MRI: Acquisition of a Direct Detection Electron Camera for an Existing Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope for Low-Dose and Phase-Sensitive Imaging of Materials

MRI：为现有扫描透射电子显微镜购买直接检测电子相机，用于材料的低剂量和相敏成像

• 批准号: 2216710
• 负责人: Benjamin McMorran
• 金额: $ 39.07万
• 依托单位: University of Oregon Eugene
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2216710&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; Direct; Detection; Electron

Non-Technical Description:The purpose of this major research instrumentation project is to acquire a direct electron detection camera for a transmission electron microscope at the University of Oregon. The shared-use electron microscopy facility in the Center for Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon (CAMCOR) serves as a regional resource for researchers interested in analyzing the structure and properties of a variety of natural and engineered materials and devices. Electron microscopy is an important tool for imaging and measuring the atomic structure and composition of materials, but some materials are quickly damaged by exposure to an electron beam. Furthermore, many structures and processes are difficult to image using conventional cameras because of low contrast. The higher efficiency and speed of this new camera delivers large improvements in image detail and contrast, enabling imaging of dose-sensitive samples and providing videos of fast processes at the nanometer scale, all of which are important to the characterization of advanced materials. As part of an existing infrastructure supporting numerous outreach and educational opportunities, the direct electron detector is also used for an array of curriculum and professional development opportunities for users across age, disciplines, and academic stages across the Northwest. Undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers obtain hands-on experience learning transferrable skills in electron microscope operation and analysis, and in the generation, handling, and processing of large image datasets. This detector strengthens an existing summer research course designed to engage undergraduates in nanoscience and physics research.Technical Description:The native ability of the direct electron detector to record high-resolution electron images at rapid speeds is applied to observations of low-contrast dynamic processes, such as oxidation catalysis in a liquid cell sample holder for a transmission electron microscope, the evolving cathode material structure throughout charge/discharge cycles in lithium-ion batteries, and crystallization kinetics of materials at the nanoscale. The high detection efficiency of the new detector is also used to develop electron interferometry techniques. Electrons in a coherent superposition of paths combine to form an interference pattern, providing enhanced sensitivity to specimens. The detector's ability to record single-electron events at the output of an electron interferometer enables quantum-inspired measurement protocols such as interaction-free measurements and enhanced phase imaging. In this way, the direct electron detector provides researchers with a greater opportunity to study and understand a wider variety of material systems and processes as well as to perform quantum mechanical experiments.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.

非技术描述：该主要研究仪器项目的​​目的是为俄勒冈大学的传输电子显微镜购买直接电子检测摄像机。俄勒冈州高级材料表征中心（CAMCOR）中的共享电子显微镜设施为有兴趣分析各种天然和工程材料和设备的结构和特性的研究人员提供了区域资源。电子显微镜是成像和测量材料的原子结构和组成的重要工具，但是某些材料会因暴露于电子束而迅速损坏。此外，由于对比度低，许多结构和过程很难使用常规摄像机进行映像。该新相机的较高效率和速度在图像细节和对比度上提供了很大的改进，从而可以对剂量敏感的样品进行成像，并在纳米尺度上提供快速过程的视频，所有这些都对高级材料的表征都很重要。作为支持众多外展和教育机会的现有基础设施的一部分，直接电子探测器还用于为整个西北地区的年龄，学科和学术阶段的用户提供一系列课程和专业发展机会。本科，研究生和博士后研究人员获得了电子显微镜操作和分析的可转让技能，以及大型图像数据集的一代，处理和处理。该探测器加强了现有的夏季研究课程，旨在参与纳米科学和物理研究的大学生。技术描述：直接电子检测器以快速速度记录高分辨率电子图像的天然能力应用于对低对比动力学过程的观察，例如，用于透射电子显微镜的液体细胞样品持有者中的氧化催化，锂离子电池中的电荷/放电周期的演变的阴极材料结构以及纳米级材料的结晶动力学。新检测器的高检测效率也用于开发电子干涉法技术。路径相干叠加的电子结合形成干扰模式，从而增强了对标本的敏感性。检测器能够在电子干涉仪输出下记录单电子事件的能力，可以实现量子启发的测量协议，例如无相互作用的测量和增强的相成像。通过这种方式，直接电子检测器为研究人员提供了更多的机会，可以研究和了解各种各样的材料系统和过程以及执行量子机械实验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被视为值得通过评估的支持。利用基金会的知识分子和更广泛的影响审查标准。