MRI: Acquisition of a High Resolution X-Ray Microdiffractometer System for Advanced Materials Research and Education at Drexel

技术概述：PIs提议获得先进的高分辨率x射线微衍射仪（XRD）系统，该系统带有二维（2D）区域探测器，用于德雷塞尔大学的先进材料研究和教育。目前，Drexel拥有一个充满活力的XRD社区，由来自六个不同Drexel部门的超过25名固定用户组成，他们都在使用旧的西门子D-500粉末衍射仪单元，该单元安装于25年前，功能非常有限。目标系统是带有VANTEC-500探测器的NEW Bruker D8 Discover。许多重要的功能，如微衍射、薄膜分析、小角度x射线散射、高温原位测量以及新开发的2D VANTEC-500探测器，使该仪器成为多学科材料研究的理想选择。将受益于该仪器的主要研究项目包括：(1)功能纳米杂化材料的结构、形态和性能；(2)Mn+1AXn三元碳化物和氮化物的合成、表征和建模；(3)太阳能电池应用的薄膜和纳米晶半导体；(4)钙钛矿氧化物的原子结构控制以增强功能；(5)独立薄膜和微悬臂传感器的压电增强。如果获得批准，XRD系统将被安置在Drexel的中央研究设施（CRF）中，这是Drexel在纳米技术、生物医学、结构材料、软材料和能源技术方面的先进研究共享仪器资源。将XRD系统置于CRF的保护之下，将使该仪器广泛适用于一般科学界，同时显著提高Drexel的CRF的知名度、区域重要性和用户基础。提议的仪器将由研究生，本科生和高中生操作，因此将具有强大的教育影响。外行总结：PIs提议为Drexel大学的先进材料研究和教育获得先进的高分辨率x射线微衍射仪（XRD）系统。在Drexel的146个活跃的nsf支持的研究和教育项目中，许多都集中在先进材料和纳米技术研究上。XRD是这些研究和教育活动必不可少的设备。目前，Drexel拥有一个充满活力的XRD社区，由来自六个不同Drexel部门的超过25名固定用户组成，他们都在使用旧的西门子D-500粉末衍射仪单元，该单元安装于25年前，功能非常有限。因此，Drexel大学迫切需要一套先进的XRD系统。目标系统是NEW Bruker D8 Discover。许多重要的功能使该仪器成为材料研究的理想选择。此外，该仪器对物理、化学、生物医学工程、生物学和能源等一般材料相关领域也很重要。如果获得批准，XRD系统将被安置在Drexel的中央研究设施（CRF）中，这是Drexel在纳米技术、生物医学、结构材料、软材料和能源技术方面的先进研究共享仪器资源。将XRD系统置于CRF的保护之下，将使该仪器广泛适用于一般科学界，同时显著提高Drexel的CRF的知名度、区域重要性和用户基础。提议的仪器也将被研究生、本科生和高中生使用，因此将产生强大的教育影响。

Technical Summary: The PIs propose to acquire an advanced high resolution X-ray microdiffractometer (XRD) system with a two-dimensional (2D) area detector for advanced materials research and education at Drexel University. Currently Drexel has a vibrant XRD community of more than 25 regular users from six different Drexel departments who are all working on an old Siemens D-500 Powder Diffractometer unit that was installed more than 25 years ago and has very limited capabilities. The targeted system is the NEW Bruker D8 Discover with a VANTEC-500 detector. A number of important capabilities, such as microdiffraction, thin film analysis, small angle X-ray scattering, high temperature in-situ measurement, and the newly developed 2D VANTEC-500 detector, make the proposed instrument ideal for multidisciplinary materials research. The major research projects that will benefit from the proposed instrument include: (1) Structure, Morphology and Properties of Functional Nanohybrid Materials, (2) Synthesis, Characterization, and Modeling of Mn+1AXn Ternary Carbides and Nitrides, (3) Thin Film and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors for Solar Cell Applications, (4) Control of Atomic Structure in Perovskite Oxides for Enhanced Functionality, and (5) Piezoelectric Enhancement in Freestanding Films and Microcantilever Sensors. The XRD system, if granted, will be housed in Drexel's Centralized Research Facilities (CRF), the shared instrumentation resources for advanced research in nanotechnology, biomedicine, structural materials, soft materials, and energy technologies at Drexel. Placing the XRD system under the umbrella of CRF will make the instrument widely accessible to the general scientific community while significantly enhancing the visibility, regional importance and user base of Drexel's CRF. The proposed instrument will be operated by graduate, undergraduate, and high school students, and therefore will have a strong educational impact.Layman Summary: The PIs propose to acquire an advanced high resolution X-ray microdiffractometer (XRD) system for advanced materials research and education at Drexel University. Among 146 active NSF-supported research and education projects at Drexel, many focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology research. XRD is an essential piece of equipment for these research and educational activities. Currently Drexel has a vibrant XRD community of more than 25 regular users from six different Drexel departments who are all working on an old Siemens D-500 Powder Diffractometer unit that was installed more than 25 years ago and has very limited capabilities. Therefore, there is an urgent need for acquiring an advanced XRD system at Drexel University. The targeted system is the NEW Bruker D8 Discover. A number of important capabilities make the proposed instrument ideal for materials research. In addition, the proposed instrument is also important to general materials-related fields including physics, chemistry, biomedical engineering, biology, and energy. The XRD system, if granted, will be housed in Drexel's Centralized Research Facilities (CRF), the shared instrumentation resources for advanced research in nanotechnology, biomedicine, structural materials, soft materials, and energy technologies at Drexel. Placing the XRD system under the umbrella of CRF will make the instrument widely accessible to the general scientific community while significantly enhancing the visibility, regional importance and user base of Drexel's CRF. The proposed instrument will also be used by graduate, undergraduate and high school students, and therefore will have a strong educational impact.