XPS and X-ray tomography at the University of Glasgow

我们建议购买两项设备，这两项设备将允许从内到外详细描述一系列功能材料，以支持下一代能源、电子、生物医学工程和制造业材料的开发。首先，我们将安装x射线光电子能谱（XPS）设备，以确定材料表面元素的组成和键合。我们计划安装的XPS系统将包括一个惰性气氛样品传输器，允许空气敏感样品从手套箱运输到光谱仪，而不暴露在环境条件下。受控的原位加热和冷却将允许在分析过程中研究热应力对材料的影响，而全自动样品传输系统将允许高样品吞吐量，降低用户每个样品的成本。气簇离子源将适用于有机和无机多层薄膜的深度剖面。重要的是，XPS系统还将具有研究表面作为施加电压的功能的能力（对电池研究至关重要，英国目前缺乏足够的能力）。目前，在英国纽卡斯尔以北的任何地方都没有学术上可访问的XPS系统（正如我们的支持信所示），苏格兰和英格兰北部的潜在用户对这项技术有相当大的需求。第二项设备将是一台高分辨率3D x射线断层扫描显微镜。这台机器使用x射线（非破坏性）观察材料内部，以亚微米分辨率创建横截面和虚拟3D模型，并跨越各种样品类型和尺寸。因此，通过允许表征材料内部，它与XPS（主要关注表面）相辅相成。目前在谢菲尔德-曼彻斯特-利物浦轴心以北的英国没有500纳米（或更好）分辨率的系统，我们的支持信再次表明，在英国北部EPSRC的职责范围内，对这种能力的支持研究有很大的需求。我们的总体愿景是，这些机器尽可能广泛地使用，不仅在格拉斯哥大学，而且在整个苏格兰和英格兰北部。我们的方法是高度协作，与EPSRC国家设施在XPS和x射线断层扫描方面进行合作、学习和支持。为了方便使用和可持续性，这些仪器不会被安置在格拉斯哥的任何特定学术实验室中，而是放在一个中央设施中，配有专门的研究技术专业人员支持仪器操作，管理，用户培训，并作为内部和外部用户的联系点。在同一屋檐下放置XPS和x射线断层扫描将有助于减少样品分析的前置时间，提高数据完整性（例如，对于空气敏感样品），从而在整个长度尺度上表征固态材料。如果没有这样的设备，英国北部有限的XPS和高分辨率x射线断层扫描能力将继续抑制催化、能源、材料、生物医学工程和制造技术的研究，并可能使英国研究人员在下一代储能设备（如钠电池）的竞争中失去国际竞争力。

We propose to purchase two items of equipment that together will allow detailed characterisation of a range of functional materials from the inside out, to underpin the development of the next generation of materials for energy, electronics, biomedical engineering and manufacturing. Firstly, we will install X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) equipment to allow the composition and bonding of elements on a material's surface to be determined. The XPS system we plan to install will include an inert atmosphere sample transporter allowing air-sensitive samples to be transported from a glove box to the spectrometer without being exposed to ambient conditions. Controlled in-situ heating and cooling will allow research into the effects of thermal stresses on materials during analysis, whilst a fully automated sample transfer system will allow high sample throughput, driving down the cost per sample to users. A gas cluster ion source will be fitted for depth profiling of organic and inorganic multilayer thin films. Importantly, the XPS system will also have the ability to study surfaces as a function of applied voltage (of vital importance to battery research, and a capability in which the UK currently lacks adequate capacity). Currently, there is no academic-accessible XPS system anywhere in the UK north of Newcastle and (as our letters of support show), there is considerable demand for this technique from potential users across Scotland and the North of England.The second item of equipment will be a high-resolution 3D X-ray tomography microscope. This machine uses X-rays to look (non-destructively) inside materials to create cross-sections and virtual 3D models at submicron resolution and across a large variety of sample types and sizes. It is thus complementary to XPS (which looks primarily at surfaces) by allowing characterisation of materials' interiors. There is currently no system with 500 nm (or better) resolution in the UK north of the Sheffield-Manchester-Liverpool axis, and again, our letters of support indicate significant demand for such capability to support research within EPSRC's remit in the north of the UK.Our overall vision is that these machines are used as widely as possible, not only within the University of Glasgow but also across Scotland and the North of England. Our approach is highly collaborative, cooperating with, learning from, and supporting the EPSRC National Facilities in XPS and X-ray tomography. To facilitate access and sustainability, the instruments will not be housed in any particular academic's laboratory at Glasgow but in a central facility with dedicated Research Technical Professional support for instrument operation, management, user training and as a point of contact for internal and external users. Co-locating XPS and X-ray tomography under one roof will hold advantages for reducing sample analysis lead times and improving data integrity (e.g. for air sensitive samples) for the characterisation of solid state materials across the length scales. Without access to such equipment, limited capacity for XPS and high resolution X-ray tomography in the north of the UK will continue to stifle research in catalysis, energy, materials, biomedical engineering and manufacturing technologies and could leave UK researchers internationally uncompetitive in the race for next-generation energy storage devices such as sodium batteries.