MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a replacement electron microprobe at Brown University

将得到资助的仪器提供了一种快速、简便的方法来分析大多数固体的化学成分。它不会破坏或影响样品，并且可以分析小到一微米（比人类头发宽度小50倍）的斑点。样品制备简单，不涉及有毒化学物质，分析需要2到6分钟。除了分析化学成分的能力外，该仪器还可以在微米尺度上对样品进行成像。这些特性使它对众多科学家非常有用，从地质学和行星科学，到工程学、化学和生物学，到考古学，甚至艺术史和保护。因为它不涉及使用危险化学品或复杂的多步骤样品制备，它也是教学和夏季研究项目的好工具，包括旨在增加该领域多样性的项目。这笔资金将用于购买最先进的5光谱仪电子显微探针，该探针带有EDS和CL探测器。这将取代现有的（现在失败的）微探针，该探针在其20多年的历史中一直具有很高的生产力和高度使用，为广泛领域的研究人员提供服务。微探针已经成为研究生和本科生教育中不可或缺的一部分。目标是继续并扩大这一成功，保持开放和高质量的微探针设施。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。

The instrument that will be funded provides a fast, easy way to analyze the chemical composition of most solids. It does not destroy or affect the sample, and can analyze spots as small as one micron (50 times smaller than the width of human hair). Sample preparation is simple, and does not involve toxic chemicals, and an analysis takes between 2 and 6 minutes. In addition to its ability to analyze chemical composition, the instrument can also image the sample at the micron-scale. These qualities make it incredibly useful to a wide range of scientists, from geology and planetary science, to engineering, chemistry and biology, to archaeology and even art history and preservation. Because it does not involve using hazardous chemicals or complex, multi-step sample preparation, it is also a great tool for teaching and for summer research projects, including programs aimed at increasing diversity in the field.The funds will be used to purchase a state-of-the-art, 5-spectrometer electron microprobe with EDS and CL detectors. This will replace the existing (now failing) microprobe that has been highly productive, and highly used, over its 20+ year history, serving researchers in a wide range of fields. The microprobe has been an integral part of both graduate and undergraduate education. The goal is to continue and expand this success, maintaining an open and high-quality microprobe facility.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.