Acquisition of a Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope for Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Research and Education

这份授予扬斯敦州立大学（YSU）的合同是为了获得一台可变压力扫描电子显微镜（SEM），该显微镜配备有高分辨率成像探测器、能量色散x射线光谱仪、纳米模式生成系统、电子背散射衍射和远程控制能力。该仪器将加强现有的新材料研究项目，促进俄亥俄州东北部和宾夕法尼亚州西北部地区机构的STEM教育，促进和加强多学科研究，并扩大YSU的学术与工业合作。拟议的SEM将用于多个科学和工程学科的多学科研究，包括：材料科学，机械和电气工程，化学，物理，生物学，地质学和法医学。该仪器将用于10多个研究项目，涉及30多名研究生和博士后，每年将有300多名本科生使用该仪器。拟开展的跨学科研究项目包括：单晶铁磁形状记忆合金微粒在能源和微机电系统（MEMS）中的应用；稀土氧化物纳米催化剂的合成与表征陶瓷-金属复合材料的晶粒取向和晶界微观结构纳米陶瓷前驱体；宽禁带半导体器件的纳米加工与研究多层聚合物体系中聚合物微透镜和二维/三维光子晶体电子束光刻瘢痕组织中胶原沉积的表征重要商业稀土材料的设计；燃料电池电解质膜；以及碳纳米管的生化检测性能。新的电子显微镜将支持大学的教育和推广目标，并将完全整合到本科和研究生的研究项目中，以及电子显微镜的模块和专门课程中。仪器与YSU网络仪器联盟（STaRBURSTT@YSU）的集成将确保大量外部用户能够访问SEM和其他实验室仪器，其中大多数用户来自社区学院（CC）或其他主要本科机构(PUI) - YSU众所周知的外展活动。SEM将通过以下方式为K-12，本科生和研究生，高中科学教师以及CC和PUI教师提供培训和教育机会：(1)YSU，威斯敏斯特学院，东部门户社区学院，波兰神学院高中和LaBrae高中，特朗布尔职业技术中心和Mahoning Valley历史学会之间的STEM合作项目；(2)高中科学教师暑期素材营；(3) YSU工程探索者及相关项目。由于其相对容易使用和令人印象深刻的纳米级分辨率成像能力，扫描电镜将成为YSU面向K-12社区大学学生和教师的推广项目的核心吸引力之一，特别是那些在少数族裔服务机构工作的学生和教师，他们往往有追求STEM职业的愿望，但缺乏机会。

This award to Youngstown State University (YSU) is for the acquisition of a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with high resolution imaging detectors, an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, nanometer pattern generation system, electron backscatter diffraction, and remote control capabilities. This instrument will enhance existing novel materials research programs, promote STEM education at regional northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania institutions, facilitate and enhance multidisciplinary research, and expand academic-industrial collaborations at YSU. The proposed SEM will be used for multidisciplinary research from several science and engineering disciplines, including: Material Science, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geology, and Forensic Sciences. The instrument will be used in more than 10 research projects involving over 30 graduate students and postdocs, and more than 300 undergraduate students per year will have access to it. Proposed interdisciplinary research projects include: mono-crystalline ferromagnetic shape memory alloy micro-particles for energy and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) applications; synthesis and characterization of rear-earth oxide nanocatalysts; grain orientation and grain boundary microstructure in ceramic-metal composites; nanolayered ceramic precursors; nanofabrication and study of wide bandgap semiconductor devices; e-beam lithography of polymer microlenses and 2-D/3-D photonic crystals on multilayer polymeric systems; characterization of collagen deposition in scar tissue; design of commercially important rare earth materials; fuel cell electrolyte membranes; and, bio-chemical detection properties of carbon nanotubes.The new SEM will support the educational and outreach goals of the university and will be fully integrated into undergraduate and graduate research programs, and into modules and dedicated courses in electron microscopy. The integration of the instrument with the YSU CyberInstrumentation Consortium (STaRBURSTT@YSU) will ensure sophisticated access to the SEM and other lab instruments for a large number of external users, most of whom are at community colleges (CC), or other primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI) - an outreach activity for which YSU is well known. The SEM will provide training and education opportunities to K-12, undergraduate and graduate students, to high school science teachers, and to CC and PUI faculty through: (1) collaborative STEM projects between YSU, Westminster College, Eastern Gateway Community College, Poland Seminary High School and LaBrae High School, Trumbull Career & Technical Center, and Mahoning Valley Historical Society; (2) Summer Materials Camp for High School Science Teachers; and (3) YSU Engineering Explorers and related programs. Thanks to its relative ease of use and impressive imaging capabilities at nanoscale resolution, the SEM will be one of the core attractors in YSU's outreach programs for K-12 & community college students and teachers, especially those at minority serving institutions that often have the desire but lack opportunities to pursue STEM careers.