Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of an X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer to Support Materials Science Research, Research Training, and Education at Montana State University

About This Grant

The requested X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) is a foundational analytical tool used by researchers to characterize material surface composition and elemental oxidation states. This instrument will advance research activities at Montana State University (MSU) and across Montana in quantum materials, energy storage and conversion, biomineralization, and environmental science. More than 30 researchers and their students will use the XPS to expand the scope of their current efforts and tackle new scientific challenges. Projects that will benefit directly from the new instrument include a) developing 2-dimensional quantum materials for advanced quantum computers; b) discovering novel silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries; c) correlating mineral surface composition with the fate and transport of chemical species in groundwater; d) assessing the impact(s) of chemical surface modifications on bioengineered building and construction materials. Furthermore, the new instrument will be a focal point for training graduate and undergraduate students at MSU and other Montana colleges and universities, giving those students the experience they need to become skilled scientists ready to enter the workforce. The XPS will be the ‘shared use’ resource that not only advances scientific priorities but also builds capacity through collaborations and enhances workforce development by training students on state-of-the-art instrumentation. This project is jointly funded by the Division of Materials Research (DMR) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The XPS will serve researchers at MSU and throughout the Montana University System (MUS) including those from other doctoral-degree granting institutions, primary undergraduate institutions, and regional tribal colleges. The XPS will provide high-fidelity surface measurements transforming analytical characterization across research programs studying: 1) quantum materials; 2) materials for energy catalysis and storage; 3) environmental and biomaterials; 4) molecular materials. It will provide real-time, 5-micron spatial imaging of a sample’s surface. Furthermore, it will be capable of rapid and reproducible location of small sample features, large and micro-area spectroscopy, chemical state XPS imaging, sputter depth profiling, automated angle dependent depth profiling, and robotic sample handling to automate the analysis of multiple samples. MSU scientific staff in the Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (ICAL) will offer short courses designed for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral users, training them to acquire, process, and interpret XPS data on this state-of-the-art system. The acquired skills will enrich their research and be valuable assets for their professional development. Finally, the XPS instrument will be integrated into laboratory curricula in several departments at MSU, creating educational opportunities for more than 50 undergraduate students per year. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.