MRI-R2: Acquisition of a High Resolution Field Emission Transmission Electron Microscope for Research in Self-Assembled, Synthetic and Biomolecular Materials

0959393约翰：“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。”该提案解决了杜兰大学对高分辨率场发射透射电子显微镜（FE-TEM）的要求，以补充其现有的电子显微镜能力，并将这些能力用于解决该地区大学和学术研究人员的研究需求。杜兰大学运营着一个电子显微镜设施，作为中央协调仪器设施（CIF） （http://www.tulane.edu/~cif/）的一部分，该设施成立于1991年，旨在维护、管理和操作整个大学的高价仪器。电子显微镜设备配备了一名优秀的电子显微镜师（何继宝博士），他将提供培训，参与数据解释，并维护仪器。智力方面：拟议的TEM将用于开展各种各样的研究项目，并为一系列科学和工程学科的新教师提供更多的研究资源。有3名主要研究人员和6名高级研究人员将直接受益于获得高质量的仪器。V. John将使用该仪器进行各种项目，包括脂质和表面活性剂系统的自组装到管状脂质体和凝胶微观结构。S. Grayson有关树突和大分子的研究，T. Mandal有关药物传递的聚合物纳米粒子的研究，T. Ahsan有关干细胞表征的项目，D. Khismatullin关于细胞骨架表征的研究，N. Pesika关于仿生粘合剂材料的研究，以及J. Wickramarajah关于自组装卟啉基材料的研究。这些都是软材料项目的例子，这些项目将极大地受益于使用高分辨率低温成像技术来了解潜在现象的基本知识。U. Diebold对半导体材料亚表面微结构的研究，Z. Mao对超导和磁性薄膜的研究，N. Pesika对各向异性量子点的研究，以及V. John对自组装系统中陶瓷模板的研究都是亚纳米尺度的高分辨率TEM将有助于了解无机材料生长特征和特性的例子。相对较新的场发射TEM技术的出现，极大地提高了光束能量、亮度和相干性，使得在如此高的分辨率和如此难以成像的系统中进行成像成为可能。该提案代表了杜兰大学将其运行良好的电子显微镜设备改造为最先进的设备，在跨学科的环境中进行前沿研究的努力。

0959393John"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."The proposal addresses Tulane University's request for a high resolution field-emission transmission electron microscope (FE-TEM) to complement its existing capabilities in electron microscopy and bring these capabilities to address the research needs of the university and academic researchers in the region. Tulane University operates an Electron Microscopy Facility as part of a centralized Coordinated Instrumentation Facility (CIF) (http://www.tulane.edu/~cif/) that was established in 1991 with the intent to maintain, manage and operate high priced instrumentation across the University. The electron microscopy facility is well-staffed by an excellent electron microscopist (Dr. Jibao He) who will provide training, participate in data interpretation, and maintain the instrument. Intellectual Aspects: The proposed TEM will be used to carry out a wide variety of research projects and to enhance the research resources available for new faculty across a range of scientific and engineering disciplines. There are 3 principal investigators and 6 senior investigators who will directly benefit from access to a high quality instrument. V. John will use the instrument for a variety of projects involving the self-assembly of lipid and surfactant systems to tubular liposomes and gel microstructures. S. Grayson's research related to dendrimers and macromolecules, T. Mandal's research in polymer nanoparticles related to drug delivery, T. Ahsan's project in stem cell characterization, and D. Khismatullin's research in cell cytoskeletal characterization, N. Pesika's research in biomimetic adhesive materials, and J. Wickramarajah's research in self-assembled porphyrin based materials, are all examples of projects in soft materials that will tremendously benefit from the use of high-resolution cryogenic imaging techniques for a fundamental understanding of underlying phenomena. U. Diebold's research in sub-surface microstructures in semi-conducting materials, Z. Mao's research in superconducting and magnetic thin films, N. Pesika's research in anisotropic quantum dots, and V. John's research in ceramics templated in self-assembled systems are examples where high-resolution TEM at the sub-nanometer scale will help understand the growth characteristics and properties of inorganic materials. The relatively recent advent of Field-Emission TEM providing tremendous increases in beam energy, brightness and coherence makes imaging at such resolutions and in such difficult-to-image systems possible. This proposal represents Tulane's efforts to bring its well-run electron microscope facility to a state-of-the-art facility conducting forefront research in an inherently interdisciplinary setting.