MRI: Acquisition of a Multipurpose X-ray Diffractometer for Interdisciplinary Materials Research and Education

该主要研究仪器奖支持伯明翰的亚拉巴马大学获得多用途X射线衍射仪，用于跨学科材料研究和教育。晶体结构、晶体取向和纳米材料的X射线表征在新材料的开发中起着关键作用。与该项目相关的教师参与了各种研究领域，包括工业应用的超硬材料，半导体，激光新材料，能源应用材料，以及用于植入物和再生医学研究的生物材料。该仪器还在生物学、生物医学工程、化学、材料科学与工程以及物理学等广泛学科的研究生和本科生教育中发挥着重要作用。参与该项目的研究生和本科生中有很大一部分属于科学和工程学科代表性不足的群体。多用途衍射仪的收购允许在薄膜器件和纳米结构领域开发新课程和增强现有课程。这些研究生和本科生水平的课程加强了对急需的先进制造业劳动力的培训。X射线检测器技术、X射线反射镜和X射线单色仪的最新创新使得新型衍射仪成为可能，这种衍射仪可以在一台仪器中提供所有所需的X射线测量，并且在各种应用之间的切换时间最短。这种多用途X射线衍射仪的获取允许通过小角度X射线散射研究散装和薄膜材料、材料中的优选取向或纹理、以及颗粒/孔径、纳米结构样品的均匀性。它可以在金属上的纳米结构金刚石薄膜沉积，中红外激光器的掺杂硫属化物晶体，燃料电池的氧化物材料，高功率电子设备的外延半导体，催化剂，纳米复合材料以及生物医学植入物和组织工程应用材料方面进行变革性研究。这些研究由跨学科的教师团队领导，并导致对结构相变和界面，极端环境中的机械磨损行为，中红外激光器的效率，晶体材料的纹理和应变以及材料的生物相容性的基本理解。

This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the University of Alabama at Birmingham to acquire a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer for interdisciplinary materials research and education. X-ray characterization of crystal structures, crystal orientations, and nanometer-sized materials plays a key role in development of new materials. The faculty members associated with this project are involved in a variety of research fields including super-hard materials for industrial applications, semiconductors, novel materials for lasers, materials for energy applications, and biomaterials used in implants and regenerative medicine research. This instrument also plays a significant role in the education of graduate and undergraduate students in a wide range of disciplines including biology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, materials science and engineering, and physics. A significant fraction of graduate and undergraduate students involved in this project belongs to groups that are underrepresented in the science and engineering disciplines. The acquisition of multipurpose diffractometer allows for development of new courses and enhancement of existing courses in the area of thin-film devices and nanostructures. Such courses at graduate and undergraduate levels enhance training for much needed advanced manufacturing workforce.Recent innovations in x-ray detector technologies, x-ray mirrors, and x-ray monochromators have made it possible for a new class of diffractometers that can provide all the desired x-ray measurements in one instrument with minimal switching time between various applications. This acquisition of a multipurpose x-ray diffractometer allows studies on bulk and thin-film materials, preferred orientation or texture in materials, and particle/pore size, homogeneity of the nanostructured samples by small-angle x-ray scattering. It enables transformative research in nanostructured diamond thin-film deposition on metals, doped chalcogenide crystals for mid-infrared lasers, oxide materials for fuel cells, epitaxial semiconductors for high-power electronic devices, catalysts, nanocomposites, and materials for biomedical implants and tissue engineering applications. These studies are led by an interdisciplinary team of faculty and result in a fundamental understanding of structural phase transformations and interfaces, mechanical wear behavior in extreme environments, efficiency of mid infrared lasers, texture and strain in crystalline materials, and biocompatibility of materials.