Critical Upgrade of the UHV System at the Electrochemical Technology Centre

电化学技术中心特高压系统关键升级

• 批准号: RTI-2020-00226
• 负责人: Chen, Aicheng
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=693743
• 关键词: Critical; Upgrade; UHV; System; Electrochemical

The current UHV system was purchased in 2001 when the Electrochemical Technology Centre (ETC) at the University of Guelph (UoG) was formed. This vacuum system integrates several instruments, including scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, auger spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which has been used extensively over the last 18 years. In 2018, with the assistance of NSERC RTI funding and strong support from the Department of Chemistry at UoG, we successfully upgraded the detector and associated electronics to provide simultaneous 128 channel detection and a modern computing system with a software package that operates in a Windows environment. With such a significant first-step upgrade, we were able to obtain a high-resolution XPS spectrum within 30 minutes; however, it requires approximately eight hours to load a single sample and to attain the appropriate operating vacuum level. To address this serious issue, it is essential to carry out a critical second-step upgrade, including a new sample stage and loading system, modification of the bakeout panel, and refurbishment of the existing dual anode X-ray source.******With the proposed upgrade, our XPS housed in the UHV system will perform as well as a current state-of-the-art system, such as XPS-LAB (Scienta Omicron), which costs over $1M USD. The proposed upgrade will enable a completely functional system that can provide dependable support for all of the research programs that are being supported by the ETC. In particular, the innovative research programs of the applicant (Professor A. Chen), the co-applicants (Professor J. Lipkowski) and the major users (Professor J. Dutcher, A. Houmam, X. Qin, P. Rowntree and D. Thomas). The proposed critical upgrade will not only significantly expedite the loading process (multiple sample vs. single sample loading) and increase capacity, but also address the current EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) issue in our HQP training, which is due to the long distance between the Long Transfer Arm Magnet and the Viewing Port (only a few tall male students with a long arm spans can currently operate the UHV system and load the sample). The UHV system is located at the ETC, which is easily accessible by students and researchers on campus and across this region. The Manager of the ETC will continue to maintain the system and provide hands-on training to users. All trained students, postdoctoral fellows, and research associates will run their samples and analyze the spectra. It is anticipated that the upgraded UHV system will be in operation every day for over 130 hours per month by the research teams of the applicant, co-applicant, and major users alone. It is essential for student training and will facilitate further regional, national, and international collaborations toward the development of advanced clean technologies to address increasingly critical energy and environmental issues.**

目前的特高压系统是在 2001 年圭尔夫大学 (UoG) 电化学技术中心 (ETC) 成立时购买的。该真空系统集成了多种仪器，包括扫描隧道显微镜、原子力显微镜、俄歇能谱和 X 射线光电子能谱 (XPS)，这些仪器在过去 18 年中得到了广泛的应用。 2018年，在 NSERC RTI 的资助和 UoG 化学系的大力支持下，我们成功升级了探测器和相关电子设备，提供同步 128 通道检测和现代计算系统，以及在 Windows 环境下运行的软件包。通过如此重大的第一步升级，我们能够在 30 分钟内获得高分辨率的 XPS 谱图；然而，加载单个样品并达到适当的操作真空水平需要大约八个小时。为了解决这一严重问题，必须进行关键的第二步升级，包括新的样品台和加载系统、修改烘烤面板以及翻新现有的双阳极 X 射线源。**** **通过拟议的升级，我们安装在 UHV 系统中的 XPS 的性能将与当前最先进的系统一样好，例如 XPS-LAB (Scienta Omicron)，其成本超过 100 万美元。拟议的升级将打造一个功能齐全的系统，为 ETC 支持的所有研究项目提供可靠的支持。特别是申请人（A. Chen 教授）、共同申请人（J. Lipkowski 教授）和主要用户（J. Dutcher 教授、A. Houmam、X.qin、P. Rowntree 和 D）的创新研究项目。托马斯）。拟议的关键升级不仅将显着加快加载过程（多个样本与单个样本加载）并提高容量，而且还解决了我们 HQP 培训中当前的 EDI（公平、多样性和包容性）问题，这是由于长传输臂磁铁与观察口之间的距离较长（目前只有少数高个子、臂展较长的男学生可以操作特高压系统并加载样品）。特高压系统位于 ETC，校园内和整个地区的学生和研究人员都可以轻松访问该系统。 ETC经理将继续维护系统并为用户提供实践培训。所有受过培训的学生、博士后研究员和研究员将运行他们的样品并分析光谱。预计升级后的特高压系统仅由申请人、共同申请人和主要用户的研究团队每月每天运行超过130小时。它对于学生培训至关重要，并将促进进一步的区域、国家和国际合作，开发先进的清洁技术，以解决日益关键的能源和环境问题。**