MRI: Development of Tomographic Atomic Force Microscopy for Nanoscale Volumetric Materials Property Mapping and Machining

非技术描述：原子力显微镜（AFM）在科学和工程的纳米尺度研究中已经变得无处不在。全球50,000台原子力显微镜专注于表面结构和性能的测量，同时最大限度地减少意外的表面修饰。该仪器开发项目采用了一种不同的方法，一层一层地移除材料，从而在映射其属性时依次显示底层材料。所产生的多个图像被组装起来，以实现类似于磁共振成像或计算机断层扫描（CT）扫描的断层扫描，但在纳米尺度上提供了材料的三维特性。仪器的发展在下一代显微镜中达到高潮，具有精确的位置控制，新颖的成像分析软件，以及对纳米级机械铣削和亚表面材料特性的新见解。更广泛地说，该项目增强了康涅狄格大学的显微镜用户设施，并在学生和教师的年度推广活动中发挥作用。这些概念将通过由首席研究员组织的美国科学会议上的材料断层成像专题讨论会和可能的商业化途径进一步传播。技术描述：利用强大的AFM尖端在局部模式方面的进步，该仪器开发项目采用顺序属性映射和精细表面铣削来暴露和成像材料的功能，作为深度的函数。由此产生的纳米级断层扫描，“CT-AFM”，需要下一代显微镜和定制的z轴干涉测量来维持数百张图像的纳米级位置注册。压电、光伏、金属间化合物和纳米复合材料薄膜在该仪器开发过程中作为模型系统，并发布了由该AFM新范式提供的新见解的示例。主要目标是实现穿透厚度，低于10纳米的分辨率。该项目还探索了新的图像分析方法，并推进了纳米级机械铣削。

Non-Technical Description:Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become ubiquitous for nanometer scale research in science and engineering. The 50,000 AFMs worldwide focus on measurements of surface structures and properties while minimizing unintended surface modifications. This instrument development project takes a different approach and removes materials, layer-by-layer, to sequentially reveal the underlying materials while mapping their properties. The multiple images that result are assembled to achieve tomography akin to magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography (CT) scans, but providing materials properties in 3 dimensions at the nanoscale. The instrument development culminates in a next generation microscope with precise location control, novel imaging analysis software, and new insight into nanoscale mechanical milling as well as sub-surface materials properties. More broadly, the project enhances the University of Connecticut's microscopy user facility, and features in annual outreach events with students and teachers. The concepts will further be disseminated through a symposium on materials tomography at a scientific conference in the US organized by the principal investigator and through possible commercialization pathways.Technical Description:Leveraging advances in local patterning with robust AFM tips, this instrument development project employs sequential property mapping and fine surface milling to expose and image materials functionality as a function of depth. The resulting nanoscale tomography, "CT-AFM," necessitates a next generation microscope and custom z-axis interferometry to maintain nanoscale position registry over hundreds of images. Thin films of piezoelectrics, photovoltaics, intermetallics, and nanocomposites serve as model systems during this instrument development, and to publish examples of the novel insight provided by this new paradigm for AFM. The primary objective is to achieve through-thickness, sub-10 nm resolution. The project also explores new image analysis approaches and advances nanoscale mechanical milling.