Measuring instruments

Description

The Bruker NanoIR3 is a nanoscale infrared absorption spectroscopy instrument that can provide chemical mapping of material surfaces, including rock materials. The instrument provides rich, interpretable IR spectra that are directly comparable to FTIR spectra. The instrument provides state of the art surface mapping capabilities for studies of rock-fluid interactions at high spatial resolu-tion. The nanoIR3 system is the latest generation multi-functional platform optimized for high speed, high resolution localized IR spectroscopy along with high resolution imaging and metrology. The system incorporates a top-down IR sample illumination scheme for greater flexibility of sample formats. The System also provides a modular approach to IR laser compatibility with a selection of available sources. The system includes all required electronics, optics, software, computer workstation, probes and calibration standards. The nanoIR3 with HyperSpectral capabilities provides high spatial resolut. Detailed reasoning: The system is a unique instrument for nanoscale IR spectroscopy providing chemical imaging at high resolution. The system chosen is the only available option for the following requirements: The system detects IR absorption using photo-thermal induced resonance via the cantilever oscillation method. The system provides simultaneous measurement of IR absorption, sample topography and contact resonance based mechanics from the amplitude and frequency of the cantilever oscillation. The following describes the unique features of the required system. Nano-IR features: The system detects IR absorption of molecules adsorbed to surface by means of photo-thermal induced resonance via the cantilever oscillation approach. The system also provides simultaneous measurement of IR absorption, sample topography and contact resonance based mechanics from the amplitude and frequency of the cantilever oscillation. The system supports a cantilever resonant frequency of 2 MHz. This technique directly correlates to conventional Fourier transform IR spectroscopy libraries for solid samples with proven examples and provides both high resolution spectroscopy and fixed wavelength chemical imaging employing the same IR laser source with automated background compensation. This technique provides tapping mode based, photo-thermal chemical imaging covering a selectable ranges from 800 — 1 850 cm-1 and 2 700 — 3 800 cm-1 has demonstrated better than 15 nm chemical imaging spatial resolution. The apparatus is highly user-friendly was fast probe changing and supports premounted tips for standard probes with less than 5 seconds. The software provides mainly “hands-free” remote control of all system components from a single software interface, including alignment of IR laser source, laser optics, atomic force microscopy system, automated collection of images, spectral acquisition and data analysis. The alignment of the laser source with the tip/sample is computer controlled over the entire laser tuning range with no manual adjustments required. The system provides HOT spot tracking and optimization of the IR laser onto the probe tip to minimize measurement set-up and automatic beam steering corrects for tunable source beam angle deviations. The laser system provides high resolution IR spectroscopy and chemical imaging from with a linewidth resolution of 2 cm-1 from a single laser source and fast measurements of spectra over the range within less than 20 seconds. In addition, the capacity for hyperspectral imaging with the photo-thermal technique is included and this provides spectra at each pixel with an acquisition speed of 1 s/pixel across the full tuning range and a spectral array map of up to 128 x 128 pixels. Other features: The system also includes an option to provide a polarization module that allows user to study molecular orientation with nanoscale spatial resolution by changing the input polarization of the IR light. There is an option for AFM-IR in environmental control with humidity control. The humidity control should work in the range from 4 % to 95 %, non-condensing. There is an option for temperature control in the range -20 – 80 deg C when using an environmental enclosure thus environmental control is compatible with an integrated heater cooler. The system will provide an option for atomic force microscopy imaging in liquid with easily interchangeable liquid imaging accessory and an option for integrated nano-thermal analysis and SThM measurement capabilities. Provides localized nanoscale phase transition topological measurements using a nanoscale thermal probe that can be heated to temperatures up to 400 oC with sub-100 nm resolution, which can be correlated to bulk TMA measurements. The system has the ability to provide local thermal analysis characterization in heterogeneous materials such as blends/composites/multilayer films and high resolution scanning thermal microscopy (SThM).