About Our Facilities
The Arizona Research Laboratories (ARL) and the Materials Science and Engineering Department (MSE) have collaborated to expand the University's imaging and spectroscopy capabilities. The University Spectroscopy and Imaging Facilities (USIF) are resource facilities dedicated to the acquisition and analysis of images for life and physical science research and commercial applications. We access to multi-user equipment, and the knowledge and skills necessary to assist investigators and students in state-of-the-art technologies.
All services are open to any investigator in academia, public and private institutions and industry.
Mission Statement
The University Spectroscopy and Imaging Facilities provide investigators in academia, the public and private institutions and industry access to key equipment and expertise in scientific research.
* To support ongoing research by providing access to state-of-the art technology to attract and retain research active faculty and to facilitate their ability to compete for federal and industrial research support.
* To facilitate inter-university cooperative multidisciplinary research projects.
* To support the creation and development of new or existing industrial activities as well as support other state agencies, and when possible facilitate interactions with Mexico.
Strategic Objectives
* To provide to the University of Arizona, state agencies, and the private sector, access to high quality, cost effective, state-of-the-art spectroscopy and imaging technologies.
* To offer workshops, short courses, classes, and other educational opportunities as appropriate to maximize access and effective use of the available imaging technologies.
* To develop and/or implement new technologies as they become available or needed.
* To facilitate interdisciplinary activities which utilize biotechnology, including the integration of the life and physical sciences, engineering, and clinical applications when possible.
* To develop and implement outreach programs to other state agencies, the private sector, K-12 and community colleges in order to facilitate the use and understanding of imaging technologies.
Benefits of Using Our Facilities
Access to expensive state of the art equipment not available to the researcher in any other way is one of the obvious benefits of utilizing the University Spectroscopy and Imaging Facilities (USIF). The researcher does not have to get a grant, find and remodel space to meet the needs of equipment nor pay expensive yearly service contracts thus saving research funds and space for other areas.
Chemicals which are often very expensive can be obtained from the USIF with the costs shared by multiple researchers, minimizing cost and waste. In addition the proper disposal of used microscopy chemicals is a daunting task that is done by the staff of the Facilities sparing this task from multiple labs.
Access to the expertise of the USIF avoids long learning curves to for the PI and their research staff speeding the progress of the research. Researchers staff may be trained with a focus on the specific needs of the research project. Troubleshooting for problems is available from the USIF staff, getting a project back on track. For overburdened labs, the staff of the USIF can also do any or all aspects of a project involving imaging, freeing up research personnel to do other aspects of a program.
Instruments and Capabilities
We acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation, Major
Research Instrumentation Program grant number DMR 0619599 to partially support the
acquisition of FESEM and Renishaw system. We also acknowledge the support from Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc., Motorola, Inc., Renishaw, Plc., and Spectra-Physics.
| Hitachi S-4800 SEM | Hitachi S-3400 SEM |
| Hitachi S-2460 SEM | Hitachi S-4500 SEM |
| Hitachi H8100 TEM | Jeol 100 CX II TEM |
Scanning Electron Microscopes
Hitachi S-4800 Type II / ThermoNORAN NSS EDS: Field-Emission SEM - Cold field emission electron gun; Resolution 1nm at 15 KV, 1.4nm at 1KV; Magnification 20X to 800,000X; Imaging voltages 100V to 30KV; STEM detector; BSE low and/or high angle; EDS detection range Boron and higher; EDS Quant, line, map, imaging. RATES | more
Hitachi S-3400N Type II / ThermoNORAN NSS EDS: Variable Pressure SEM - Tungsten thermionic emitter, Quad Bias; Resolution 30nm at 3KV, 3nm at 30KV; SE and BSE; Samples as tall as 30mm; Chamber pressure 6 to 270 Pa in variable pressure mode; EDS detection range Boron and higher; EDS Quant, line, map, imaging. RATES | more
S-3400 with Raman and Cathode-Luminescent (CL) Spectrometer: Renishaw Structural and Chemical Analyzer - InVia Raman Spectrometer; 514nm, 50mW laser; CL from 400 to 1060nm. RATES | more
Hitachi S-2460 / ThermoNORAN NSS EDS: Variable Pressure SEM
Tungsten thermionic emitter, SE and BSE; Samples as tall as 30mm; Chamber vacuum 0.01-2 Torr in variable pressure mode; EDS detection range Boron and higher; EDS Quant, line, map, imaging. RATES | more
Hitachi S-4500: Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope
1.5 nm resolution, 0.5 - 30 kV accelerating voltage, 3 stage electromagnetic lens, 2 secondary electron detectors, 1 backscattered electron detector, x-y-z translation, -5 degrees to + 45 degrees tilt, 360 degree rotation (continuous) 50 mm diameter specimen size Sun IPC running Noran's Voyager, digital image and x-ray spectra acquisition system. RATES | more
Transmission Electron Microscopes
The Hitachi H8100 TEM - The Hitachi H8100 is a 200kV conventional TEM with high brightness LaB6 electron source and large specimen-tilt (> 30 degrees) capabilities. It offers phase contrast resolution of better than 0.26 (point) and 0.14 nm (line). It is equipped with small probe forming lenses for nanodiffraction, CBED and hollow-cone illumination. A heating stage (up to 1000C) and a LN2 cooling stage coupled with CCD high resolution camera allows unique dynamic in-situ experiments. RATES | more
JEOL 100 CX II - 100X-200,000X. Good resolution with excellent screen contrast. Film based data collection. There are two instruments of this type in our facilities. RATES
Optical Microscopes
Leica Diaplan - (1980's) 40X-1000X. Upright. Epifluorescence, with DAPI, FITC and Rodamine cubes. Differential Interference Contrast for unstained material. Bright field. Data collection by film or digital camera. Image analysis software available by Compix.
Olympus IMT-2 - (1990's) 100X-600X. Inverted. Epifluorescence, with FITC and Rodamine cubes. Nomarski Interference Contrast for unstained material. Bright field. Data collection by film. Micromanipulator apparatus Narishige (MO 303). There is a vertical micropipette puller available (Narishinge PB7). Microinjection apparatus is the Narishinge IM-200.
Zeiss Inverted - (1980's) 100X-600X. Inverted. Phase contrast for unstained material. Bright field. Data collection by film.
Zeiss Axiophot - (1980's) 100X-600X. Upright. Epifluorescent, with, FITC and Rodamine cubes. Phase contrast for unstained material. Bright field. Data collection by film.
Ultramicrotomes
RMC 7000 Ultramicrotome - (1990's) A modern ultramicrotome capable of cutting thin sections in the 50-100 nm range required for the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) as well as thicker 1-2um plastic sections for light microscopy. Unit is capable of cutting thick and thin cryosections. RATES
Leica Ultracut E5 - (1990's) A modern ultramicrotome capable of cutting thin sections in the 50-100 nm range required for the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) as well as thicker 1-2um plastic sections for light microscopy. Unit is capable of cutting thick and thin cryosections. RATES
Vacuum Evaporator
Edwards Turbo Molecular Pumped Vacuum Evaporator E306A - (1980's) High vacuum unit allows thermal evaporation of carbon and metals onto substrates to produce coatings for sample mounting and contrast.
Critical Point Drier
Polaron Critical Point Drier - (1980's) A large chamber CO2 unit which allows drying samples for SEM observation with minimal surface tension artifact. RATES
Magnetron Sputtering Devices
Hummer 6 Sputtering Device - (1990's) Unit allows reproducible coating for samples to be viewed in the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Deposits gold in thickness from 10-50nm. RATES
Ultrarapid Freezing Equipment
RMC model MF7200 Propane Jet Freezer - (1980's) A device allowing ultrarapid freezing of samples up to 40 um thick. This device uses liquid propane cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures to rapidly extract heat from a sample. RATES
Freeze-substitution Chambers
RMC model MS6200 - (1980's) is a device for freeze substituting single cells for subsequent embedding and cutting for TEM.
UV Cryochamber - (1980's) Is a unit for dehydrating and infiltrating samples under cryo conditions.
Darkroom (from 35mm to 5"x7" formats)
Devere 507 - (1980's) This unit is a floor standing enlarger capable of 16mm-5x7 format negatives and includes condenser and point light sources. RATES
Laboratory Microwave
Pelco Laboratory Microwave Oven - (1990's) A microwave oven that includes venting of hazardous fumes, sample temperature control, load temperature control, variable wattage, times and sample vacuum capabilities. RATES
Ancillary Equipment
The facility has ancillary equipment such as paraffin microtomes, dissecting microscopes, and other laboratory equipment and supplies to complete all phases of sample preparation for imaging. In addition A biohazard Level 2 hood with laminar flow, external exhaust, UV lamp and other amenities.
Image Analysis
Quartz PCI - Digital Image Acquisition, Processing and Management Solutions for Scientific Applications - software for capturing and managing images acquired from a digital source. See: http://www.qrtz.com/qrtz_pci.html.
Quartz Taipan - The Taipan Server Appliance is designed to capture data from almost any digital imaging instrument. With Taipan as the central archive for your laboratory, your data is only a network or Internet connection away. The Taipan Server Appliance provides large storage capacity and completely secure data accessibility via the LAN or through the Internet. See: http://www.qrtz.com/taipan.html
Simple PCI image acquisition and analysis software - C.Imaging Systems by Compix, Inc. is a software used to acquire and analyze images to be obtained from the light microscope and measurements to be made of length, number, area, perimeter, intensity and other values to assist the researcher in evaluating data. Stacks of images can be manipulated, quantified and made into a montage or projection. See: http://cimaging.net/
Autoquant DeBlur - This software by AutoQuant Imaging, Inc. performs deconvolution algorithms on an image or series of images. It sharpens a 2D or 3D image by removing the haze or blur from low level or electronic noise, and out of focus light. See: http://www.aqi.com/index.asp
Image J - A freeware, open source program written in Java and is Macintosh, PC, Unix and Linux compatible. It is robust and supported by a large user base and an active development process. The software is capable of many of the same processes that Compix or Metamorph can do. Many plugins are available with more produced weekly. It may be downloaded from:
http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/download.html.
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Information and assistance is always available. Please contact the USIF Staff.
Who and how to access our services.