Detector for Electron Backscattering Diffraction
Navn på bevillingshaver
Mogens Christensen
Institution
Aarhus University
Beløb
DKK 980,000
År
2021
Bevillingstype
Research Infrastructure
Hvad?
The aim of the project is to bring about a paradigm shift in material science and expand the understanding of materials. The Electron Backscattering Diffraction (EBSD) detector is uniquely capable of obtaining local information on the nanoscale about atomic structure, size and shape plus the crystallographic orientation also known as texture. For centuries is has been known that atomic structure is driving materials properties, in the late 20th century nanoscience became the focus with bottom-up synthesis. The EBSD will give us the ability to take the next step and investigate materials where the crystallographic orientation on the microscale has been manipulated to improve the properties. The textbook example, where the atomic-, nano-, and microscale is paramount is in magnets.
Hvorfor?
Local information on the nanoscale about atomic structure, size/shape and the texture can bring a new paradigm in material science and allow material scientist to prepare materials with enhanced properties e.g. within magnetic materials, heterogeneous catalysis, thermoelectics, piezoelectric, multiferroics, superconductors, optical crystals, mechanical strength of building materials, etc. Nature already masters control of texture for mechanical strength in teeth, bone, sea shells etc. Material science has only recently started to manipulate and control the texture in bulk materials. The EBSD will be the eye that allows us to investigate the texture on a local scale.
Hvordan?
The EBSD will be installed in TESCAN Clara SEM at Aarhus University. Here we will focus on demonstrating the control overall length scales from atomic-, nano-, and micrometer scale using magnetic materials. Magnetic materials have the advantage, that they allow manipulating the crystallites orientation using and external magnetic field. However to expand the texture to other fields of material science we plan to demonstrate manipulations of magnetic materials without using external magnetic field, but based on size and shape of nanoparticles.