What is NCF?

The Nanomaterials Characterization Facility (NCF), located in the Discovery Learning Center (DLC) 2B level, at CU-Boulder, is designed to position CU and its collaborators on the cusp of the nano-revolution by providing a facility to both educate students and avail itself to a community of top-notch researchers from academia, government labs and industry representing a variety of disciplines.

The current equipment in the lab provides users with a broad range of the latest-cutting edge technology allowing fabrication, characterization, imaging and probing of structures and materials on the nanoscale in multiple environments. The facility provides:

1. affordable access to our state-of-the-art instruments
2. personalized training on operation of instruments by our experienced staff
3. on line user-scheduled instrument reservations on a first-come, first serve basis
4. a gateway to an expanding CU wide network of nano instrumentation and services

Additionally, we are available to offer you assisted use of our instruments with our experienced staff as well as being available to work on your well-defined project if you are unable to be present.

Our instrumentation includes our newly acquired dual beam FIB, capable of machining, characterization, analysis, and imaging at the nanoscale. The SEMs can image nanoscale phenomena in environments from high-vacuum to high-humidity. We can also perform X-ray Photo Electron Spectrometer (XPS) analyses that show crystal structure and chemical composition of all the latest nanomaterials. The AFM positions a nanometer sharp probe precisely on a sample surface and can measure multiple properties of the sample. Nano indentation can measure materials' mechanical properties also on a nanometer scale. Confocal laser scanning microscope allows for fluorescent resonant energy transfer, photo-bleaching, fluorescent intensity measurement, and z-sectioning. A sample-prep room with a combination sputter coater and carbon coater for thin-film deposition is available for users.