• Laboratory Main Page
• Applications, Academic
• Applications, Industry
• EMPA Information
• ESCI/MATS 5353
• Facilities & Equipment
• Fees & Scheduling
• FAQ - General
• FAQ - Specimens
• Image Gallery
• Laboratory Personnel
• Policies - Academic
• Policies - Industry
• Where is the Lab?

Fees & Scheduling

Academic Users & Clients

These rates and policies apply to all academic researchers:

Note: A full weekday (24 hrs) costs $400 for academic users

• The fees above apply to users from all U.S. higher education institutions, including researchers from outside the University of Minnesota. There is no distinction between "internal" or "external" academic rates.
• These fees are charged to cover maintenance, supply, and personnel costs related to the lab and its equipment.
• The fees above are for "instrument time" only. An additional surcharge may be incurred ($40/hr) for "operator time" when extensive assistance is provided by the laboratory manager; however, the maximum charge per day is still $400.
• Instrument time charges begin at the time the microprobe was signed up for and ends when a user logs out. Please also note the Cancellation, Late, and No-Show Policies below.
• Academic daytime rates are billed in half-hour (30-minute) increments.
• Academic weekend and nighttime rates are billed in full-hour increments.
• Acceptance of academic rates includes acceptance of our policy on acknowledgement in publication, described here -- all users must familiarize themselves with this policy.
• Academic rates do not apply to professors, researchers, or students doing analytical work for a company. Under these circumstances, either (1) fees can be assessed at the commercial rate to the researcher or (2) the company can be billed directly.

Commercial Fees & Service Policies

Effective FY06/07 (1 July 2006)

• Commercial "fee-for-service" rate: $200/hour with a max of $2000/day.
• Commercial rates are billed in quarter-hour (15-minute) increments.
• We strive to keep instrument and staff-time fees consistent with analytical services market.
• We are happy to discuss cost estimates for analytical work with potential customers, and any initial discussions are free of charge.
• The rate above reflects "instrument time" but includes a reasonable amount of data processing, image processing, and report writing. Additional charges may be incurred ($100/hr) for extensive processing or report writing (clients will be consulted before these additional fee are assessed).

Fees for Carbon Coats

Carbon coats done by certified users: $5.00/batch
Carbon coats done by lab personnel: $15.00/batch

Users interested in certification on the lab's new JEOL JEE-420 Vacuum Evaporator should contact the lab manager.

Users with an account at the University of Minnesota's Characterization Facility can have their samples coated by their staff for a charge of $14/batch: leave samples in Room 65 in the Characterization Facility at least 24 hours before your scheduled session, and ask the staff to coat the samples with a carbon layer about 150 Angstroms thick.

Scheduling Instrument Time

A schedule for one or two weeks in advance is posted in the laboratory, and the lab manager has a schedule book for weeks not yet posted. One can either stop by the laboratory to sign up for time or contact the lab manager via e-mail or phone. It is recommended that users contact the lab manager two or more weeks in advance to request a specific time, otherwise the instrument might already be booked.

No evening or weekend assistance is available. Those new users who wish to use the microprobe during evenings or weekends must first demonstrate competence with the instrument during a time when lab assistance is available. The lab manager decides when new users are ready to use the instrument on their own. New users, both internal and external, should not sign up for evenings or weekends without consulting the lab manager first.

Any user with a lapse of three months or longer in their instrument use must first contact the laboratory manager for permission to use the microprobe and, at the manager's discretion, schedule an assisted daytime session in order to reinforce their instrument operation skills. We also reserve the right to not allow any particular individual to operate the microprobe unsupervised.

Contact Us

probelab@umn.edu
Phone: 612-624-7370

Research Applications

With respect to geoscience research, our electron microprobe is often used for igneous, metamorphic, and experimental petrology as well as mineral studies and geochronology. In addition to rocks and minerals, we have conducted analyses of metals and alloys, thin films, ceramics and composites, glass, optical fibers, teeth and bones, and many other natural and artificial materials.

Commercial Applications

We have experience analyzing various materials for industrial purposes, including:

• quality control
• materials characterization
• research and development
• failure analysis and product testing

Our clients have come from numerous industries and research fields, including:

• semiconductors
• medical technology
• environmental testing
• geological exploration
• fuel cells and batteries
• ceramics and composites
• electronics and photonics
• metallurgical technologies
• thin films and surface coatings
• turbines and aerospace research
• chemical and mechanical engineering