MRI: Acquisition of Dual Beam FIB/SEM to Enable New Capability for Research, Education and Training at UDC

MRI：收购双束 FIB/SEM 为 UDC 的研究、教育和培训提供新能力

• 批准号: 2022090
• 负责人: Lei Wang
• 金额: $ 51.17万
• 依托单位: University of the District of Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2022-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2022090&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Dual; Beam; FIB

Nontechnical:The Major Research Instrumentation award allows the acquisition of a focused ion beam integrated with a scanning electron microscope at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). This instrument will aid UDC, a historically black college and university, in its goal to transform into an effective urban research institution serving a diverse student population. The instrument can produce high resolution images with nanoscale resolution of surfaces, cross-sections and three-dimensional structures. Characterization and analysis at the nanoscale will promote and benefit faculty and student research in the cutting-edge research fields of national needs. The instrument will enable multidisciplinary research at UDC into a wide range of fields. These include magnetic devices for control systems, solar cell for energy harvesting, nanomaterials and nanodevices for thermal management and energy systems, soil improvement for hazard mitigation, and water resources recovery techniques for sustainability. This instrument will be a key component of UDC’s research infrastructure. The instrument will also play a critical role in the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students from a broad spectrum of STEM disciplines. The activities enabled by the instrument will enrich students’ educational experience and provide rewarding research training. The instrument will foster partnerships with surrounding universities and community colleges to provide experiential learning to students. Educational resources on microscopy will be disseminated through workshops and engineering open houses to teachers and high school students. These activities will introduce of K-12 students to the fundamental concepts and techniques of microscopy.Technical:The Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM/FIB) delivers superior performance to analyze three-dimensional structural characterization and compositional information of engineered and natural materials at nano-scale resolution. The FIB uses the milling function to create cross section inside the material that illustrates its internal structure at the nano-scale. The FIB/SEM complements the existing nanotechnology and characterization resources at UDC and provides much-needed capabilities in the areas of high-resolution imaging, depth profiling and 3D reconstruction, and chemical spectroscopy at the nanoscale to catalyze new scientific discoveries. It will serve as an indispensable tool for research that will create and enhance (i) understanding and fabrication of novel, direct-write nanofluidic structures; (ii) knowledge about the effect of ferromagnetic (FM) electrode composition on magnetic and transport properties of magnetic tunnel junction based molecular spintronics devices (MTJMSDs); (iii) fundamental understanding of the energetics of phase change inside self-assembled nano-micelle-based materials; (iv) understanding the correlation between nanowire microstructure and fabrication conditions as well as the resulting photovoltaic performance; (v) understanding of the nano-micro mechanisms of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) and other mineral precipitation processes and their effects on the macro mechanical properties of sand and silty soils; and (vi) knowledge about the prevention of uncontrolled precipitation and dissolution of the minerals struvite/vivianite as well as biodegradation or chemical cleavage of metal-chelate complex to recover it in a controlled environment. The instrument will set the stage for increased levels of interdisciplinary collaborations in the fields of nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices, advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology for renewable energy as well as environmental and geotechnical engineering applications across different disciplines and institutions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

非技术性：重大研究仪器奖允许哥伦比亚特区大学 (UDC) 购买与扫描电子显微镜集成的聚焦离子束。该仪器将帮助 UDC 这所历史悠久的黑人学院和大学实现其目标：该仪器可以生成具有纳米级分辨率的表面、横截面和三维结构的高分辨率图像，纳米级的表征和分析将促进和有益于教师和学生的研究。前沿研究领域该仪器将使 UDC 能够在广泛的领域进行多学科研究，其中包括用于控制系统的磁性装置、用于能量收集的太阳能电池、用于热管理和能源系统的纳米材料和纳米装置、用于减轻灾害的土壤改良以及该仪器将成为 UDC 研究基础设施的关键组成部分，还将在广泛的 STEM 学科的本科生和研究生的教育和培训中发挥关键作用。仪器将丰富学生的教育该仪器将促进与周边大学和社区学院的合作，为学生提供体验式学习。将通过研讨会和工程开放日向教师和高中生传播显微镜相关的教育资源。 K-12 学生了解显微镜的基本概念和技术。技术：双束聚焦离子束扫描电子显微镜 (SEM/FIB) 具有卓越的性能，可分析三维结构表征和成分信息FIB 使用铣削功能在材料内部创建横截面，以纳米尺度展示其内部结构。FIB/SEM 补充了 UDC 现有的纳米技术和表征资源。高分辨率成像、深度剖析和 3D 重建以及纳米级化学光谱领域急需的功能，以促进新的科学发现，它将成为创造和发展研究不可或缺的工具。增强 (i) 对新型直写纳米流体结构的理解和制造；(ii) 关于铁磁 (FM) 电极成分对基于磁隧道结的分子自旋电子器件 (MTJMSD) 的磁性和传输特性的影响的知识；对自组装纳米胶束材料内部相变能量学的基本了解；(iv) 了解纳米线微观结构和制造条件之间的相关性以及由此产生的光伏性能；微生物诱导方解石沉淀（MICP）和其他矿物沉淀过程的纳米微观机制及其对沙子和粉质土壤宏观力学性质的影响；以及（vi）有关防止矿物鸟粪石不受控制的沉淀和溶解的知识； /vivianite 以及金属螯合物复合物的生物降解或化学裂解，以在受控环境中回收它，该仪器将为提高纳米级电子和领域的跨学科合作水平奠定基础。光电器件、先进制造、可再生能源纳米技术，以及反映不同学科和机构的环境和岩土工程应用。该奖项是 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。