Scientific EMU: acquisition of an high-resolution transmission electron microscope with electron energy loss spectroscopy for structural, chemical and dynamic electronic state characterization at the atomic scale

• Grant number: 22/11539-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Scientific
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2031
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Edson Roberto Leite
• Grantee: Edson Roberto Leite
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Campinas
• Associated researchers: Adalberto Fazzio ; Cauê Ribeiro de Oliveira ; Elson Longo da Silva ; Flavio Leandro de Souza ; José Maria Correa Bueno ; Liane Marcia Rossi ; Mateus Borba Cardoso

Abstract

In this project, we are proposing the acquisition of a Transmission and Transmission Scanning Electron Microscope (TEM-STEM), with a spherical aberration corrector in the probe and a high-resolution electron energy loss spectrometer (EELS) that allows the analysis of " core loss" and "low loss", with unprecedented energy and spatial resolution (< 250 meV, ultimate 20 meV, and sub-angstrom) and the possibility of dynamic spectroscopic analysis due to ultrasensitive cameras. Equipment like this does not exist in the Sao Paulo state or even Brazil. This proposal has the support of two CEPIDs projects (FAPESP /2013/07296-2 e Processo /2013/07793-6), two thematic projects (FAPESP /2017/02317-2 e FAPESP /2018/01258-5), and one hundred twenty-seven (127) complementary projects (ninety-six from the state of São Paulo; 77.4 %). It has the support of seven (7) associated researchers from different institutions (UFSCar, UFABC, USP and CNPEM) being therefore multi-institutional, working with different materials (ceramic materials, oxides, metallic nanoparticles, inorganic/organic nanoparticles, biointerfaces and theory). This proposal will benefit the entire scientific community of the state of São Paulo in different areas such as physics, chemistry, materials science, materials chemistry, nanomaterials, catalysis, biointerfaces, among others. In addition, this equipment will be installed at LNNano-CNPEM, which is recognized as an institution that manages, operates, and maintains multi-user equipment for over 20 years, including working in an "open laboratory" regime. It is important to point out that the open facilities serving external users compose one of LNNano's axes of action in the Brazilian and São Paulo scientific community. Finally, this proposal presents a solid institutional counterpart, both from the point of view of human and material resources. (AU)