Integrated atomic force and confocal fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope with fibre-coupled infrared detector for materials research

我们对该设备的愿景是通过建立一个利基能力领域并促进世界领先的材料科学来改变英国的工程和物理科学(EPS)研究。为了实现这一目标，我们建议为材料研究提供具有独特配置的世界领先仪器，并开发大量学术和工业用户，培训下一代最先进技术的研究人员。我们建议购买两台免费设备，用于组装和集成到一台仪器中：一台多功能原子力显微镜(AFM)和一台共焦荧光寿命成像显微镜(CFLIM)。上半部分是原子力显微镜，能够在纳米级表征从光伏设备的半导体到组织工程的支架等各种材料的形貌、机械和电学特性。下半部分是高端共聚焦显微镜，它不是基于样品中荧光标记的发射波长进行成像，而是可以测量它们的荧光寿命，这很大程度上受到分子环境的影响。我们的仪器是世界上独一无二的，它是一个光纤耦合红外探测器，用于测量半导体材料的荧光衰变。世界上还没有其他AFM-CFLIM系统具有红外探测功能，因此我们的设备将是独一无二的。我们的设备将因其独特的材料科学配置而成为全球参考设施，并建立研究能力的利基市场。AFM和CFLIM的结合将揭示尚未完全了解的几组特性之间的关键关系，并将导致材料的改进和发展。它将惠及多个研究领域，如太阳能技术和能源材料，因为它将允许晶体结构、导电性和电荷载流子寿命之间的关联，以最大限度地提高光伏材料的效率；聚合物材料和软物质物理，其中对表面性质和本体化学环境之间的关系的了解将推动更好、更可持续的功能涂层的开发；以及生物材料，因为提供载体降解和药物输送的全景将导致更持久的植入物。该仪器还将带来新的科学，因为AFM悬臂具有在纳米级操纵的潜力。此外，我们将通过直接支持此次投标的行业合作伙伴或参与EPRSC赠款的合作伙伴，为目前缺乏该工具所能提供的知识的行业提供一个强大的工具。

Our vision for the equipment is to make a step-change in the UK's engineering and physical sciences (EPS) research by establishing an area of niche capability and facilitating world leading materials science. To achieve this, we propose to provide a world leading instrument with a unique configuration for materials research as well as develop a critical mass of academic and industrial users, training the next generation of researchers in state-of-the-art techniques.We propose to purchase two complimentary pieces of equipment to be assembled and integrated in a single instrument: a multi-purpose atomic force microscope (AFM), and a confocal fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope (CFLIM). The top half is an AFM that enables characterisation of topography, mechanical, and electrical properties at the nanoscale of a wide range of materials, from semiconductors for PV devices to scaffolds for tissue engineering. The bottom half is a high-end confocal microscope which, instead of imaging based on the emission wavelength of the fluorescent labels in the sample, can measure their fluorescence lifetime, which is heavily influenced by the molecular environment. Our instrument presents a world unique feature which is a fibre-couple infrared detector to measure the fluorescent decay of semiconductor materials. There are no other AFM-CFLIM systems in the world with detection in the infrared, therefore our equipment would be one of a kind. Our equipment will become a global reference facility thanks to its unique configuration for materials science and establish a niche of research capability.The combination of AFM and CFLIM will shed light on key relationships between sets of properties which are not fully understood yet and will lead to the improvement and development of materials. It will benefit multiple research areas, such as: Solar technology and Energy Materials , as it would allow the correlation of crystalline structure, conductivity, and charge carrier lifetime, to maximize the efficiency of PV materials; Polymer Materials and Soft Matter Physics, where the understanding of the relationship between surface properties and the bulk chemical environment will boost the development of better and more sustainable functional coatings; and Biomaterials, as the provision of a full picture of the degradation of carriers and drug delivery will result in longer lasting implants. The instrument will also lead to new science, as the AFM cantilever has the potential for manipulation at the nanoscale. Moreover, we will provide a powerful tool for those industries that currently lack the knowledge that can be provided by the instrument, through our industrial partners that are either supporting this bid directly or partners in the EPRSC grants involved.