This proposal seeks financial support from the NSF towards the purchase of an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) integrated with a Dual Beam FocusedIon Beam (FIB). This instrument will serve two purposes. First, the instrument will replace an early generation ESEM (purchased in 1994) widely used to support research of 30+ faculty members in 9 academic departments in 3 colleges, as well off-campus collaborators and second, to bring the nanoscale materials processing flexibility offered by a dual beam FIB to a wide range of research programs at MSU in the areas of nanoscale electronics and devices, bioengineering, metals and alloys, composites, ceramics, and polymers. The acquisition of this instrument will not only greatly enhance the portfolio of users by expanding the nanoscale research infrastructure and other government agencies and industry, but will also be an integral part of the educational infrastructure at the graduate, undergraduate, K-12 and lifelong learning levels.
