March 24, 2023
Dear MCF Users,
The GERB building is still undergoing renovation. This remodeling will periodically affect work at MCF until Summer 2023. We are working closely with contractors and TEES facility personnel on remodeling schedule and will keep you posted regularly about planned closures of labs and instruments during remodeling so that you can plan your research activities accordingly. Here is the latest update about MCF lab closure and instrument availability due to the ongoing renovation.
- EPMA, FE-SEM (JEOL): renovation is expected to be completed April 6, but we will need few days to check the instruments before we release them to users. We expect they will be available by April 14, provided all goes well.
- XPS: the renovation has been delayed and will be completed April 20 and expect it to be available to users by April 26, provided all goes well.
- PIPS is relocated to Rm 150 (if you need training or card access to that room, please e-mail Sisi with your UIN).
- Sputter coater is relocated to 115 as of Feb. 16, 2023 (if you need card access to that room, please e-mail Dr. Bisrat with your UIN).
- Plasma cleaner is relocated to 114 as of 6/3/2023 (if you need card access to that room, please e-mail me with your UIN).
- LYRA: the parts have arrived from Europe and we are expecting the engineer next week to complete the repair. We will send more updates next week.
- Spectroscopy: renovation was complete last week and all the instruments are up
- Surface Analysis: renovation was complete last week and some of the instruments are up running and some are awaiting some maintenance (Dr. Serem will send more details).
- Thermal lab: renovation was complete last Hot disk and Dielectric Spectrometer are up running. TMA and DSC are expected to be up running sometime next week.
- Raman: we do not know where it will be relocated yet, we will keep you
- EnvironESCA: the installation of our new Environmental XPS is almost If you are interested to run samples, please contact Dr. Jing Wu.
- SIMS, Wet lab, FERA, Titan: renovation is completed and they are all available for
For those of you who have urgent SEM work that cannot wait until mid-April, you can either get trained on the FERA or request assisted work on the FERA. Please reach out to Dr. Bisrat or Dr. Mott if you have any urgent SEM work during the shutdown time of JEOL and LYRA and we will try our best to accommodate your needs by doing assisted work.
Thank you for your patience and understanding and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the MCF staff.
