In the course of the 3rd tender of the R&D infrastructure funding of the FFG, an atom probe of the so-called 3rd generation (LEAP 5000 XR) was purchased at the Department of Materials Science. The installation, commissioning and training could already be completed successfully and our first "own" ions could be measured. This new generation of instruments is equipped with a UV laser, provides an increased detector efficiency of up to 50%, has novel software algorithms and allows significantly higher detection rates.
Using high-resolution atomic probe tomography, the atomic structure of materials can be investigated. In combination with correlative techniques such as transmission electron microscopy and ab-initio calculations, knowledge-based materials design and targeted property tuning are enabled.
With around € 2.6 million, it represents the highest laboratory equipment investment in the history of the Montanuniversität Leoben and at the same time entail a significant strengthening of Leoben as a research location. We are looking forward to the new opportunities available for us and to answering many exciting research questions.
