November 13, 2007
Atomic-force microscope to aid in nanotechnology course development
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's College of Technology is gaining a powerful tool that will help students learn more about tiny technologies.Helen McNally, an assistant professor of electrical engineering technology, received a $70,000 award from the Office of the Provost earlier this year to help purchase an atomic-force microscope.
"This piece of equipment will allow students to view objects at the nanolevel, which is essential for an understanding of nanotechnology," she said. "Students will have the chance not just to view a wide variety of surfaces, but also to 'feel' them and manipulate them."
The microscope will be used primarily for a new course in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology called "Introduction to Nanotechnology" that will be offered to undergraduates starting in the spring semester.
An atomic-force microscope is a type of scanning-probe microscope that has a resolution much greater than a traditional microscope, enabling the user to examine subjects on the nanoscale.
It differs from a traditional microscope in that it does not use lenses and instead contains a microscale cantilever with a sharp tip or probe, much like a record player, that is used to scan the specimen surface. The microscope measures attractive or repulsive forces between the probe and the sample, and the magnitude of the deflection is captured by a laser that transfers the measurements to a computer screen for display.
The scanning-probe microscope will be the first housed in the College of Technology, although there are several similar microscopes located in various science labs around the university. The microscope will be used primarily by undergraduates, but also will be available for use by graduate students and faculty.
McNally said scanning-probe microscopes can be used in a variety of ways, including examining cancer cells and plant cells. In the department, students will be able to use it to examine electronic components and how they age over time.
The microscope is scheduled to arrive in mid-December and will be assembled in time for the spring semester. The microscope will be housed in the basement of Knoy Hall, and due to its sensitive nature, will be placed on a vibration table to provide electromagnetic and acoustic isolation.
Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu
Source: Helen McNally, (765) 494-7491, mcnallyh@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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