TRAINING	SCHEDULING	BILLING

	DC SQUID Magnetometer for characterizing the magnetic properties of bulk, thin film, spin-glass, and super-paramagnetic nanoparticle systems.  ± 5T DC fields can be applied to samples from 5K to 400K, with a sensitivity of 1x10-7 EMU in the detected moment.
	Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) for the rapid magnetic characterization of materials.  Optional cryostat and oven allow temperature control from 5K to 1273K.  Maximum field is ± 1.4T with a moment sensitivity of 10-5 EMU.
	X-ray diffactometer (XRD) for the phase identification and structural characterization of powder, thin-film, composite and nanoparticle systems.  Software is available for structural refinement and peak modeling for strain and particle-size estimation.
	Scanning probe microscope (SPM) for the topological and structural characterization of surfaces and the imaging of lithographed structures and nanoparticle systems.  By selecting the appropriate probes a variety of techniques are available: contact and tapping atomic force microscopy (AFM), lateral force microscopy (LFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM).
	X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the chemical characterization of surfaces.  The small inelastic mean free path of photoelectrons-- < 1nm-- makes this an exceedingly surface sensitive probe of element species and chemical states.
	Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the imaging of bulk, thin film, patterned and nanoparticle systems.  Energy analysis of the secondary X-rays produced by the electron beam can be used to characterize the elemental composition of the regions imaged.
	e-beam writing for nanolithography of devices.  A focused electron beam is used to expose special resists for patterning devices down to a length scale of 30nm.  This lithography tool is central to the fabrication of nanoconstrictions, Hall gradiometers and spin-injection devices.
	Photolithography for microlithography of devices.  An ultraviolet (UV) source is used to transfer the pattern of a mask onto a photoresist covered surface.  Subsequent development and etching produce a structure in the shape of the mask.  This lithography tool is used for the fabrication of larger structures (e.g. Hall crosses for magneto-transport measurements) and for the connections and contacts to nanolithographed structures.
	Focused ion-beam lithography (FIB) uses a focused beam of gallium ions to directly machine structures.  This allows the fabrication of devices that can not be fabricated using e-beam or photolithography due to complications with wet or reactive ion etching.
	Dip-pen lithography uses a contact AFM tip to deliver chemicals directly to a surface in controlled patterns.  This lithography technique is central to technologies that involve the self-assembly of nanostructures from nanoparticles and nanotubes in solution.
	Thermal evaporation systems produce the gold, aluminum and lead thin-films essential to the fabrication of self-assembled structures using dip-pen lithography and tunneling junctions.
	Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) uses multiple shuttered effusion sources and e-beam sources to form multilayers and superlattices of magnetic metals and metal oxides.  Electron diffraction (RHEED) allows for in situ monitoring of film quality and thickness.
	A miniature e-beam evaporation system is devoted to the growth of EuS thin films.  EuS is a half-metal of great interest to spintronics applications.
	Reactive ion etching utilizes chemically reactive ions to etch lithographed structures.  This technique is a compliment to chemical or "wet" etching.
	Profilometry uses a stylus to scan across a sample profile its surface for the purpose of estimating the size of patterned structures or measuring film thickness.
	Ellipsometry utilizes circularly polarized light to measure the thickness of smooth films on substrates.  This is a totally noncontact technique for characterizing film thickness.