Thermal Evaporator with Glove Box

What does this provide: A multi-source thermal evaporator with water-cooled walls to deposit alloyed thin films. It will be housed in a glovebox, which ensures that samples can be loaded, processed, and removed without exposure to air.

Additional Capabilities and Possible Applications: The deposition of thin films is a foundational step in creating functional devices.  The proposed tool is a R&D-scale version of equipment used to manufacture a range of commercial devices, including solar cells, semiconductor chips, OLED TVs, and metal-halide perovskites.

Cryo-FIB/SEM addition

What does this provide: This would add the ability to maintain a sample at cryogenic temperatures (down to at least -190° C) while SEM imaging or using the Ga focused ion beam for milling that sample.  This would be added onto the existing Tescan S8252G Raman-SEM/FIB instrument.

Additional Capabilities and Possible Applications: Cross-sectioning and 3-D cross-sectioning of soft materials, liquids, or solid/liquid composites such as batteries, organic materials, organic/inorganic composites, porous materials.  TEM lift-out preparation of beam sensitive materials.  Raman spectroscopy of phase changes below room temperature.  Future additional upgrades would allow full cryo-transfer to other instruments such as the TEM or atom probe.

EDAX OIM Matrix software

What does this provide: Allows users to simulate EBSD patterns based on the physics of dynamical diffraction of electrons. Simulated patterns can then be used for dictionary indexing, structure file optimization, and simulated background calculations. Includes Master Pattern Library with over 450 phases as well as one license for online and offline use.

Additional Capabilities and Possible Applications: Realistic EBSD Pattern Simulations, Dictionary Indexing, Master Pattern Database, Automatic Structure File Optimization, EBSD Background Simulation.  These will allow for better indexing of EBSD patterns that have high background noise and/or do not index well via Hough transform. https://edaxblog.com/2022/08/17/spherical-indexing/