The University of Maryland will form a regional microscopy facility through the acquisition of key instrumentation for a pair of new transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). The requested equipment includes analytical spectrometers for a JEOL 2100F field-emission TEM (installation 2/06) and specialized specimen holders for use with a new JEOL 2100 LaB6 TEM (installation 7/06). The spectrometers include an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer and an electron energy loss spectrometer with spectral camera. The specimen holders will allow heating to 1273 K and cryogenic specimen transfer at 77 K. These additions to our facility will create a one-of-a-kind regional university facility in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, and will be a shared experimental facility for the NSF-MRSEC at UMD. Some of the research areas to be addressed with the requested instrumentation include: (a) structure and composition of multi-functional materials (both hybrid organic-inorganic systems and multiferroic self-assembled nanocomposite films); (b) the understanding of auditory sensory cells in birds and fish; (c) the structure and composition of doped semiconductor nanomaterials for spintronic applications; and (d) phase transitions of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys. The microscopy facility will be used in educational programs for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, and for training student researchers at the University of Maryland and five university partners in the DC area. The microscopes will enhance our K-12 educational outreach activities by providing virtual microscopy courses over the web and support other campus activities such as the ASM Materials Training Camp for teachers and Project Lead the Way.
Lay Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy is one of the most powerful tools for research in the fields of nano- and bio- technology. These microscopes can magnify up to 1.5 million times and allow the observation of materials at the atomic level. Through this proposal, the University of Maryland will acquire spectrometers for our new microscopes allowing us to form a unique new regional facility for cutting edge electron microscopy research and training across all educational levels. The facility will service the needs of institutions throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area, including five partner Universities. This facility builds on a strong foundation at the University of Maryland in the areas of electron microscopy, nanotechnology and bioscience and will allow researchers to find pathways to better magnetic sensors, faster microelectronic devices, materials that change shape under applied fields, new nanoparticle catalysts, the understanding of sensory cells used in hearing and other biological functions. Many of these projects are also keystone areas in the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center already funded at UMD by NSF. The microscopy facility will be used in educational programs for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, and for training student researchers at the University of Maryland and five university partners in the DC area. The microscopes will enhance our K-12 educational outreach activities by providing virtual microscopy courses over the web and support other campus activities such as the ASM Materials Training Camp for teachers and Project Lead the Way.
