SEM capabilities are: (1) The synthesis of cubic boron nitride thin films using physical vapor deposition; and (2) Characterization and optimization of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures.The Department of Physics will offer a course on SEM techniques in which the principles and techniques associated with the study of soft and hard matter will be introduced. The students will have hands-on experience preparing samples and producing three-dimensional images at high resolution. A short course will also be prepared to certify students who will use the instrument as part of their research. The course of Experimental Methods of Physics will use the SEM as one of its stations where the students will develop experiments. Students from biology courses, such as Botany, are also expected to be participants. Ten percent of the instrument time will be assigned to demonstrations and workshops on the use and applications of SEM, particularly aimed at students registered in courses such as Physical Sciences and Analytical Chemistry, pre-college students from the community, and others who are interested. A special workshop is planned for middle and high school female students to stimulate them to pursue careers in sciences.