Acquisition of an advanced atomic force microscope system within a controlled environment glove box enables imaging of solid surfaces with a resolution near the scale of individual atoms while simultaneously measuring the properties of the surfaces at each location. This microscope provides the ability to directly relate the structure and properties of a surface to how it was made and how it performs, which lies at the heart of materials science and engineering research. These materials relationships give researchers the information needed to create advanced materials for a range of applications. Critically, the controlled environment capabilities allow research to be performed on materials that cannot be exposed to air or moisture. Housed within the Surface Science Laboratory at Boise State University, this instrument expands research capacity in Idaho and meets the needs of a broad research community, including five universities, several local industries, and two national laboratories. The principal investigators have a proven, rigorous, and industry-recognized model for training undergraduate and graduate students in atomic force microscopy. The controlled-environment microscope exposes these students to the current state-of-the-art instrument and better prepares them for success in graduate school and careers in academia and industry. With active community outreach, the new microscope showcases advanced materials research capabilities and inspires elementary and high school students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The controlled-environment atomic force microscope provides an important tool for materials research at Boise State University by enabling advanced nanoelectronic characterization of air-and moisture-sensitive materials. The new capabilities provided by this system include inert-environment Kelvin probe microscopy for nanoscale surface potential measurements and scanning electrochemical microscopy for in-situ monitoring of electrochemical reactions. The microscope enables interdisciplinary and collaborative materials research in (1) the controlled integration of DNA nanostructures with semiconductor surfaces for sub-lithographic patterning of memory devices; (2) the nanoscale origins of corrosion mechanisms in metal alloys to enable fabrication of high-performance aerospace structural components and biomedical implants; (3) interphase evolution and electrochemical activity of air-sensitive metal-ion battery electrodes for stable, safe, and high-capability energy storage; (4) the effects of synthesis and processing conditions on the electronic and thermal properties of air-sensitive 2-dimensional materials for flexible and energy-efficient electronics; and (5) real-time observation of ion channel formation in air-sensitive phase change materials for novel memory devices for extreme environments.
