Scanning Electron Microscope For Paleoecology, Physiology & Evo-Devo Studies

本提案要求拨款更换我们老化和失效的扫描电子显微镜（SEM），这台扫描电子显微镜已经大量使用了17年，但不能再维修了。扫描电镜技术在过去的二十年中取得了显著的进步。新的扫描电镜将使样品调查和图像采集速度提高一倍，即使在低真空和光束功率（加速电压）下也能提高图像分辨率，并且即使在低加速电压下也能在高真空下提供出色的分辨率图像。新设备将支持许多学术人员的研究，并将大大提高易用性和研究生的培训。阿尔伯塔大学生物科学系的先进显微镜设备被该系成员以及地球与大气科学系、化学与材料科学系、农业、食品与营养科学系的教师和学生广泛使用。新提出的显微镜将具有高分辨率（在30Kv下高达3nm）和快速扫描速率（10-21帧/秒）。三轴操纵杆机动导航加上两个倾斜方向，将使学生获得出版质量的图像快速。我们所有的小组都迫切需要这个仪器来继续他们的研究。

This proposal requests funding to replace our aging and failing scanning electron microscope (SEM) that has been used heavily for 17 years but can no longer be serviced. SEM technology has advanced significantly over the last two decades. The new SEM will double the speed of specimen survey and image acquisition, enhance resolution of images even at low vacuum and beam power (accelerating voltage), and provide exceptional resolution images at high vacuum even for low accelerating voltages. The new equipment will support the research of many academic staff, and will vastly improve ease of use and training by our graduate students. The Advanced Microscopy Facility in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta is intensively used by members of this department as well as by faculty and students from the Departments of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Chemistry and Materials Science, and from Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences. The proposed new microscope will have high resolution (up to 3nm at 30Kv) and a fast scan rate (10-21 frames/s). Three axis joystick motorized navigation plus two tilt directions will allow students to obtain publication-quality images quickly. This instrument is urgently needed for all our groups to continue their research.