MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope to Advance Multidisciplinary Research and Education

该奖项来自主要研究仪器项目，支持伊利诺伊州立大学（ISU）购买具有二次电子（SE）、背散射电子（BSE）、阴极发光（CL）成像和能量色散x射线光谱（EDS）能力的变压场发射扫描电子显微镜（FESEM）。该仪器有利于伊利诺伊州立大学（ISU）的五个部门和伊利诺伊州中部的四个附近机构（伊利诺伊卫斯理大学，米利金大学，布拉德利大学和伊利诺伊大学斯普林菲尔德）的研究和教学活动。该仪器的新功能，如高分辨率低压和低真空成像、EDS和CL，允许用户加强和扩展物理、材料科学、生物学、化学和地质学方面的前沿研究活动。本科生（主要）、硕士生和博士生的研究经验将得到促进。计划每年将FESEM-EDS-CL整合到几门课程中，有150多名本科生参加。该项目还包括与当地K-12教育工作者和社区学生合作，以吸引公众参与。具有EDS和CL功能的高分辨率可变压力FESEM将促进纳米科学、材料科学、物理学、生物学、化学、地质学等领域的问题驱动型前沿研究项目，预计在5个机构中有25个实验室。超低电压和可变压力下的超高分辨率成像能力、BSE成像和使用EDS进行元素识别，为表征小至亚2nm尺寸的材料提供了机会。科学家将能够在低压和低压下以低于5纳米的分辨率成像嵌段共聚物模板和无机纳米结构；执行相关fesem光学显微成像，分辨率低于2纳米；新型的10纳米以下聚合物、金属及其复合材料用于药物输送系统、基于表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）的传感装置和光响应催化剂。几个生物科学和生物化学研究小组从ISU和附近机构的能力中受益。每年约有25名本科生、6名硕士和2名博士将使用FESEM进行研究。妇女和代表性不足的少数民族将受益于在伊索大学征聘和培训少数民族的现有倡议。此外，该仪器将使两名早期职业女性教员受益。拓展工作包括与当地K-12教育工作者和社区学生合作。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 award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports the acquisition of a variable-pressure field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with secondary electron (SE), backscatter electron (BSE), and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) capabilities at Illinois State University (ISU). The instrument benefits research and teaching activities across five departments at Illinois State University (ISU) and four nearby institutions in central Illinois (Illinois Wesleyan University, Millikin University, Bradley University, and University of Illinois – Springfield). The new capabilities of the instrument such as as high-resolution low-voltage and low-vacuum imaging, EDS, and CL allow the users to enhance and expand cutting-edge research activities in physics, material sciences, biology, chemistry, and geology. Research experiences for undergraduates (majorly), and masters and PhD students will be facilitated. There is a plan to integrate the FESEM-EDS-CL in several courses annually, attended by over 150 undergraduate students. The project also includes outreach efforts to engage the general public, including partnering with local K-12 educators and students in the community. The high-resolution variable pressure FESEM with EDS and CL capabilities will facilitate problem-driven cutting-edge research projects in nanoscience, materials science, physics, biology, chemistry, geology with an anticipated 25 laboratories across five institutions. The ultra-high resolution imaging capability at low voltages and variable pressure, BSE imaging and elemental identification using EDS provide opportunity to characterize materials as small as sub-2 nm dimension. Scientists will be able to image block copolymer templates and inorganic nanostructures with sub 5-nm resolution at low voltage and low pressure; perform correlated FESEM-Optical Microcopy imaging with sub-2 nm resolution; new types of sub-10 nm polymers, metals, and their composites for drug-delivery systems, Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-based sensing devices, and optically responsive catalysts. Several biological sciences and biochemistry research groups benefit from the capability at ISU and nearby institutions. About 25 undergraduates, 6 MS, and 2 PhD students would use the FESEM for research per year. Females and underrepresented minorities will benefit through existing initiatives to recruit and train minorities at ISU. Moreover, the instrument will benefit two early-career female faculty. Outreach efforts include partnering with local K-12 educators and students in the community.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.