MRI: Acquisition of an Analytically Based Field Emission SEM

拟议项目的总体目标是支持和扩大奥本大学在纳米科学赞助研究的广泛范围，并提供扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和先进的，跨学科的纳米研究和本科/研究生水平的教育都在奥本大学和周边地区在未来20多年的相关分析需求。 该项目旨在购置一台仪器，该仪器将满足当前和预期的需求，使研究能力实现重大飞跃，并随着研究和教育需求在设备预期的20多年寿命期间的发展，为增加/更新其能力提供充足的空间。 拟议的仪器将强烈影响各种各样的纳米级研究的性能，关键取决于访问先进的场发射SEM仪器目前无法在奥本或在周边地区。 目前的分析需求包括用于全谱成像和组分及相分析的能量色散X射线光谱法（EDS）以及用于研究薄膜多晶微观结构的电子背散射衍射（EBSD），用于晶体织构、晶界分析和定性应变映射。其他高度期望的特性是在低能量下的高分辨率与用于生物成像的可变压力室相结合。该仪器将代表着成像和分析能力的大幅提高，而这是目前奥本或周边地区所没有的。与Au现有的仪器相比，该系统将提供许多重大改进，包括[1]极大地提高了最大分辨率，比现有的SEM好一个数量级以上，特别是在低加速电压下;[2]大大增强和额外的高分辨率分析能力; [3]改进的载物台横向范围、倾斜和稳定性以及全载物台自动化; [4]数字成像能力的根本改进;以及[5]远程在线操作的能力，远程呈现。拟议项目的总体目标是支持和扩大奥本大学在纳米科学领域广泛的赞助研究，并提供扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和相关的分析需要先进的，跨学科的纳米研究和本科/研究生水平的教育都在奥本大学和周边地区在未来20多年。 该项目旨在购置一台仪器，该仪器将满足当前和预期的需求，使研究能力实现重大飞跃，并随着研究和教育需求在设备预期的20多年寿命期间的发展，为增加/更新其能力提供充足的空间。 拟议的仪器将强烈影响各种各样的纳米级研究的性能，关键取决于访问先进的场发射SEM仪器目前无法在奥本或在周边地区。

The overall goal of the proposed project is to support and expand Auburn University's extensive range of sponsored research in the nanosciences and provide for the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and associated analytical needs of advanced, cross-disciplinary nanoscale research and undergraduate/graduate level education both at Auburn University and in the surrounding region over the next 20-plus years. This project is aimed at the acquisition of an instrument that will serve both current and anticipated needs, produce a major leap in research capabilities, and provide ample scope for addition/updating of its capabilities as research and educational needs evolve over the anticipated 20-plus year lifespan of the equipment. The proposed instrumentation will strongly impact the performance of a wide variety of nanoscale research that crucially depends on access to advanced field-emission SEM instrumentation currently not available at Auburn or in the surrounding area. Current analytical needs include greatly improved energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) for full spectrum imaging and component and phase analysis and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) for investigating thin film polycrystalline microstructures for crystallographic texture, grain boundary analysis, and qualitative strain mapping. Other highly desirable characteristics are high resolution at low energy combined with a variable pressure chamber for biological imaging. The instrument will represent a substantial increase in imaging and analytical capabilities not currently available at Auburn or the surrounding area.Compared with existing instrumentation at AU, this system will provide numerous major improvements, including [1] vastly enhanced maximum resolution, more than an order of magnitude better than the existing SEM, especially at low accelerating voltages; [2] greatly enhanced and additional high-resolution analytical capabilities; [3] improved stage traverse range, tilt and stability and full stage automation; [4] radical improvement in digital imaging capabilities; and [5] a capability for remote on-line operation, telepresence.The overall goal of the proposed project is to support and expand Auburn University's extensive range of sponsored research in the nanosciences and provide for the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and associated analytical needs of advanced, cross-disciplinary nanoscale research and undergraduate/graduate level education both at Auburn University and in the surrounding region over the next 20-plus years. This project is aimed at the acquisition of an instrument that will serve both current and anticipated needs, produce a major leap in research capabilities, and provide ample scope for addition/updating of its capabilities as research and educational needs evolve over the anticipated 20-plus year lifespan of the equipment. The proposed instrumentation will strongly impact the performance of a wide variety of nanoscale research that crucially depends on access to advanced field-emission SEM instrumentation currently not available at Auburn or in the surrounding area.