For now, scientists at Florida State University (FSU) can only envision what
some misoriented atoms are up to along the defects of the new materials that
they are developing. They’ll finally be able to clearly see each individual
atom and how it relates to its neighbors when they take delivery of a new JEOL
atomic resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (S/TEM) later this
year.
FSU’s Applied Superconductivity Center, housed in the National High Magnetic
Field Laboratory, the High Performance Materials Institute in Tallahassee, Florida,
scientists at FSU, and even more broadly throughout Florida, will soon have
access to the highest resolution – 80 picometers, or one-trillionth of
a meter – of any commercially available S/TEM in its class. The imaging
and analytical resolution of the new JEOL 200kV S/TEM will make it possible
to directly observe atomic position, chemical composition, and electronic bonding
information that is crucial to development of novel materials with the highest
performance. Typical materials are superconductors, light weight high performance
composites, semiconductors, biomaterials, catalyses, materials for fuel cells
and high strength metallic materials.
“It’s great that multiple fine institutes and centers exist on
this campus and can agree to collectively invest on behalf of a large number
of people,” said Dr. David Larbalestier, one of the world’s foremost
materials scientists and director of Florida State University’s Applied
Superconductivity Center. “I have an intense interest in high temperature
superconductors and hope to use this new instrument to drive superconducting
technology forward. Last year with our colleagues in the magnet lab we demonstrated
that these new superconductors could be used to generate magnetic fields fifty
percent higher than ever before by any superconducting magnet. It’s very
exciting.” Other practical applications for the new superconductors include
high power underground power cables that have the potential to greatly enhance
the transmission of power underground into big cities. “But to have such
a capable instrument with broad capabilities means that it can be very useful
to many other leading campus researchers too.”
Researching the properties of powerful new superconducting materials, such
as YBCO, BSCCO, and the recently discovered pnictides at FSU’s National
High Field Magnet Lab (NHFML), includes testing them with the world’s
strongest magnets. The NHFML is home to hybrid and high field magnets including
one with the world’s highest magnetic field, 45 tesla, nearly a million
times that of the earth in its orbit.
“Advanced superconductors are true nanostructures,” said Labarlestier.
“When I was a young assistant professor, we were trying to understand
the workhorse of 95% of all superconducting applications, niobium titanium,
and we got our first glimpse of the nanoribbons of almost pure titanium, only
2-3 nm thick that are so essential to their outstanding properties. We were
convinced we needed an analytical microscope and bought one of the very first
fully analytical machines from one of JEOL’s competitors. This new JEOL
STEM in full analytical mode will let us perform analysis at the single atom
level that we dreamed of then, but which has been out of our grasp until now.
The new machine is ideal for settling this type of problem.”
The High-Performance Materials Institute (HPMI) will utilize the TEM in its
efforts toward developing multifunctional nanocomposites. The advanced nanomaterials
should one day be used to produce lighter, stronger and safer aircraft, spacecraft
and automobiles. “This resource should prove vital toward accelerating
nanocomposites into the market place,” said Dr. Richard Liang, Chief Technologist
of the HPMI and Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. “We
should soon provide the capabilities to produce multifunctional materials that
will make transportation more energy efficient, affordable, and safer.”
“We will be able to probe individual atomic sites and determine the atomic
and electronic structure with single-atomic column sensitivity,” Dr. Yan
Xin, Associate in Research, Magnet Science & Technology, explained. “For
instance, various defects, such as dislocation sites, in materials are a major
factor to impact the applications of high temperature superconductors, high
strength materials, biomaterials, semiconductors and fuel cell materials. We
are working to improve defect properties so it’s very important to know
exactly the position and chemistry of individual atomic column. This sub-angstrom
microscope will give us that information one atomic column by one atomic column.”
The funding for the TEM was provided by the Florida State University Research
Foundation, with matching funds from the Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials.
The Center of Excellence, funded by the Florida Board of Governors, was established
by researchers at the High-Performance Materials Institute.