Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM)

设备： MRI：轨道 1 采购最先进的等离子体聚焦离子束扫描电子显微镜 (PFIB-SEM)

• 批准号: 2320773
• 负责人: Vinayak Dravid
• 金额: $ 124万
• 依托单位: Northwestern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2320773&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Equipment; MRI; Track; Acquisition; State

This award provides support to Northwestern University (NU) for a state-of-the-art plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (PFIB-SEM) for interdisciplinary research, hands-on training/education, and societal outreach. Functioning as a nanoscale scalpel, PFIB enables site-specific sectioning of variety of materials and structures at high throughput and fidelity. This allows for microscopic and detailed examination of these sections for their structural, chemical, and related attributes that often influence technological useful properties and fundamental scientific phenomena. Such an FIB-SEM system is akin to a multi-functional ‘Swiss Army Knife’ tool, that facilitates form-function or structure-property relationships from the nano- to the micro-scale in a vast range of materials, devices and systems. The PFIB-SEM will be housed at the NU Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE) Center, which is the lead facility of the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource of the NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) network. It will serve the broader Midwest research community and be an important asset for the entire NNCI network. PFIB will be the centerpiece for periodic workshops, hands-on training and open house, towards workforce development. Several hands-on demos and modules for training will be developed for access to external users, including local industries and Chicago Museums. The PFIB-SEM is functionally versatile and will offer diverse capabilities for high throughput site-specific nanoscale material sputtering and deposition, dual electron/ion mode of operation enabling depth-profiling and 3D/4D tomography, among others. Its analytical capabilities span multimodal imaging and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. Such diverse yet integrated capabilities coupled to localized nanofabrication/deposition will impact many research programs — from understanding the molecular basis for environmental remediation enabled by “hard-soft” materials interfaces to unravelling the origins of decoherency in quantum qubits. The PFIB-SEM will enable large area milling for cross/thin sections and unique techniques for atom probe tomography (APT) to complement synchrotron x-ray scattering and support scanning/transmission EM (S/TEM) sampling across multiple disciplines. It will enable automated TEM section preparation, greatly increasing work efficiency and productivity. The PFIB-SEM will enable hitherto challenging experiments in a wide range of initiatives and impact a broad category of materials characterization. Local and regional needs in key and fast emerging technical areas will benefit from these capabilities. Of special note is the cryo-compatibility for soft-hard (hybrid) materials and structures for bio, agriculture, food and related hybrid systems. The broader impact of the PFIB project will address “NSF Big Ideas”; including quantum information systems, rules of life, and contribute to local education, outreach and regional workforce development.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.

该奖项为西北大学（NU）提供了针对最先进的离子光束扫描电子显微镜（PFIB-SEM）的支持，用于跨学科研究，动手培训/教育和社会外展。 PFIB充当纳米级手术刀，可以在高通量和忠诚度以各种材料和结构的特定地点切片。这允许对这些部分的结构，化学和相关属性进行微观和详细的检查，这些属性通常会影响技术有用的特性和基本科学现象。这样的Fib-SEM系统类似于多功能的“瑞士军刀”工具，它促进了从纳米到微型尺度的形式功能或结构 - 范围的关系。 PFIB-SEM将安置在NU原子和纳米级表征实验（NUANCE）中心，该中心是NSF国家纳米技术协调基础设施（NNCI）网络的软和混合纳米技术实验（Shyne）资源的领先设施。它将为更广泛的中西部研究社区提供服务，并成为整个NNCI网络的重要资产。 PFIB将是定期讲习班，动手培训和开放日的核心，朝着劳动力发展发展。将开发几个动手演示和培训模块，以访问包括本地行业和芝加哥博物馆在内的外部用户。 PFIB-SEM在功能上具有多种功能，可为高吞吐量特异性纳米级材料溅射和沉积提供多样性功能，双电子/离子的操作模式使深度促进以及3D/4D断层扫描等。它的分析能力涵盖了多模式成像和能量色散X射线光谱（EDS）映射。与局部纳米制造/沉积相结合的这种多样化但综合的功能将影响许多研究计划 - 从了解通过“硬柔软”材料界面实现的环境修复的分子基础，到阐明量子量的破坏性的起源。 PFIB-SEM将使大面积铣削能够用于交叉/薄部分，以及用于原子探针层析成像（APT）的独特技术，以补充跨多个学科的synchrotron X射线散射和支持扫描/传输EM（S/TEM）采样。它将实现自动TEM部分的准备，增强工作效率和生产力。 PFIB-SEM将在各种计划中实现迄今为止的挑战实验，并影响广泛的材料表征。关键和快速新兴技术领域的本地和区域需求将从这些能力中受益。特别值得注意的是生物，农业，食品和相关杂种系统的软甲（混合）材料和结构的冷冻兼容性。 PFIB项目的更广泛影响将解决“ NSF大想法”；包括量子信息系统，生活规则以及为当地教育，外展和区域劳动力发展做出贡献。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，被认为是通过评估而被视为珍贵的支持。