The Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) at the U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory dedicated its new
scanning probing microscopy building recently during its annual users conference.
The new building will house a new scanning probe microscope that measures spin-polarized
electrons on surfaces.
"The spin-polarized scanning probing microscope (LT-SPM) is a wonderful
addition to the many tools available to researchers at the CNM," said interim
CNM director Derrick Mancini. "Nanomagnetism is a burgeoning field, and
the LT-SPM will provide the most cutting-edge technology for this research."
Nanomagnetism research using the LT-SPM may lead to more energy-efficient motors,
advanced information storage, processing prototype devices, advanced medical
therapy and biomagnetic sensing concepts. The LT-SPM is a multi-functional scanning
probe microscope devoted to the high-resolution properties of spin-polarized
surfaces at high magnetic fields (9 T) and low temperatures (4.2 K). This state-of-the-art
instrument expands the CNM programs in nanomagnetism and nanoferroelectrics.
With the spin-polarized capabilities and the ability to characterize insulating
samples, this instrument will propel the CNM to the forefront of science using
scanning probes to pursue fundamental materials research. A new building was
constructed adjacent to the CNM to house the LT-SPM, which requires a highly
stable operating environment that is free of acoustic and vibratory interference.
The microscope also produces relatively large stray magnetic fields that are
incompatible with instruments in the CNM, which was designed specifically to
be free of magnetic fields.
The LT-SPM is a necessary to tool for important scientific research, so a new
building was designed to specifically hold the machine and place it far enough
away from the CNM that the magnetic fields would not pose a problem to other
instruments in the building.
Construction on the building was finished at the end of September and the facility
will be ready for occupancy by the end of fall.
The building cost $1.5 million and was paid for Institutional General Plant
Project funds from the laboratory.