Centre For Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization
[insert tag line]
Centre For Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization
[insert tag line]
CAMMC
Core Resources
Please review the following resources for the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization to learn about our facility operations:
Quick Links
Facility Access
Hours of Operation
- Regular hours of operation for the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization are:
Monday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
After Hours / Off-Days
- Due to the complex nature of the equipment in the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization, the facility is not open outside of normal working hours when the technician is not present.
Training Requirements
Mandatory Safety Training
All users must complete the following safety training before working in the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization:
User Equipment Training
- Users must be trained prior to using the equipment in the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization on their own.
- All SEM and Raman-AFM training is in-person with the guidance of the Core Manager, a certified equipment technician and operator. Students cannot train other students.
- The cost of training is $95/hour for all user types and equipment (see Services & Fees > User Training); the training fee incorporates the hourly rate, plus a fee for technician time. More than one person can be trained at one time for the same fee.
- The duration of a training session is approximately 1-2 hours, depending on the equipment and amount of previous experience. Training can be done at the beginning of a time slot, after which a user can continue working on their samples as a trained user for the remainder of the booked time.
- The Core Manager will usually be present to oversee the initial session immediately after training.
- Please contact the Core Manager for any inquiries about the user equipment training in the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization.
Core Policies / Protocols
Booking Policies
If you are new user interested in the services offered by the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization, please contact the Core Manager to schedule an initial assessment meeting to learn more about how the facility can help with your research.
Scheduling Equipment Usage
- To schedule an appointment to use the equipment in the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization, please submit a request through our contact form.
ESEM Booking:
- The FEI Quanta 200 Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) should be booked a minimum of 24 hours in advance of its use.
- Most often users book a morning (9:00 AM – 1:00 PM) or afternoon (1:00 PM – 4:30 PM) time slot; however other time durations can be accommodated.
- Users are charged based on the time they actually use the equipment.
- Users can view the ESEM Booking Schedule to see what times are available, but cannot book time on the calendar. Please submit a request to book equipment time.
Raman-AFM Booking:
- The WITec alpha300 RA – Raman-Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) System must be booked a minimum of 24 hours in advance of its use.
- Equipment usage fees are charged per hour (or part thereof) of use.
- Users can view the Raman-AFM Booking Schedule to see what times are available, but cannot book time using the calendar. Please submit a request to book equipment time.
Late Arrival:
- Please notify the Core Manager by phone or e-mail if you are going to be late for your scheduled appointment. Users that are more than 15 minutes late for their appointment will be charged for the full hour of equipment usage.
Cancellation/No-Show:
- Users that are unable to attend their scheduled time at the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization will be charged unless they provide at least 24-hours cancellation notice to the Core Manager.
- No-shows will be charged the full amount of the booking.
Data Management Policy
CAMMC Data Management:
- Data collected at the Centre for Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization is considered temporary storage during experimentation and will not be backed up. It is the responsibility of the users to save copies of their raw data at the end of their experiment as the hard drives are periodically cleared to allow storage space for ongoing facility experiments.
- Raw EDS data can be exported by the user and later imported back into the software if editing of spectra or future analysis is required.
- All images and data generated by students in the facility are the property of the supervisor.
- The Advanced Microscopy & Materials Characterization Core is not responsible for any lost data. All users should ensure that they have proper plans for data storage, backup, and security prior to using the facility.
Sample Preparation Protocols
SEM Sample Preparation
- All samples must be clean and free of dust or loose particles.
- Compressed air should be used to remove any loose debris prior to the sample going in the microscope.
Important Forms
[insert text]
[insert text]
- [insert text]
- [insert text]
- [insert text]