Critical machine repairs and data system upgrades for a field-emission SEM

这项小型设备应用寻求为滑铁卢大学第一台也是唯一一台场发射扫描电子显微镜(SEM)的关键部件提供关键支持。它配备了用于元素分析的EDAX能量色散X射线(EDX)光谱仪和用于定向成像显微镜(OIM)的TSL电子背散射衍射(EBSD)系统，以及用于电子束光刻的NaBity-Raith电子束写入器。蔡司/利奥FESEM-1530扫描电子显微镜系统是加拿大最灵活的多技术场致发射扫描电子显微镜系统之一。该扫描电子显微镜系统自2000年以来一直在运行，滑铁卢大学(以及圭尔夫大学和威尔弗里德·劳里埃大学)的80多个当地研究小组以及来自加拿大其他地区的20多个学术小组一直在频繁使用该系统。具体而言，该支持将使我们能够用腐蚀的水回路更换故障的涡轮泵，降级的EDX探测器和有故障的OIM摄像机。这些支持还将使我们能够将数据系统和软件(目前都在Microsoft NT环境中工作)升级到更强大、更安全的XP系统。*软件更新将显著增强机器性能，为各个系统提供新的获取和处理能力，使新的表征实验成为可能。所有这些关键的维修和更新将使滑铁卢扫描电子显微镜恢复到接近最先进水平的全面运行。但所要求的维修对于我们在滑铁卢的各种材料科学和工程研究项目的继续生存是至关重要的。事实上，100多名研究生的论文作品至关重要地依赖于这一紧急补救措施。

This minor equipment application seeks the crucial support for several repairs to the critical components in the first and only field-emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) at the University of Waterloo.  Equipped with an EDAX energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer for elemental analysis and a TSL electron-backscatter diffraction (EBSD) system for orientation imaging microscopy (OIM), as well as a Nabity-Raith e-beam writer for e-beam lithography, this Zeiss/LEO FESEM-1530 SEM system is one of the most flexible multi-technique field-emission SEMs in Canada.  This SEM system has been in operation since 2000 and has been under constant heavy usage by over 80 local research groups from the University of Waterloo (and the University of Guelph and Wilfrid Laurier University) and 20 other academic groups from the rest of Canada.  Specifically, the support will allow us to replace a failing turbo pump with a corroded water loop, a degraded EDX detector and a faulty OIM camera.  The support will also enable us to bring the data systems and software (all currently working in the Microsoft NT environment) up to the more robust and secure XP systems.  The software updates will significantly enhance the machine performance with new acquisition and processing capabilities for the individual systems, enabling new characterization experiments not possible before.  These critical repairs and updates will bring the Waterloo SEM back up to full operation at near state-of-the-art level.  The requested repairs are critically needed for the continued survival of our diverse multiple materials science and engineering research programs at Waterloo, and indeed the thesis works of over 100 graduate students vitally depend on this emergency fix.