Research Areas
Biological StructuresThe nanostructure and composition of biological materials determines how tissues and organs in the body function. The electron microscopes in the NISPLab are used to image these structures in tissue specimens that have been specially prepared and thinly sliced. The resulting images give important clues for unraveling the mysteries of life science. Principal Investigators
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Multifunctional & Smart MaterialsSmart materials are the basis for a wide range of sensing and actuator devices. They include piezoelectric materials, magnetostrictive materials, shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys and sensor materials in general. They are studied in a variety of forms from multilayer thin films to bulk single crystals. Many of these materials are multifunctional in the sense that they display multiple functionalities simultaneously. A good example are multiferroic materials which exhibit coexistence of multiple ferroic properties (ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, and/or ferroelasticity). These materials are being investigated in order to understand their intriguing physical properties and to pursue future device applications such as novel sensors and memory devices. Principal Investigators
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Nanoscale MaterialsWhen the dimensions of materials are are reduced to the point that they are only a few tens to hundreds of atoms across, their physical properties can change dramatically. Such materials are revolutionizing the ways we manage energy, the ways we process information, and the ways we detect and process environmental toxins. Images of these materials obtained in the NISPLab allow their structure and composition to be determined and are instrumental in moving this area of research forward. Principal Investigators
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Geological MaterialsThe Earth and Solar System have a long and complex geological history. In order to piece together the puzzle, materials are sampled from the Earth and Moon both by deep sampling of Earth's interior in volcanic pipes exposed at surface and by meteorites that impact Earth. Detailed characterization of the mineralogy, microstructure and chemistry of these materials using the electron probe microanalyzer at the NISPLab provides information that is used to investigate the origin and evolution of the Solar System and its planetary bodies, and to investigate processes at scales that range from atomic (in minerals) to planetary (interactions between tectonic plates). Principal Investigators
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