MRI: Acquisition of a High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope to Enhance Interdisciplinary Research and Education

技术摘要：该提案要求提供资金，用于购买配备能量色散光谱（EDS）系统的高分辨率透射电子显微镜（HRTEM），以支持德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校（UTA）的资助研究和教育。纳米科学和纳米技术领域的进步需要具有原子分辨率的结构和化学表征能力。使用HRTEM的晶格结构的成像是产生这样的细节的唯一已知方法。基于目前在UTA校园进行的材料研究的优势，我们明智地选择了一套精选的和必要的HRTEM-EDS仪器，这将允许大量的小组和个人研究人员大大提高他们的实验计划。将享受HRTEM-EDS好处的三个主要研究集群是：（一）纳米材料合成;（二）电子材料;和（三）生物材料。从拟议的设施中获得的知识将加深对这三个重点领域纳米结构和材料形成和演变的基本机制的理解。拟议的仪器将成为新成立的大学支持的材料和生物学表征中心（CCMB）的一部分。CCMB是一个多用户设施，由几个最先进的设备组成，为UTA研究人员和学生，其他大学和行业提供服务，促进跨学科研究。 拟议的设施将为本科生和研究生教育和培训提供一个基石实验室。该设施将通过与西班牙裔专业工程师协会（位于UTA校园内）合作，成为吸引代表性不足的少数民族到UTA科学和工程领域的一个组成部分。新设施的使用将扩展到达拉斯/沃斯堡大都市地区的当地工业，该地区拥有400多个电信、航空航天、国防和健康科学行业和机构。最近的材料研究着眼于非常小的尺度（纳米尺度），产生了前所未有的令人兴奋的发现，新材料和设备以及新产业。所提出的高分辨率透射电子显微镜利用高能电子束穿透薄箔材料，提供原子尺度的成像和关于材料的局部结构和化学的独特信息。这种表征工具在研究和合成新颖的、非常小规模的材料中是不可缺少的。 这种新的能力将扩大和激发正在进行的研究在UTA在关键技术领域的重要性，美国和得克萨斯州，包括微电子，纳米技术和生物工程。拟议的仪器将成为新成立的大学支持的材料和生物学表征中心的一部分。这一新设施为本科生和研究生教育以及未来材料科学家和工程师的培训提供了基础实验室。拟议的仪器将通过与西班牙裔专业工程师协会（位于UTA校园内）合作，成为吸引代表性不足的少数民族到UTA科学和工程领域的一个组成部分。这项研究和教育对达拉斯/沃斯堡大都市地区非常重要，该地区拥有400多个电信，航空航天，国防和健康科学行业和机构。

Technical Abstract: This proposal requests funds for the acquisition of a High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system to support funded research and education at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Advancements in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnologies require structural and chemical characterization capability with atomic resolution. The imaging of lattice structures using a HRTEM is the only known method of yielding such details. Based on the strengths of materials research that is currently undertaken on the UTA campus, we have judiciously chosen a select, and requisite, set of HRTEM-EDS instrumentation that will allow a large number of both group and individual researchers to greatly enhance their experimental programs. The three major research clusters that will enjoy the benefits of HRTEM-EDS are: (i) nanomaterial synthesis; (ii) electronic materials; and (iii) biomaterials. Knowledge gained from the proposed facility will deepen understanding of the fundamental mechanisms in the formation and evolution of nanostructures and materials in these three thrust areas. The proposed instrumentation will be part of the newly established and University supported Characterization Center for Materials and Biology (CCMB). CCMB is a multi-user facility consisting of several state-of-the-art pieces of equipment, serving UTA researchers and students, other universities and industry fostering interdisciplinary research. The proposed facility will provide a cornerstone laboratory for undergraduate and graduate education and training. The facility will be an integral part of attracting underrepresented minorities to UTA in the area of science and engineering by partnering with the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (housed on UTA campus). The use of the new facility will be extended to local industry in Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan region, which hosts more than 400 telecommunication, aerospace, defense, and health science industries and institutions. Non-technicalRecent materials research by looking at very small scale (nanoscale) has produced an unprecedented number of exciting discoveries, new materials and devices, and new industries. The proposed high-resolution transmission electron microscope utilizes a high energy beam of electrons to penetrate thin foils of materials providing imaging at the atomic scale and unique information about the local structure and chemistry of materials. Such a characterization tool is indispensable in studying and synthesizing novel, very small scale materials. This new capability will expand and excite ongoing research at UTA in fields of critical technological importance to the U.S. and Texas including microelectronics, nanotechnology, and bioengineering. The proposed instrumentation will be part of the newly established and University supported Characterization Center for Materials and Biology. This new facility provides a cornerstone laboratory for undergraduate and graduate education and training of future materials scientists and engineers. The proposed instrumentation will be an integral part of attracting underrepresented minorities to UTA in the area of science and engineering by partnering with the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (housed on UTA campus). This research and education is important to the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan region, which is home to more than 400 telecommunication, aerospace, defense and health science industries and institutions.