Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

This proposal requests funding to replace our aging and failing scanning electron microscope (SEM) that has been used heavily for 17 years but can no longer be serviced. SEM technology has advanced significantly over the last two decades. The new SEM will double the speed of specimen survey and image acquisition, enhance resolution of images even at low vacuum and beam power (accelerating voltage), and provide exceptional resolution images at high vacuum even for low accelerating voltages. The new equipment will support the research of many academic staff, and will vastly improve ease of use and training by our graduate students. The Advanced Microscopy Facility in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta is intensively used by members of this department as well as by faculty and students from the Departments of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Chemistry and Materials Science, and from Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Sciences. The proposed new microscope will have high resolution (up to 3nm at 30Kv) and a fast scan rate (10-21 frames/s). Three axis joystick motorized navigation plus two tilt directions will allow students to obtain publication-quality images quickly. This instrument is urgently needed for all our groups to continue their research.