MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

0923251 Ward New York University "This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." Technical Abstract. The requested Zeiss ULTRA 55 field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) will provide structural and compositional characterization for a core group of users from the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Biomaterials & Biomimetics, as well as a broader user group from these and other NYU departments, and the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. The instrument will be located on the main NYU Washington Square campus, and it will be affiliated with the NYU Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC). This acquisition will address a critical need, as NYU currently does not own an FE-SEM, which is essential for its growing effort in soft materials, molecular materials, biomolecular assemblies, biomaterials, and magnetics. Most of these materials are non-conducting and, as such, are susceptible to charging during imaging with conventional electron microscopes, which degrades image quality. The Zeiss ULTRA 55 FE-SEM has a unique charge compensation feature that minimizes sample charging while maintaining excellent resolution and image quality, streamlining analysis, minimizing the number of sample preparation steps, and providing images that are more reliable depictions of sample structure. A wide range of internal and external users will have ?hands on? access to the equipment after training by an SEM specialist, who will be responsible for oversight and operation of the instrument, and remote users will be able to control the on-site computer for real-time access to all software-enabled functions and data visualization and retrieval. In addition to the training of users in a technique that is central to materials research, the FE-SEM will be incorporated into materials-oriented courses at NYU and it will be accessible to REU and MRSEC-supported visiting summer research faculty and students, many from minority-serving institutions and four-year colleges. The project team also will organize annual electron microscopy master classes for a broader user community ? students, faculty, and industry scientists in the tri-state area ? which will expand the user base and serve as a recruiting tool for students from nearby four-year colleges. Non-technical Abstract. The Zeiss ULTRA 55 FE-SEM is a scanning electron microscope with unique capabilities for obtaining high-resolution images of a wide range of materials. Whereas scanning electron microscopes can produce high-quality images of electrically conducting materials, non-conducting materials build up electrical charge during the imaging process, which reduces image quality. The ULTRA 55 FE-SEM offers an innovative solution to this problem that dissipates the charge, thereby producing exceptional images of non-conducting materials as well as conducting materials, which eases sample handling and provides images that are more reliable depictions of sample structural and morphology. The instrument will substantially impact NYU research by enabling precise structural characterization of a diverse range of materials, including dental composites and polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering, complex colloid architectures, DNA-based nanomechanical devices, and biominerals ? all which are especially sensitive to charge accumulation during imaging with conventional SEMs ? as well as magnetic nanostructures that will advance information storage. The FE-SEM will provide training of NYU student and postdocs in a technique that is central to materials research, and it will be incorporated into existing and new courses at NYU. Through an existing REU program, MRSEC-supported faculty-student team fellowships, and a partnership with the NYU Faculty Resource Network, the instrument will be used by visiting summer research faculty and students, many from minority-serving institutions and four-year colleges, including a new collaboration with faculty from Xavier University of Louisiana, an HBCU. The FE-SEM also will be incorporated into the required research component of the Master?s of Science in Chemistry for High School Educators, and the project team will organize annual electron microscopy master classes for a broader user community ? students, faculty, and industry scientists in the tri-state area ? which will expand the user base and serve as a recruiting tool for students from nearby four-year colleges.