High-resolution X-ray microscopy for correlative tomography, fast screening and in situ mechanical testing of structural and functional materials

材料工程的最终目标是设计具有定制性能的新材料。这就需要关于各种长度尺度的结构和机制及其复杂的相互作用的资料。在实验方面，这产生了对高通量和位点特异性显微镜研究的强烈需求，以及在不同长度尺度上将互补表征方法相关联的工作流程。埃尔兰根-纽伦堡FAU的纳米分析和电子显微镜中心（CENEM）提供用于中小长度尺度的3D表征的尖端仪器，包括原子探针断层扫描、（S）TEM断层扫描和FIB断层扫描。在大长度尺度上，X射线层析成像方法已被广泛用于材料表征和失效分析。由于X射线技术的不断改进，现在可以通过现代微米和纳米CT设备实现亚微米级的分辨率。然而，到目前为止，只有采用同步辐射源的X射线光学器件在实验室显微镜设置中定期实现低至50 nm的分辨率。这种惊人的分辨率可以直接弥合两种非破坏性断层扫描技术（X射线和电子断层扫描）之间在样本量和特征尺寸方面的差距。直接连接电子断层扫描和X射线断层扫描还将基础的、基于物理的材料研究与工程应用联系起来。相关层析成像实现的尺度桥接3D分析还为多尺度建模方法和集成计算材料工程提供了重要的输入。在这项提案中，我们的目标是用尖端的X射线显微镜/纳米CT设备补充CENEM的优秀仪器，并建立工作流程和数据结构，用于跨长度尺度的相关3D表征和建模。特别是，我们希望实现以下目标：开发相关的三维显微镜与互补断层扫描技术，建立规模桥接材料表征使用特定地点的准备，进行非破坏性的三维原位研究，包括微观力学测试，建立方法直接使用三维数据建模和模拟的材料，并开发新的快速筛选方法组合薄膜研究。在这一领域的研究工作将由材料和过程的断层扫描的新教授职位，这将由FAU和Fraunhofer IIS的X射线技术开发中心（EZRT）联合任命。该项目直接有助于FAU主要研究领域新材料和工艺的结构和功能材料工程，其中包括几个合作研究中心（SFB/TR 103，SFB 814，SFB 953），研究培训组GRK 1896电子，X射线和扫描探针原位显微镜，以及先进材料卓越工程集群。

The ultimate goal of materials engineering is the design of new materials with tailored properties. This requires information on the structure and mechanisms at all length scales and their complex interplay. On the experimental side this generates a strong need for high throughput and site-specific microscopic studies and a workflow which correlates complementary characterization methods at different length scales. The Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM) of the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg provides cutting edge instrumentation for 3D characterization at small and medium length scales, including atom probe tomography, (S)TEM tomography and FIB tomography. At large length scales X-ray tomography methods are well established for materials characterization and failure analysis. Due to continuous improvements in X-ray technology resolutions down to sub-micron scale can now be achieved with modern micro- and Nano-CT equipment. However, so far only X-ray optics adopted from synchrotron sources achieve, on a regular basis, resolutions down to 50 nm in lab based microscope setups. This amazing resolution allows directly bridging the gap in sample volume and feature size between two non-destructive tomography techniques, X-ray and electron tomography. Directly linking electron tomography and X-ray tomography also connects fundamental, physics-based materials research with engineering applications. The scale-bridging 3D analysis enabled by correlative tomography furthermore provides important input for multiscale modeling approaches and integrated computational materials engineering. In this proposal we aim to complement the excellent instrumentation at CENEM with cutting-edge X-ray microscopy/nano-CT equipment and to establish workflows and data structures for correlative 3D characterization and modeling across length scales. In particular, we want to achieve the following: develop correlative 3D microscopy with complementary tomography techniques, establish scale-bridging materials characterization using site-specific preparation, perform non-destructive 3D in situ studies, including micromechanical tests, establish methods for direct use of 3D data for modelling and simulation of materials, and develop new fast screening approaches for combinatorial thin film research. The research efforts in this field will be sustained by a new professorship on Tomography of Materials and Processes, which will be jointly appointed by the FAU and the Development Center for X-Ray Technology (EZRT) of the Fraunhofer IIS. This project directly contributes to engineering of structural and functional materials in FAUs main research area New Materials and Processes, which comprises, among others, several Collaborative Research Centers (SFB/TR103, SFB814, SFB 953), the Research Training Group GRK1896 In Situ Microscopy with Electrons, X-Rays and Ecanning Probes, and the Cluster of Excellence Engineering of Advanced Materials.