MRI: Acquisition of a Raman Imaging - Scanning Electron Microscope / Focused Ion Beam Instrument for Correlative Analysis of Materials Across Multiple Length Scales

该主要研究仪器项目支持获得一种独特的仪器，用于研究从一毫米到接近原子尺度的多种长度尺度的各种材料。特别是，该仪器探测材料中的化学键和机械应变的信息，同时还在三维空间中评估这些材料在同一位置的形状和组成。该仪器直接支持具有科学和国家利益的领域，如矿产资源开采、能源生产和储存以及生物材料开发。此次收购的更广泛的好处包括：(1)为不同科学学科的大量研究人员提供可管理的，易于访问的相关分析能力；(2)为科罗拉多矿业学院和其他机构的本科生和研究生提供先进的技术培训和使用最先进的仪器；(3)通过实践活动吸引K-12学生进入科学和工程领域。科罗拉多矿业学院获得的拉曼成像扫描电子显微镜/聚焦离子束仪器为跨长度尺度的先进功能无机、有机、生物和地质样品的相关分析提供了一个开放的设施，满足了学术、国家实验室和工业研究项目的不同需求。这是世界上第一个向学术研究人员公开提供的此类仪器。它的使用跨越多个学科和许多类型的材料。拉曼光谱成像使键合，相位和应变识别下降到几百纳米。扫描电子显微镜使表面形貌成像和成分分析在纳米分辨率。聚焦的离子束提供了访问三维成分和结构信息的机会，以及使用其他技术（如透射电子显微镜和原子探针断层扫描）为进一步分析准备样品。整个仪器有助于前所未有地访问三维相，键合，结构，形态和成分关系分析跨越许多数量级的长度。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation project supports acquisition of a unique instrument for studying a variety of materials across multiple length scales - from one millimeter down to near the atomic scale. In particular, this instrument probes information about the chemical bonding and mechanical strain in materials while also evaluating the shape and composition of these materials at the same location in three dimensions. The instrument directly supports areas of scientific and national interest such as mineral resource extraction, energy generation and storage, and biomaterial development. Broader benefits of this acquisition include: (1) providing a managed, easily accessible correlative analysis capability to a large number of researchers in diverse scientific disciplines, (2) advancing technical training of and access to a state-of-the-art instrument for undergraduate and graduate students at Colorado School of Mines and other institutions, and (3) attracting K-12 students to science and engineering fields through hands-on activities.The acquisition of a Raman imaging - scanning electron microscope / focused ion beam instrument by the Colorado School of Mines provides an open facility for the correlative analysis of advanced functional inorganic, organic, biological, and geological samples across length scales that meets the distinct needs of academic, national laboratory, and industrial research projects. This is the first such instrument in the world openly available to academic researchers. Its usage spans multiple disciplines and many types of materials. Raman spectroscopic imaging enables bonding, phase, and strain identification down to a few hundred nanometers. Scanning electron microscopy enables surface morphology imaging and compositional analysis at the nanometer resolution. The focused ion beam presents the opportunity to access three-dimensional compositional and structural information, as well as preparing samples for further analysis using other techniques such as transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. The whole instrument facilitates unprecedented access to three-dimensional phase, bonding, structure, morphology, and compositional relationship analysis spanning many orders of magnitude in length.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.