An Aberration Corrected STEM with Integrated Science Driven AI to Quantify Dynamic Functionality in Advanced Energy Technologies and Biomaterials

我们将安装一台300千伏像差校正STEM，利用人工智能(AI)同时提高图像的时间分辨率和精度/灵敏度，同时将电子束损伤的有害影响降至最低。独一无二的是，这款显微镜超越了收购后对人工智能的使用，直接将数据分析方面的变革性进步整合到其操作程序中-实验将由人工智能设计并为其设计，而不是由操作员有限的视觉敏锐度和反应时间设计并为其设计。这种用于实验设计的分布式算法方法是通过压缩传感(CS)框架完成的，该框架允许在极低剂量和/或剂量率条件下以极快的帧速率获得测量结果。优化剂量/速度/分辨率使扩散可以在原子尺度上成像，创造了广泛的新机会来表征处于能量存储和转换创新前沿的亚稳态和动力学控制的材料和工艺，以及纳米结构、复合材料和混合材料创造的各种新的工程/医疗功能。该显微镜包括原位气/液/加热/冷冻和应变/压痕阶段，在基本长度和时间尺度上研究合成、功能、降解/腐蚀和再生/回收的动力学。它将被安置在阿尔伯特·克鲁中心(ACC)，这是利物浦大学(UOL)共享的研究设施(SRF)，专门研究高分辨率/操纵面电子显微镜的新实验策略，以支持广泛的学术/工业用户项目。UOL支持SRF的所有运营成本(服务合同、工作人员、消耗品等)，这意味着所有学术用户在使用显微镜时始终是免费的。通过方便用户的在线提案提交和与适应性强的培训/预订系统相联系的独立同行审查机制来管理这种开放的可访问性，这使行政协调会能够为所有用户提供广泛的研究机会和培训活动。特别是，对于早期职业科学家，我们承诺提供实验资源，支持UOL对灵活职业发展的Prosper项目和可持续环境中的研究包容性(RISE)倡议的承诺，该倡议正在创造一种研究文化，在鼓励创造力和创新的同时最大化包容性和多样性。这一新显微镜与大学在线材料、能源和个性化医学研究的几个优先领域、EPSRC的优先研究领域和电子显微镜、成像和材料科学的国家设施以及英国基础设施发展研究所的基础设施增长(https://www.ukri.org/research/infrastructure/).计划保持一致。除了支持UOL与材料创新工厂(MIF)、斯蒂芬森可再生能源研究所(SIRE)和新的数字创新设施(DIF)的投资相关的广泛研究项目外，这种独特的免费显微镜将隶属于哈威尔(EPSIC)和达累斯伯里(UKSuperSTEM)的国家显微镜设施，并与Henry Royce研究所建立合作伙伴关系，并与Rosalind Franklin研究所和Faraday研究所建立广泛的研究联系。我们已经建立了(并将通过外展活动扩大)广泛的合作伙伴/合作者网络，他们来自N8大学集团、强生马泰和NSG、斯旺西大学、伯明翰大学、华威大学、牛津大学、剑桥大学、拉夫堡大学、爱丁堡大学和格拉斯哥大学、英国西北地区中小企业以及美国、爱尔兰、德国、日本、法国、意大利、丹麦、印度、新加坡、中国、南非和西班牙的大学，他们将创建一个充满活力、创新和协作的社区，推动该设施的长期研究影响。

We will install a 300kV aberration corrected STEM that utilises artificial intelligence (AI) to simultaneously improve the temporal resolution and precision/sensitivity of images while minimizing the deleterious effect of electron beam damage. Uniquely, this microscope goes beyond post-acquisition uses of AI, and integrates transformational advances in data analytics directly into its operating procedures - experiments will be designed by and for AI, rather than by and for a human operator's limited visual acuity and response time. This distributed algorithm approach to experimental design, is accomplished through a compressed sensing (CS) framework that allows measurements to be obtained under extremely low dose and/or dose rate conditions with vastly accelerated frame rates. Optimizing dose / speed / resolution permits diffusion to be imaged on the atomic scale, creating wide-ranging new opportunities to characterise metastable and kinetically controlled materials and processes at the forefront of innovations in energy storage and conversion, and the wide range of novel engineering/medical functionalities created by nanostructures, composites and hybrid materials. The microscope incorporates in-situ gas / liquid / heating / cryo and straining / indentation stages to study the dynamics of synthesis, function, degradation / corrosion and regeneration / recycling on their fundamental length and time scales. It will be housed in the Albert Crewe Centre (ACC), which is a University of Liverpool (UoL) shared research facility (SRF) specialising in new experimental strategies for high-resolution/operando electron microscopy in support of a wide range of academic/industrial user projects. UoL supports all operational costs for the SRFs (service contracts, staff, consumables, etc), meaning that access to the microscope will always be "free at the point of use" for all academic users. This open accessibility is managed through a user-friendly online proposal submission and independent peer review mechanism linked to an adaptable training/booking system, which allows the ACC to provide extensive research opportunities and training activities for all users. In particular, for early career scientists, we commit experimental resources supporting UoL's commitment to the Prosper project for flexible career development and the Research Inclusivity in a Sustainable Environment (RISE) initiative that is creating a research culture maximising inclusivity and diversity synergistically with encouraging creativity and innovation. This new microscope aligns to several priority areas of research into materials, energy and personalised medicine at the UoL, priority research areas of EPSRC and national facilities in electron microscopy, imaging and materials science, and UKRI plans for infrastructure growth (https://www.ukri.org/research/infrastructure/). In addition to supporting extensive research programs at UoL linked to investments in the Materials Innovation factory (MIF), the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy (SIRE) and the new Digital Innovation Facility (DIF), this unique and complimentary microscope will be affiliated to and leverage from partnership with the national microscopy facilities at Harwell (ePSIC) and Daresbury (UKSuperSTEM) and the Henry Royce Institute, as well as form extensive research links to the Rosalind Franklin Institute and the Faraday Institution. We have established (and will expand through outreach activities) an extensive network of partners/collaborators from the N8 university group, Johnson Matthey and NSG, the Universities of Swansea, Birmingham, Warwick, Oxford, Cambridge, Loughborough, Edinburgh and Glasgow and Northwest UK area SME's as well as from universities in the USA, Ireland, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Denmark, India, Singapore, China, South Africa and Spain who will create a dynamic, innovative and collaborative community driving the long-term research impact of this facility.