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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22184/1993-8578.2024.17.5.276.280
FemtoScan Online software, being a highly professional product for scientific research, has turned out to be a successful tool for educational activities in secondary and higher schools. In scientific research, FemtoScan Online provides the full range of necessary solutions for the collection, storage, analysis, processing and further application of experimental data from optical, electron and probe microscopy. The greatest value of the FemtoScan Online software lies in its wide capabilities for working with three-dimensional images from different perspectives, color scales using mathematical filters and operations, quantitative processing and clear visual representation. FemtoScan Online also provides the ability to work with two-dimensional data – diagrams, graphs, scans, etc. Photo processing can also be the focus of FemtoScan Online.
FemtoScan Online software, being a highly professional product for scientific research, has turned out to be a successful tool for educational activities in secondary and higher schools. In scientific research, FemtoScan Online provides the full range of necessary solutions for the collection, storage, analysis, processing and further application of experimental data from optical, electron and probe microscopy. The greatest value of the FemtoScan Online software lies in its wide capabilities for working with three-dimensional images from different perspectives, color scales using mathematical filters and operations, quantitative processing and clear visual representation. FemtoScan Online also provides the ability to work with two-dimensional data – diagrams, graphs, scans, etc. Photo processing can also be the focus of FemtoScan Online.
Теги: atomic force microscopy bionanoscopy data processing scanning probe microscopy substrate alignment атомно-силовая микроскопия бионаноскопия выравнивание подложки обработка данных сканирующая зондовая микроскопия
INTRODUCTION
Why does FemtoScan Online need to be used at school? With the initial use of FemtoScan Online a schoolchild can immediately get acquainted with the objects of the nanoworld: atoms, molecules, nanoparticles and nanomaterials. And, immediately, in three-dimensional form. Of particular interest is observation of living nature objects – DNA and RNA, proteins, lipids, viruses, bacteria, cells of various organisms. What is the size of an atom or a human hair? What does the tobacco mosaic virus or the common human cold look like? FemtoScan Online answers these and other questions. The tools – ruler or section – are intuitive and highly informative. You can select a single object and define a set of its geometric parameters – perimeter, base area, volume, height difference, roughness. These parameters also include the shape factor: how much, for example, the shape of the object differs from a sphere and how close to an elongated one. A wide field for independent and thoughtful work of a schoolchild [1].
FEMTOSCAN IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Working with three-dimensional images allows you to understand many important questions. It so happens that in school physics problems the answer has a precise meaning. For example, the acting force is 1 N, or velocity at the moment of landing of the body is 10 m/sec. In real conditions it is not so. The values always turn out to be approximate with one or another accuracy. In the first courses of higher education, many people do not like it. They want an exact answer, not an answer with an error. But you have to put up with it and only try to get the value of the measured value more and more accurately each time.
As in other physical experiments, probe microscopy has noise, interference and errors that will appear in three-dimensional images. Various types of filtering are used to remove them where possible. In probe microscopy, it is necessary to register submicron differences in the sample surface topography. However, due to temperature drift, the sample surface may smoothly approach or move away from the probe. A slope appears in the image that is not present on the sample surface. To eliminate this effect, the slope plane is subtracted from the resulting image. Median filtering is used to remove single outliers. How different mathematical filters work can be clearly seen when using them on real or model samples. The result is good laboratory work in maths and computer science.
A "Klondike" for a biology lesson are images of viruses, bacteria and cells, as well as RNA, DNA, proteins, lipids. You can look at all the minute details with great benefit for understanding and learning.
In chemistry lessons, local anodic oxidation of a surface is a successful and beautiful example. The sample can be the surface of graphite, silicon, titanium, aluminium and other materials. In the experiment, a negative potential is applied to the probe in certain places of the surface. As a result, oxidation occurs on the surface of the sample under the action of electrons and negative ions. The oxide layer thus obtained will give additional relief on the surface. This results in lithography with figures, portraits and other designs.
Probe microscopy in physics lessons offers a wide range of possibilities. For example, there is a good question: how to distinguish the real slope of the sample surface from the slope caused by temperature drift? The question is not very difficult, and a clever pupil gives the right answer, although maybe not immediately. A couple of hints can be useful.
Other physics tasks. By pressing a probe against a surface with different forces, the mechanical properties of the surface can be evaluated. It is also possible to determine variations in friction force between the probe and the surface under study.
Tuning a feedback circuit is a broad field for a general understanding of what feedback is not only in probe microscopy. Probe microscopy makes it easier to understand how to tune it and why proportional, integral and differential links are used. It is useful to start the training with a weight layout. A weight dummy is a resistor (electrical resistance) that we connect between the output and input of a feedback circuit. From the point of view of scanning probe microscope electronics functioning, the entire mechanical system including the probe, sample, handling and recording system can be replaced by a single resistor. If an additional signal appears in the circuit, the feedback should compensate for it. So it is in everyday life. If someone starts to speak too loudly, we ask him or her to tone it down a bit. We act as feedback and give an output signal – we ask you to keep your voice down. We do not know exactly what will happen in the end. But often the feedback works, and the speaker lowers the volume of speech. If we ask impolitely and too loudly, we are more likely to get the opposite effect. God forbid we hear shouting and swearing. Similarly, in probe microscopy, if the feedback response is too sharp, the microscope, although not scolding, may go into auto-oscillation mode and damage both the probe and the sample.
For effective use of FemtoScan Online software at school lessons or in project activities of students, software alone is not enough. There is a need for rich, extensive and understandable additional educational material: manuals, videos, image databases, support via social networks, organisation of contests, Olympiads, hackathons, meetings, conferences, etc.
In 2011, we published a description of the Practical studies for high school students on scanning probe microscopy "Five Nobel lessons" [2]. Since then, probe microscopy has advanced a lot and the time is ripe for a new compendium for high school students. Now there are not 5 but at least 25 lessons, and not necessarily Nobel lessons. Work is in a progress.
In 2021, 4 educational videos were produced for a wide audience, including schoolchildren [3]:
Outlook into the nanoworld. In contact;
How do you weigh a single atom?
Viruses under the microscope;
Scanning capillary microscopy.
The accessibility of the material has been our main concern, which we have tried to address. Undoubtedly, this is not enough. In general, there is little information for schoolchildren about this unique method of studying the nanoworld and its objects.
For practical training in scanning probe microscopy, we launched the Youth Innovative Creativity Centre "Nanotechnologies" (www.startinnovation.com) at the Physical Department of MSU with the support of the Moscow City Government. The Centre is equipped with six multifunctional FemtoScan scanning probe microscopes.
CONCLUSIONS
We have now made the software available to secondary schools. On request, schools receive the necessary number of perpetual licences and the accompanying materials available to them free of charge. In co-operation with schools, we will organise a competition for the best image.
PEER REVIEW INFO
Editorial board thanks the anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. It is also grateful for their consent to publish papers on the journal’s website and SEL eLibrary eLIBRARY.RU.
Declaration of Competing Interest. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Why does FemtoScan Online need to be used at school? With the initial use of FemtoScan Online a schoolchild can immediately get acquainted with the objects of the nanoworld: atoms, molecules, nanoparticles and nanomaterials. And, immediately, in three-dimensional form. Of particular interest is observation of living nature objects – DNA and RNA, proteins, lipids, viruses, bacteria, cells of various organisms. What is the size of an atom or a human hair? What does the tobacco mosaic virus or the common human cold look like? FemtoScan Online answers these and other questions. The tools – ruler or section – are intuitive and highly informative. You can select a single object and define a set of its geometric parameters – perimeter, base area, volume, height difference, roughness. These parameters also include the shape factor: how much, for example, the shape of the object differs from a sphere and how close to an elongated one. A wide field for independent and thoughtful work of a schoolchild [1].
FEMTOSCAN IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Working with three-dimensional images allows you to understand many important questions. It so happens that in school physics problems the answer has a precise meaning. For example, the acting force is 1 N, or velocity at the moment of landing of the body is 10 m/sec. In real conditions it is not so. The values always turn out to be approximate with one or another accuracy. In the first courses of higher education, many people do not like it. They want an exact answer, not an answer with an error. But you have to put up with it and only try to get the value of the measured value more and more accurately each time.
As in other physical experiments, probe microscopy has noise, interference and errors that will appear in three-dimensional images. Various types of filtering are used to remove them where possible. In probe microscopy, it is necessary to register submicron differences in the sample surface topography. However, due to temperature drift, the sample surface may smoothly approach or move away from the probe. A slope appears in the image that is not present on the sample surface. To eliminate this effect, the slope plane is subtracted from the resulting image. Median filtering is used to remove single outliers. How different mathematical filters work can be clearly seen when using them on real or model samples. The result is good laboratory work in maths and computer science.
A "Klondike" for a biology lesson are images of viruses, bacteria and cells, as well as RNA, DNA, proteins, lipids. You can look at all the minute details with great benefit for understanding and learning.
In chemistry lessons, local anodic oxidation of a surface is a successful and beautiful example. The sample can be the surface of graphite, silicon, titanium, aluminium and other materials. In the experiment, a negative potential is applied to the probe in certain places of the surface. As a result, oxidation occurs on the surface of the sample under the action of electrons and negative ions. The oxide layer thus obtained will give additional relief on the surface. This results in lithography with figures, portraits and other designs.
Probe microscopy in physics lessons offers a wide range of possibilities. For example, there is a good question: how to distinguish the real slope of the sample surface from the slope caused by temperature drift? The question is not very difficult, and a clever pupil gives the right answer, although maybe not immediately. A couple of hints can be useful.
Other physics tasks. By pressing a probe against a surface with different forces, the mechanical properties of the surface can be evaluated. It is also possible to determine variations in friction force between the probe and the surface under study.
Tuning a feedback circuit is a broad field for a general understanding of what feedback is not only in probe microscopy. Probe microscopy makes it easier to understand how to tune it and why proportional, integral and differential links are used. It is useful to start the training with a weight layout. A weight dummy is a resistor (electrical resistance) that we connect between the output and input of a feedback circuit. From the point of view of scanning probe microscope electronics functioning, the entire mechanical system including the probe, sample, handling and recording system can be replaced by a single resistor. If an additional signal appears in the circuit, the feedback should compensate for it. So it is in everyday life. If someone starts to speak too loudly, we ask him or her to tone it down a bit. We act as feedback and give an output signal – we ask you to keep your voice down. We do not know exactly what will happen in the end. But often the feedback works, and the speaker lowers the volume of speech. If we ask impolitely and too loudly, we are more likely to get the opposite effect. God forbid we hear shouting and swearing. Similarly, in probe microscopy, if the feedback response is too sharp, the microscope, although not scolding, may go into auto-oscillation mode and damage both the probe and the sample.
For effective use of FemtoScan Online software at school lessons or in project activities of students, software alone is not enough. There is a need for rich, extensive and understandable additional educational material: manuals, videos, image databases, support via social networks, organisation of contests, Olympiads, hackathons, meetings, conferences, etc.
In 2011, we published a description of the Practical studies for high school students on scanning probe microscopy "Five Nobel lessons" [2]. Since then, probe microscopy has advanced a lot and the time is ripe for a new compendium for high school students. Now there are not 5 but at least 25 lessons, and not necessarily Nobel lessons. Work is in a progress.
In 2021, 4 educational videos were produced for a wide audience, including schoolchildren [3]:
Outlook into the nanoworld. In contact;
How do you weigh a single atom?
Viruses under the microscope;
Scanning capillary microscopy.
The accessibility of the material has been our main concern, which we have tried to address. Undoubtedly, this is not enough. In general, there is little information for schoolchildren about this unique method of studying the nanoworld and its objects.
For practical training in scanning probe microscopy, we launched the Youth Innovative Creativity Centre "Nanotechnologies" (www.startinnovation.com) at the Physical Department of MSU with the support of the Moscow City Government. The Centre is equipped with six multifunctional FemtoScan scanning probe microscopes.
CONCLUSIONS
We have now made the software available to secondary schools. On request, schools receive the necessary number of perpetual licences and the accompanying materials available to them free of charge. In co-operation with schools, we will organise a competition for the best image.
PEER REVIEW INFO
Editorial board thanks the anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. It is also grateful for their consent to publish papers on the journal’s website and SEL eLibrary eLIBRARY.RU.
Declaration of Competing Interest. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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