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Central Facilities
Electron microscopy is acknowledged as one of the most useful methods for materials characterization at sub-micron microstructural length scales. It is an essential component in all materials development programs in which materials microstructure-properties-processing relationships are probed. At Brown University, this approach is taken in studies of a wide spectrum of materials systems ranging from structural materials such as ceramic, metal matrix, and other composites to electronic materials such as GaN, GaAs, SiC, and ZnSe to name a few. In both electronic and structural materials technologies there is an emerging recognition of the importance of an improved understanding of materials behavior at the nanometer length scale. This trend, shared by both the electronic and structural materials communities, is driven in the microelectronics area by improved lithographic technologies that allow device fabrication with 0.25 micron feature sizes and the technological promise of novel electronic materials with tailored properties based on quantum confinement effects. In the structural materials arena, theory, computation, and experiment reveal that improved understanding of mechanical behavior at the nanometer length scale provides an opportunity to develop new materials with increased toughness, ductility and high temperature strength. The electron microscope facility is used for instructional purposes at the graduate and undergraduate levels and in the research of over 25 graduate students, faculty, and staff who are associated with a wide variety of multi-investigator research projects. These investigators represent many different departments and research groups including Materials Science, Solid Mechanics, and Electrical Sciences in the Division of Engineering, as well as Physics, Chemistry, and Geology. The Electron microscope facility is operated as a cost-center and is administered by the Center for Advanced Materials to provide support for service contracts, supplies, and day-to-day maintenance of the equipment. The current director of the facility is Prof. David C. Paine and the facility supports a full-time research engineer, Tony McCormick, who provides instruction to new users and participates in a variety of research projects. The CAMR Electron Microscope Facility receives support from many CAMR block grants, such as:
We would appreciate your acknowledgement in your reports and publications. For further information contact: David C. Paine |
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Copyright © 2003, Center for Advanced Materials Research |