Variable pressure scanning electron microscope

扫描电子显微镜（SEM）是高校科研和教学的重要工具。我们迫切需要一种新的研究型扫描电镜仪器来取代过时和不可靠的扫描电镜，因为它已不能满足我们日益增长的研究和培训需求。所要求的变压钨丝扫描电镜将满足九个主要用户和许多次要用户的研究需求。所要求的扫描电镜将适用于高真空和低真空模式下样品的高分辨率表面成像。此外，它还配备了冷却阶段和水蒸气介绍套件，以方便生物学用户对精致的水合标本进行成像，并配备了x射线微量分析系统，以方便化学和地球科学用户对样品进行元素分析。SEM设施由三名具有多年经验和出色研究记录的教师组成的委员会管理。学生的日常维护和实践培训将由一名SEM技术专家提供，该技术专家在研究生和博士后阶段接受了16年的培训，之前曾管理过大型多用户研究设施。将收取用户费用并用于升级和支付与新仪器的定期维护相关的费用。新的可变压力扫描电镜的可用性将使至少9个研究小组（目前有47名学生和研究人员）保持甚至提高他们的研究成果和质量。SEM委员会的两名教员也将在现有的本科课程（细胞生物学和纳米技术实验方法）中使用该仪器进行教学。估计每年将有25名HQP接受扫描电镜显微镜的培训。

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is an essential tool for research and teaching at universities.  A new research class SEM instrument is urgently needed to replace an outdated and unreliable SEM that is no longer able to meet our growing research and training demands.  The requested variable-pressure tungsten-filament SEM will serve the research needs of nine major and many minor users.  The requested SEM will be suitable for high-resolution surface imaging of specimens in high- and low-vacuum modes.   It is additionally equipped with a cooling stage and water vapour introduction kit for the benefit of users in Biology who image delicate hydrated specimens and with an x-ray microanalysis system for the benefit of users in Chemistry and Earth Science who require elemental analysis of their samples.The SEM facility is managed by a committee of three faculty members with many years of experience and an excellent track record in research.  Routine maintenance and hands-on training to students will be provided by an SEM technologist with 16 years of training at the graduate and postdoctoral level who has previously managed a large multi-user research facility.  User fees will be collected and used for upgrades and to cover the costs associated with regular maintenance of the new instrument.Availability of a new variable pressure SEM will allow at least nine research groups with currently 47 students and research personnel to maintain and even increase their research output and quality.  Two faculty members of the SEM committee will also use the instrument for instruction in existing undergraduate courses (Cell Biology and Experimental Methods in Nanotechnology).  An estimated 25 HQP will be trained yearly in SEM microscopy.