MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope to Advance Multidisciplinary Research and Education

This award from the Major Research Instrumentation program supports the acquisition of a variable-pressure field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with secondary electron (SE), backscatter electron (BSE), and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) capabilities at Illinois State University (ISU). The instrument benefits research and teaching activities across five departments at Illinois State University (ISU) and four nearby institutions in central Illinois (Illinois Wesleyan University, Millikin University, Bradley University, and University of Illinois – Springfield).

The new capabilities of the instrument such as as high-resolution low-voltage and low-vacuum imaging, EDS, and CL allow the users to enhance and expand cutting-edge research activities in physics, material sciences, biology, chemistry, and geology. Research experiences for undergraduates (majorly), and masters and PhD students will be facilitated. There is a plan to integrate the FESEM-EDS-CL in several courses annually, attended by over 150 undergraduate students.

The project also includes outreach efforts to engage the general public, including partnering with local K-12 educators and students in the community.

The high-resolution variable pressure FESEM with EDS and CL capabilities will facilitate problem-driven cutting-edge research projects in nanoscience, materials science, physics, biology, chemistry, geology with an anticipated 25 laboratories across five institutions. The ultra-high resolution imaging capability at low voltages and variable pressure, BSE imaging and elemental identification using EDS provide opportunity to characterize materials as small as sub-2 nm dimension.

Scientists will be able to image block copolymer templates and inorganic nanostructures with sub 5-nm resolution at low voltage and low pressure; perform correlated FESEM-Optical Microcopy imaging with sub-2 nm resolution; new types of sub-10 nm polymers, metals, and their composites for drug-delivery systems, Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-based sensing devices, and optically responsive catalysts. Several biological sciences and biochemistry research groups benefit from the capability at ISU and nearby institutions.

About 25 undergraduates, 6 MS, and 2 PhD students would use the FESEM for research per year. Females and underrepresented minorities will benefit through existing initiatives to recruit and train minorities at ISU. Moreover, the instrument will benefit two early-career female faculty. Outreach efforts include partnering with local K-12 educators and students in the community.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.