Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

This minor equipment application seeks the support for critical repair to a few vital components in the Imaging ESCA Microprobe at the University of Waterloo. Equipped with multiple techniques (including X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, depth profiling, chemical-state imaging, scanning electron microscopy, and Auger electron microscopy), the Thermo Fisher VG Scientific ESCALab 250 system represents one of the best laboratory-based imaging ESCA instruments in the world. The Waterloo machine is also the only ESCALab 250 in Canada and is a state-of-the-art, laboratory-based ESCA instrument capable of chemical-state imaging at high spatial resolution. This imaging ESCA system has been in operation since 2000 and has been under heavy usage, serving the research needs of over 75 local research groups from the University of Waterloo and 30 academic groups from other Canadian universities. Specifically, the requested support will allow us to replace the X-ray source, to repair and/or replace the in-column charge compensation facility, and to upgrade the data system to Windows 7 environment. These critical repairs and upgrades are necessary as the system is now approaching 15 years old. We can bring back the performance to close to as-new condition by replacing the broken and aging components, which will extend the life-time of this $2.5 M instrument for another 10 years. This request will bring the Waterloo ESCALab system back up to full operation, with its state-of-the-art performance. The request is critically needed for the continued survival of the diverse materials science and engineering research programs at Waterloo (and at least 30 thesis projects depend on this instrument).