NSF-MRI Award 1531243‘MRI: Acquisition of an Analytical Transmission Electron Microscope for High-resolution, Rapid Nanoscale Compositional Mapping of Earth, Planetary, and Advanced Materials’

For many years, research activities in the physical sciences and engineering at the University of Arizona (UA) were severely limited by the lack of routine access to instrumentation that provides chemical and structural information on heterogeneous materials at atomic length scales. Such information is critical to establishing the essential feedback loop among synthesis, characterization, and optimization in the development of new materials and addressing fundamental questions in earth, planetary, and materials science. Thus, the goal of this project was to acquire a high-resolution, analytical transmission electron microscope (TEM) specifically configured to provide atomic-scale chemical and structural information on a diverse range of materials at the University of Arizona (UA) in support of research programs across the Colleges of Science and Engineering.

After award of an NSF-MRI grant in the summer of 2015 and the completion of the competitive-bid process over Fall and Winter 2015-2016, we took delivery of an aberration-corrected 200 keV Hitachi HF5000 TEM in November of 2016. Installation, on-site specification testing, integration of spectrometers, and staff training required nine months. We fully accepted the instrument on June 12, 2017, and as of the drafting of this Project Outcomes Report, have been in operation for 15 months. In that time, the TEM has enabled research on a diverse range of materials including bio, planetary, sensor, optical, and semiconductor materials as well as the training of students (both undergraduate and graduate), postdoctoral research fellows, and faculty. 

Project outcomes have culminated in the form of workshops, public tours, scientific presentations, teaching, and publications in leading scientific journals. The HF5000 has supported the research of over 20 federally funded grants and contracts, and as of the draft of this report, the laboratory has produced research incorporated into over 35 conference presentations, two published journal articles (one of which earned the cover image of the journal, and a third manuscript that is under review), as well as eight invited talks at institutions in the United States, Europe, and Australia. In addition, the TEM laboratory is part of a suite of instruments that makeup the core electron microscopy facility at UA and is among the showcase laboratories for workshops (we hosted an electron microscopy and spectroscopy workshop in August 2017) and tours for the public and VIPs. Furthermore, the TEM has catalyzed the development of a new graduate-level course in electron microscopy where students are taught the theoretical underpinnings of electron microscopy and also receive practical instruction on the instrument.

The initial goals of the proposed MRI effort have all been met. The microscope is regionally unique in terms of its imaging resolution and spectroscopic capabilities but also complements other instruments of its caliber in the SW region. Student training occurs daily and will continue to diversify as new users integrate TEM measurements into their work. We also have instituted a robust business-, laboratory-, and data-management plan that includes centralized support from UA’s Office of Research to help manage laboratory finances and operations, professionally trained staff to manage day-to-day operations, and information technology support to ensure facile access to and long-term preservation and archiving of data. 

Last Modified: 10/11/2018
Modified by: Thomas Zega