Central Analyitical Facility @ University of Alabama
Used for: | Electron Microscopy | Spectroscopy | Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy | Image Analysis and Processing | Atom probe | Electron Microprobe | Focused Ion Beam | Low Energy Electron Microscope | UHV STEM |
During the past four years, UA has installed over $5M of new instrumentation in UA’s CAF. These instruments were obtained through NSF-sponsored Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) awards in 2003, 2004 and 2007 as well as internal investments at UA. The CAF is a general user facility managed by Dr. Mike Bersch (director), Dr. Mohammed Shamsuzzoha (research scientist) and Rich Martens (research associate) who assist in maintenance and user training. Users of major instruments are charged an hourly fee to help pay for service contracts.
The CAF houses a LaB6 200keV Hitachi H-8000 TEM for general imaging requirements, and a FEI F20 Supertwin 200keV TEM (NSF-MRI-0421376), for analytical microscopy. The F20 is installed with a High Angle Annular Detector for Z-contrast imaging in the STEM mode, X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (XEDS) for point, line and 2D composition and a 1k CCD camera for digital microscopy. The CAF also has a FEI Quanta 3D dual beam Focused Ion Beam (FIB) for site-specific TEM and atom probe specimen preparation. The Quanta has a XEDS system and an in situ micromanipulator. The FIB was an internal UA investment in 2004, demonstrating UA’s commitment to providing the necessary instrumentation for active and proposed research programs. In May 2007, through another UA internal investment, the CAF received an Imago Scientific Instruments Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP). The LEAP provides 3D reconstruction of individual atoms’ identity and spatial location with near atomic precision. This is done by collecting and reconstructing the trajectory from field evaporation of a surface that has been shaped into a tip with a radius of curvature ~50-100 nm. In September 2007, UA was awarded a picosecond laser-attachment to the LEAP (NSF-MRI-0722631). This expands the capability and range of materials which can be analyzed by thermally assisting field evaporation. The CAF also houses two SEMs, a tungsten-filament Philips XL-30 with XEDS for general imaging and a JEOL 7000 FEG-SEM (NSF-MRI-0321180) equipped with XEDS, Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS), Nabity e-beam lithography, Orientation Imaging Microscopy and secondary/backscattered detectors. The CAF also houses a Kratos XPS system (1995 ARF, DMR-9512264) and a JEOL microprobe. All the required specimen preparation equipment is maintained in the CAF for general users.