Acquisition of a Time-of-Flight SIMS System

University Of Oregon Eugene, Eugene OR

Investigators

Abstract

This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports the University of Oregon with the acquisition of a Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) instrument. The instrument will be actively used in research programs in physics and chemistry under the auspices of the Materials Science Institute at the University of Oregon, as well as by research groups in the Departments of Geological Sciences and Neuroscience. It will also represent an important component of a unique University-based facility in Oregon and will be made available to other researchers in the state. The spectrometer will significantly impact a broad base of research programs. One of these involves developing and understanding the properties of a distinct class of complex semiconducting materials. A second area involves understanding a broader range of materials synthesis issues of metastable phases of ternary and quaternary superconducting, semiconducting, and thermoelectric materials. A third research project which will benefit from the requested instrument is the study of self-assembled inorganic/organic multilayer thin films. The instrument will have enormous potential range of applications at the University of Oregon: (1) characterization of Er-doped glasses for photonic device applications; (2) measurement of boundary-layer compositional gradients around melt inclusions in naturally formed glasses; (3) characterization of a new family of peptide-containing alkanethiol adsorbates that form highly ordered monolayers on gold, and (4) characterizing the distribution of subcellular Ca2+ in sensory hair cells in the ear, and (5) characterization of an insulating layer at in InP doped conjugated polymer interface. The spectrometer, Trift III (Phi Model TFS-3100), will be purchased from Physical Electronics. It includes a pulsed and bunched liquid metal (Ga) ion gun, a dual microchannel plate detector and includes the associated vacuum pumps, electronics, and computer hardware and software. An oxygen ion source will also be purchased to ensure optimal depth-profiling capability and enhanced sensitivity in depth profiles. The gallium source will allow chemical imaging with a lateral resolution of 0.3 microns. This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports the University of Oregon with the acquisition of a Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) instrument. The instrument will be actively used in research programs in physics and chemistry under the auspices of the Materials Science Institute at the University of Oregon, as well as by research groups in the Departments of Geological Sciences and Neuroscience. It will also represent an important component of a unique University-based facility in Oregon and will be made available to other researchers in the state. The spectrometer will significantly impact a broad base of research programs. One of these involves developing and understanding the properties of a distinct class of complex semiconducting materials. A second area involves understanding a broader range of materials synthesis issues of metastable phases of ternary and quaternary superconducting, semiconducting, and thermoelectric materials. A third research project which will benefit from the requested instrument is the study of self-assembled inorganic/organic multilayer thin films. Availability of the requested instrumentation will also improve research training at the advanced undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels, first and foremost because of the importance of hands-on experience.