Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM)

This award provides support to Northwestern University (NU) for a state-of-the-art plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (PFIB-SEM) for interdisciplinary research, hands-on training/education, and societal outreach. Functioning as a nanoscale scalpel, PFIB enables site-specific sectioning of variety of materials and structures at high throughput and fidelity.

This allows for microscopic and detailed examination of these sections for their structural, chemical, and related attributes that often influence technological useful properties and fundamental scientific phenomena. Such an FIB-SEM system is akin to a multi-functional ‘Swiss Army Knife’ tool, that facilitates form-function or structure-property relationships from the nano- to the micro-scale in a vast range of materials, devices and systems.

The PFIB-SEM will be housed at the NU Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE) Center, which is the lead facility of the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource of the NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) network. It will serve the broader Midwest research community and be an important asset for the entire NNCI network.

PFIB will be the centerpiece for periodic workshops, hands-on training and open house, towards workforce development. Several hands-on demos and modules for training will be developed for access to external users, including local industries and Chicago Museums.

The PFIB-SEM is functionally versatile and will offer diverse capabilities for high throughput site-specific nanoscale material sputtering and deposition, dual electron/ion mode of operation enabling depth-profiling and 3D/4D tomography, among others. Its analytical capabilities span multimodal imaging and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping.

Such diverse yet integrated capabilities coupled to localized nanofabrication/deposition will impact many research programs — from understanding the molecular basis for environmental remediation enabled by “hard-soft” materials interfaces to unravelling the origins of decoherency in quantum qubits. The PFIB-SEM will enable large area milling for cross/thin sections and unique techniques for atom probe tomography (APT) to complement synchrotron x-ray scattering and support scanning/transmission EM (S/TEM) sampling across multiple disciplines.

It will enable automated TEM section preparation, greatly increasing work efficiency and productivity. The PFIB-SEM will enable hitherto challenging experiments in a wide range of initiatives and impact a broad category of materials characterization. Local and regional needs in key and fast emerging technical areas will benefit from these capabilities.

Of special note is the cryo-compatibility for soft-hard (hybrid) materials and structures for bio, agriculture, food and related hybrid systems. The broader impact of the PFIB project will address “NSF Big Ideas”; including quantum information systems, rules of life, and contribute to local education, outreach and regional workforce development.

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.