MRI: Acquisition of a Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope with integrated EBSD, EDS, and CL

索诺玛州立大学（SSU）将获得具有多传感器能力的集成扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和用于样品制备的碳涂层机。这个SEM系统将1)提高收集和分析数据的质量和多样性，2)提高数据收集的速度，促进教师建立协作关系的能力，3)支持现有的课程基础设施和使用现代技术和数据采集技术培训下一代科学家，4)增加STEM学科内学生的多样性。5)促进和维护行业合作伙伴关系和学生实习机会，6)在SSU培养电子显微镜的学术多样化用户基础。拟议的扫描电镜和相关探测器有可能显著影响南苏大学的15门课程和每年约500名学生。除了课堂环境，我们的许多科学专业的学生都参与了独立的研究作为一个顶点的经验，其中许多学生利用SEM的设施作为他们研究的一部分。南苏大学致力于教育各种背景的人，并致力于增加科学领域的性别和种族多样性。SSU是联邦政府认可的西班牙裔服务机构，本科人口中有33%是西班牙裔。这一群体在STEM学科中历来代表性不足；然而，通过最先进的设备获得实践研究机会已被证明是招募代表性不足的人群进入STEM的有效技术。获得拟议的SEM微分析系统将大大提高来自地质，物理和化学系的五名研究人员以及来自SSU其他系（如生物学，人类学，地理学和工程科学）的教职员工的研究议程的质量和范围。该仪器促进的具体研究问题包括：1)断层系统的长期历史，2)造山机制，3)板块构造重建，4)纳米材料的自组装，5)纳米传感器的开发，以及6)研究具有自旋受挫的磁性系统的性质，这些磁性系统可用于创建全磁计算机架构。该工具扩展了我们可以解决的科学问题的类型，并促进了大学内部以及与我们合作机构的跨学科研究。在过去的几年中，南苏目前的系统无法升级，变得不可靠/无法运作；在维修期间，它经常无法使用，也不再提供进行研究所需的高质量数据。除了标准的二次电子成像能力外，能量色散x射线光谱（EDS）、电子背散射衍射（EBSD）和阴极发光（CL）成像能力对SSU教师的研究活动至关重要。我们的研究需要超越这个扫描电镜系统，因为我们需要：1)更快，更敏感的SEM/EBSD系统，可以自动获取大面积制图的数据方案；2)分辨率更高的SEM/EDS系统，可以解析纳米结构的元素分布；3)集成CL探测器，用于与碎屑锆石地质年代学分析相关的晶体成像分区；4)更大的空间，用于分析地质材料；5)集成安全功能，以避免新手用户培训时样品与仪器的碰撞。6)一个可升级的系统，与不断发展的硬件和软件工业相结合；7)提高可靠性，更可靠地集成到课程和研究活动中。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。

An integrated Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with multiple sensor capability and a carbon coater for sample preparation will be acquired at Sonoma State University (SSU). This SEM system will 1) increase the quality and diversity of data that will be collected and analyzed, 2) increase speed of data collection facilitating the faculty’s ability to establish collaborative relationships, 3) support existing curricular infrastructure and training of the next generation of scientists using modern technology and data acquisition techniques, 4) increase student diversity within the STEM disciplines, 5) facilitate and maintain industry partnerships and internship opportunities for students, and 6) foster an academically diverse user-base for electron microscopy at SSU. The proposed SEM and associated detectors have the potential to significantly impact 15 courses at SSU and approximately 500 student per year. In addition to the classroom environment, many of our science majors become involved in independent research as a capstone experience, and many of those students utilize the SEM facilities as part of their research. SSU is committed to educating persons of all backgrounds and is dedicated to increasing gender and ethnic diversity in the sciences. SSU is a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution with an undergraduate population that is 33% Hispanic. This population is historically underrepresented in the STEM disciplines; however, having access to hands-on research opportunities with state-of-the-art equipment has proven to be an effective technique for recruiting underrepresented populations into STEM.The acquisition of the proposed SEM microanalysis system will greatly increase the quality and scope of the research agendas of the five investigators from the Geology, Physics, and Chemistry Departments, as well as faculty members from other departments at SSU (e.g., Biology, Anthropology, Geography, and Engineering Sciences). Specific research questions facilitated by this instrument include: 1) the long-term history of fault systems, 2) mechanisms of mountain building, 3) plate tectonic reconstructions, 4) self-assembly of nano-materials, 5) nano-sensor development, and 6) investigation into the properties of magnetic systems exhibiting spin frustration, which can be used to create all-magnetic computer architectures. This instrument expands the type of scientific questions that we can address and facilitates cross-disciplinary research within the university and with our collaborating institutions. The current system at SSU cannot be upgraded and has become unreliable/non-functioning in the past few years; it is frequently out of commission during repairs and no longer produces the quality of data necessary for conducting research. In addition to standard secondary electron imaging capabilities, Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS), Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), and Cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging capabilities are critical for SSU faculty research activities. Our research needs outstrip this SEM system because we need: 1) a faster, more sensitive SEM/EBSD system that can automate data acquisition schemes for large-area mapping, 2) an SEM/EDS system with increased resolution to resolve elemental distributions of nano-structures, 3) an integrated CL detector for imaging zoning in crystals associated with detrital zircon geochronology analyses, 4) a larger chamber for the analysis of geological materials, 5) integrated safety features to avoid sample-instrument collisions when training novice users, 6) an upgradable system that integrates with the continually evolving hardware and software industry and 7) to increase reliability for more dependable integration into curricular and research activities.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.