Web-Based Sign-Up for Nanoscale Materials Characterization Facility Instrumentation

Welcome to the web based sign-up for our instrumentation in the Nanoscale Materials Characterization Facility – NMCF. This system allows researchers with Internet access to book time on our instrumentation 24 hours a day from any location. Users must have an assigned username and password to schedule time on the instrumentation. This information is assigned after a satisfactory completion of training provided by our staff.

The NEW user is allowed to access the instrument Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 5:00PM while the regular assistance is available. Time slots on the instruments may be reserved by any authorized users on a first come, first serve basis. However, efficient use of the instrumentation requires that users refrain from reserving time which they do not subsequently use. Users who are unable to use a time slot which they have reserved are obliged to cancel the reservation via web based sign-up at their earliest convenience (at the very latest 24hr). A reserved slot will be considered unused, and made available to others, if the user who reserved the slot has not arrived within the first 15 minutes of the reserved period. If a user finishes prior to the end of the reserved slot, it is not necessary to cancel the remainder of the reservation.

No instrument may be booked more than two weeks ahead of time with the exception of bookings for teaching, training, and facility related service. Each user is limited to one reserved slot during prime time (8:00 am -5:00 pm, Monday-Friday) per instrument per week so that a number of people can access each instrument during prime time in any given week. The time slots for the SEM’s are 2 hours and the TEM’s are 3 hours. Users who require additional time are encouraged to reserve slots outside prime time (no limit on slots outside of the prime time period), or to use the instrument during periods when it has not been reserved (first come, first serve basis). Users who require exceptionally long contiguous blocks of time for their work (especially users traveling here from a distance), or who must book more than two weeks in advance, should contact Richard White our Facility Manager so that the necessary time can be reserved.

Our instrumentation is listed below with a hyperlink to the calendar to schedule a reservation. Only registered users can schedule on the instrumentation, all others must inquire with Richard White to schedule time. To become a registered user on our instruments, UVA Faculty/staff/students must successfully pass a drivers test after a number of training sessions (usually 4 – 8 sessions depending on experience) on the designated instrument. During the training period, a staff member will train a new user in the operation and some theory of the instrumentation. New users are encouraged to bring their samples and they will collect data during their training sessions. Technical assistance and instrument charges will apply during this training period. We welcome outside users to utilize our facility with technical assistance.

Click on the following link to access Web-based sign-up for NMCF. Click on the instrument/person you would like to schedule time with and log-in using your assigned USERNAME and PASSWORD.

E-mail Groups:

Email FIB Users
Email SEM Users
Email TEM Users
Email XRD Users