A new tip holder for Force Modulation Microscopy has been acquired for the Dimension 3000 AFM system. This technique allows probing the elastic properties of very localized areas of a sample surface. The technique seems most applicable to biological, polymer, and soft materials, though it limits have not been explored. An application note with further information on this technique is available.
TWO NEW FIELD-EMISSION SEMS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED! A purchase order was issued in mid-September to purchase 2 new field-emission SEMs, one of which will be housed in the Surface Analysis & nano Imaging Lab, and the other of which will be housed in INSCC under the Department of Physics. The Surface Lab will house a FEI Quanta 600 FEG system, which is a high-resolution environmental SEM with EDX capability. Physics will house a FEI Nova Nano, which is a high-vacuum high-resolution imaging SEM. More details and specifications will be posted in the near future. We would like thank the office of the Vice-presidents and the Deans of the Colleges of Engineering, Mines, and Sciences for making this purchase possible.
As a result of a generous donation by George and Linda Caine, we now have microspot XRF and a complementary tool added on to the ESEM: an EBSD detector for orientation imaging microscopy (OIM), phase and texture analysis.
The Colleges of Science, Engineering, and Mines (Earth Sciences) in conjunction with the the Vice Presidents have collaborated to create a campus- and community-serving "Surface Analysis and nano Imaging" laboratory, with equipment supplied by matched federal grants. In particular, the NSF grant CHE-0443657 to purchase the Kratos XPS system was instrumental in catalyzing this laboratory. Key to this facility is the joint sponsorship of Research Assistant Professor, Dr. Loren Rieth, as University Surface Scientist to provide training and applications support in each of the tools comprising the lab.
| Equipment or Service | Internal Users | External Users |
| Instruments other than XPS/SEM/XRF | $15/hr (No Cap) | $22.50/hr (No Cap) |
| XPS, micro XRF & ESEM Time | $45/hr (No Cap) | $67.50/hr (No Cap) |
| Technical Assistance | $55/hr (No Cap) | $82.50/hr (No Cap) |
| Student Assistance | $20/hr (No Cap) | $30/hr (No Cap) |