UnivSEM

Start date
April 1, 2012
Duration
36 months
End date
31/03/2015
Overall budget
4.7M €
Number of partners
8
Contacts
Jaroslav Jiruše, PhD
Project Coordinator
TESCAN, a.s.
Rudolf Fryček, PhD.
Project Manager
AMIRES Sàrl
PROJECT WEBSITE

Universal scanning electron microscopy as a multi-nano-analytical tool (UnivSEM)

 

The aim of the UnivSEM project is to develop a novel multimodal tool combining:

  • a vision capability by integrating scanning electron (SEM), scanning probe (SPM) and optical microscopy (OM) thus enabling multimodal microscopy,
  • a chemical analysis capability by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX),
  • structural characterization by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD),
  • a non-destructive optical analysis capability by confocal Raman spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL),
  • a tomography capability by complementary use of novel 3D orthogonal TOF-SIMS, 3D EBSD and 3D confocal Raman tomography (the last method being non-destructive) thus enabling correlation between alternative 3D methods.

The proper resolution will be ensured by SEM column improvements, a new SPM design and OM type of Raman microscopy in SEM. Implementation of nano-scale 3D imaging, manipulation and non-destructive optical analysis in one universal instrument will represent a real breakthrough allowing simple operations or analyses in nanotechnology that are problematic or impossible nowadays.

The fully functional prototype of the new tool will demonstrate its unique modularity, resolution, data acquisition and simplification of working environment. Direct application of this multimodal tool is expected in many industrial quality controls and in R&D sectors (e.g. photovoltaics, plasmonics and cell-nanoparticle interaction).

 

AMIRES was involved in the project’s preparatory phase and in the negotiations. Within the project it is responsible for administrative project management and for dissemination of results.

 

  • Project partners:
    • Tescan, a.s., Czech Republic
    • Max Planck Institute – Science of Light, Germany
    • EMPA Thun, Switzerland
    • Witec GmbH, Germany
    • Amires Sàrl, Switzerland
    • Tofwerk AG, Switzerland
    • Specs surface nano analysis GmbH, Germany
    • Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic

 

This project has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme Grant Agreement No. 280566, project UnivSEM.