MRI: Acquisition of a Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope with Elemental Analysis Capability for Enhancing Materials Research at the University of South Dakota

南达科他大学的蒋阳教授和他的同事梅东明、Paul May和Ranjit Koodali将获得一台高分辨率场发射扫描电子显微镜（FE-SEM），该显微镜带有能量色散x射线光谱（EDS）附件，用于元素分析和制图。该提案旨在加强各级的研究和教育，特别是在以下领域：(a)近红外到可见光的等离子体增强；(b)激光辅助化学气相沉积薄膜；(c)不同形态的立方介孔材料；(d)氧化亚铜纳米颗粒；(e)用于空气稳定和防潮柔性光电器件的氟化聚合物材料；(f)用于太阳能燃料催化的金属-半导体杂化纳米晶体；(g)超纯锗单晶解离密度表征及晶圆加工；(h)历史乐器绘画颜料研究；(1)用于地球科学研究的材料表征。扫描电子显微镜（SEM）是表征材料的基本工具之一。一束电子束扫描样品的表面，产生样品成分的微缩图像。电子显微镜可以提供比光显微镜更高的分辨率和放大倍率来探测材料。特征x射线是由与样品中的原子相互作用产生的，当这些原子分散时，可以提供元素组成（EDS）的信息。该仪器将为包括化学、地球科学和环境科学在内的许多领域的研究生和本科生提供显微镜培训和研究机会，为21世纪科学和技术领域的劳动力需求做好准备。该仪器将影响研究人员和学生的研究和研究培训，不仅在南达科他州大学，而且在邻近的机构和部落学院，如巴雷特·埃奇勒，奥古斯塔纳学院；Carl Fictorie，多特学院（爱荷华州苏城）；Subodh Singh和Sinte Gleska大学。

With this award from the Chemistry Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program that is cofunded by the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program, Professor Chaoyang Jiang from University of South Dakota and colleagues Dongming Mei, Paul May and Ranjit Koodali will acquire a high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) attachment for elemental analysis and mapping. The proposal is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) plasmonic enhancement of near-infrared-to-visible luminescence; (b) thin films by laser assisted chemical vapor deposition; (c) cubic mesoporous materials with varied morphologies; (d) cuprous oxide nanoparticles; (e) fluorinated polymeric materials for air-stable and moisture-resistant flexible optoelectronics; (f) metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals for solar fuels catalysis; (g) dissociation density characterization and wafer processing of ultrapure germanium single crystals; (h) research on the pigments in paintings on historical music instruments; and (i) materials characterization for earth science research.A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is one of the basic tools available for the characterization of materials. A beam of electrons scans the surface of a sample resulting in a microimage of the sample composition. The electron microscope can provide higher resolution and magnification than a microscope using light to probe the material. Characteristic X-rays are produced from interaction with atoms in the sample that when dispersed provide information on the elemental composition (EDS). This instrumentation will provide microscopy training and research opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students across many fields including chemistry, earth sciences and environmental science fields preparing them for the demands of the 21st century workforce in science and technology. The instrumentation will impact research and research training of researchers and students not only at the University of South Dakota but also at neighboring institutions and tribal colleges such as Barrett Eichler, Augustana College; Carl Fictorie, Dordt College (Sioux City, Iowa); and Subodh Singh and Sinte Gleska University.