MagTEM2 - the next generation microscope for imaging functional materials

MagTEM2 - 用于功能材料成像的下一代显微镜

• 批准号: EP/Z531078/1
• 负责人: Stephen McVitie
• 金额: $ 624.36万
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FZ531078%2F1
• 关键词: MagTEM2; next; generation; microscope; imaging

Correlating a material's atomic-scale structure to its functionality is central to our understanding of the physical and chemical world, and hence to most technological development. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) now dominates high resolution materials characterisation in the physical sciences, routinely revealing structural details that are otherwise indiscernible. It excels in the analysis of aperiodic structures including defects, inhomogeneities and interfaces that are below the resolution of other microscopies and cannot be studied using diffraction. These structures are important because they often dominate a material's properties, for better or worse. Atomic-scale resolution also underpins the development of devices, which may now contain features of only a few tens of atoms in dimension, often to harness quantum effects that can only be controlled on the nanoscale.Frustratingly, many materials remain inaccessible to atomic resolution STEM. One example is that the magnetic fields used to focus a STEM instrument interfere with magnetic samples, so that their intrinsic behaviour cannot be studied. We propose to capitalise on our expertise to address this problem. First, we will exploit improved electron lens designs to provide a three-fold improvement in 'field-free' imaging resolution. We will be able to visualise a sample's own electromagnetic fields on the atomic scale, facilitating novel studies of magnetic, quantum, microelectronic and plasmonic technologies alongside geological and chemical samples with nano-magnetic properties. An improved sensitivity to magnetic structure will enable the analysis of challenging samples such as synthetic antiferromagnets and low moment materials, which are of technological importance. We will also enhance time resolution and sensitivity by integrating the latest noise-free electron detectors for imaging and spectroscopy, providing enhanced capabilities for high-speed, high sensitivity analysis, particularly of delicate, beam-sensitive materials. We have been at the forefront of development in both of these areas and are exceptionally well-placed to grow an acknowledged UK research strength.

将材料的原子级结构与其功能相关联是我们理解物理和化学世界的核心，因此也是大多数技术发展的核心。扫描透射电子显微镜 (STEM) 现在在物理科学领域的高分辨率材料表征中占据主导地位，通常可以揭示原本难以辨别的结构细节。它擅长分析非周期性结构，包括缺陷、不均匀性和界面，这些结构的分辨率低于其他显微镜的分辨率，无法使用衍射进行研究。这些结构很重要，因为它们通常主导材料的性能，无论好坏。原子尺度分辨率也支撑了设备的发展，这些设备现在可能只包含几十个原子尺寸的特征，通常是为了利用只能在纳米尺度上控制的量子效应。令人沮丧的是，许多材料仍然无法达到原子分辨率 STEM 。一个例子是，用于聚焦 STEM 仪器的磁场会干扰磁性样品，因此无法研究它们的内在行为。我们建议利用我们的专业知识来解决这个问题。首先，我们将利用改进的电子透镜设计将“无场”成像分辨率提高三倍。我们将能够在原子尺度上可视化样品自身的电磁场，促进对磁性、量子、微电子和等离子体技术以及具有纳米磁性特性的地质和化学样品的新颖研究。对磁性结构的灵敏度提高将能够分析具有挑战性的样品，例如合成反铁磁体和低矩材料，这些样品具有技术重要性。我们还将通过集成用于成像和光谱的最新无噪声电子探测器来提高时间分辨率和灵敏度，从而增强高速、高灵敏度分析的能力，特别是对精细的电子束敏感材料的分析。我们在这两个领域都处于发展的前沿，并且处于非常有利的地位，可以增强英国公认的研究实力。