An Integrated Auger Electron Spectroscopy, EDS and EBSD System at the Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (ICAL), MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
This Phi 710 NanoAuger Probe is a unique analytical system that includes: 1) Field Emission SEM imaging for spatial resolution down to 5 nanometeers; 2) AES detector for surficial compositional analysis for atomic monolayers on surfaces, with detection of light elements down to Li; 3) Ar-beam ion gun for "dusting off" surfaces of environmental contaminants and depth profiling capabilities; 4) EDS detector for "bulk" compositional analysis and X-ray elemental mapping of materials, and 5) EBSD detector for phase identification using electron diffraction and determination of crystallographic orientation. These numerous analytical methods can be used in near-real-time to fully characterize in situ the identity, crystal structure and orientation, bulk composition, and surface composition of sub-micron to micron particles. Charge compensation methods are used to analyze insulating materials because conducting coats cannot be applied to AES samples.

JEOL-6100 Conventional SEM with NORAN EDS detector at ICAL, MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
The JEOL-6100 Conventional SEM with NORAN EDS detector can be used to determine mineral composition. Our JEOL has a large sample chamber to accommodate large samples like dinosaur bones and archeological artifacts.

NanoEarth JEOL IT-500HR at Virginia Tech part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the NanoEarth JEOL IT-500HR analytical scanning electron microscope at Virginia Tech, covering technical specifications, applications in imaging and spectroscopy, educational use, remote access limitations, sample preparation, user fees, and NSF funding acknowledgments. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

NanoEarth FEI Quanta 600 FEG SEM at Virginia Tech part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the NanoEarth FEI Quanta 600 FEG environmental scanning electron microscope at Virginia Tech, covering technical specifications (ESEM, FEG source, EDS, heating/stage capabilities), operational modes, spatial resolution, user access policies, fees, educational use, and NSF/NNCI funding acknowledgments. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Raman Spectroscopy at the Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory (NCFL) part of NNCI Instrument Collection
A detailed informational page about the WITec alpha500 Raman-AFM Microscope at Virginia Tech's Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory, covering technical specifications, applications in chemical and structural analysis, sample preparation, user access policies, educational opportunities, and funding acknowledgments from the NSF-supported NNCI program. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

NanoEarth LEO (Zeiss) 1550 SEM at Virginia Tech part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the NanoEarth LEO (Zeiss) 1550 SEM at Virginia Tech, covering technical specifications (FEG-SEM, EDS, EBSD), spatial resolution (1–2.5 nm), sample use conditions, educational access, user fees, and NSF/NNCI support acknowledgments. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Agilent 8900 Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) at SIGMA Lab part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the Agilent 8900 Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS at Stanford's SIGMA Lab, covering its applications in trace element analysis, nanoparticle characterization, sample preparation protocols, software (Mass Hunter), user fees, access conditions, and educational use in graduate research. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Powder X-ray Diffractometer at the Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (ICAL), MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
X-ray powder diffraction is typically used for a) phase identification based on crystal strucure, b) Rietveld analysis is used for crystal unit cell refinements and for quantitative analysis, c) grazing incident diffraction (parallel beam) is used for thin film analysis and reflectometry is used to determine surface roughness, density and thickness. This instrument is equipped with an environmental chamber to do dynamic experiments under a range of temperatures and ambient atmospheric conditions.

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy at Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (ICAL), MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
XPS is a surface sensitive method that determines the composition of one or a few atomic monolayers on mineral surfaces. This instrument has "small spot" capabilities down to 30 micron resolution. Applications include: a) Elemental identification and quantification, b) Chemical functional group identification and quantification; c) Chemical state imaging; d) Surface sensitivity; e) Layer-by-layer depth profiling; f) Analysis of insulating and conducting samples.

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer at Arizona State University part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing Arizona State University's Cameca 6f Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS), covering its dynamic SIMS capabilities, applications in geochemistry and materials science, user access policies, sample preparation requirements, and NSF support for microanalysis of trace elements and isotopes. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Inverted and Upright Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopes at the Center for Biofilm Engineering part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing inverted and upright Leica SP5 confocal laser scanning microscopes at Montana State University's Center for Biofilm Engineering, covering technical specifications, imaging applications for biofilm research, laboratory conditions, and educational use opportunities. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Geosciences Atom Probe Tomography at the University of Alabama part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the University of Alabama's geosciences-focused CAMECA LEAP 5000 XS atom probe tomography facility, covering sample preparation, 3D nanoscale chemical analysis applications in geological materials, user access protocols, and NSF funding support. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

NanoEarth JEOL JEM 2100 at Virginia Tech part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the NanoEarth JEOL JEM 2100 transmission electron microscope at Virginia Tech, covering its analytical capabilities in TEM and STEM-EDS mapping, applications in materials and biological research, user access protocols, educational outreach, and operational policies. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Customized Confocal Raman Microscope at the Center for Biofilm Engineering part of NNCI Instrument Collection
A detailed instrument registry page describes the Horiba LabRam Evolution confocal Raman microscope at Montana State University's Center for Biofilm Engineering, highlighting its application in non-destructive molecular analysis of microbial cells and biofilms using Raman spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning, with specifications on lasers, detectors, software, and research use in nanotechnology and environmental science. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

An Integrated FFF-spICP-QMS System at the Colorado School of Mines Aquatic Nanoparticle/Colloid Analysis Lab part of NNCI Instrument Collection
A detailed instrument registry page describing the integrated FFF-spICP-QMS system at Colorado School of Mines for aquatic nanoparticle and colloid analysis, covering technical specifications, applications in environmental and isotopic research, sample preparation protocols, user access policies, and educational use in graduate training. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

FEI Helios 600 NanoLab at the Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication Laboratory (NCFL) part of NNCI Instrument Collection
Instrument registry page detailing the FEI Helios 600 NanoLab at Virginia Tech's NCFL, covering dual-beam FIB-SEM capabilities, technical specifications, applications in nanoscale characterization, user access policies, educational use, and NSF funding acknowledgment requirements. auto-generated The author of this page didn't provide a brief description so this one sentence summary was created by an AI tool. It may not be completely accurate.

Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope at ICAL, MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
This FESEM has optimal spatial resolution down to ~5 nanometers. It has recently been updated with an Oxford Aztec EDS system that provides exceptional peak resolution, sub-micron scale elemental X-ray mapping, and quantitative analysis software routines. This FESEM also has a cryogenic stage which is commonly used to image "soft sample" biological samples (tissues, microbes, biofilms) without introducing sample preparation artifacts (e.g., from critical point drying), and we also image the texture and morphology of ice samples. The EBSD detector will be updated in the near future. Variable pressure allows us to image many samples without applying a conducting coat.

Atomic Force Microscopes at Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (ICAL), MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
AFMs are used to measure the physical dimensions of engineered and natural particles on the nano-scale. Numerous forces related to a substrate can be measured such as adhesion strength, magnetic forces, mechanical properties, micro-viscosity and elasticity. AFM can also be applied to imaging of attachment of microbes to substrates under varied environmental conditions.

Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (ToF-SIMS) at the Imaging and Chemical Analysis Laboratory (ICAL), MSU-Bozeman part of NNCI Instrument Collection
ToF-SIMS is widely used in nano-engineering research on semi-conductors and related microelectronics, polymer, thin film, metallurgy, ceramics, energy, and medical devices. ToF-SIMS has not been widely used in Earth and Environmental Sciences, but applications include documenting thin carbon films on mineral grain boundaries, search for biomarkers in the geologic record, interplanetary dust, evidence of magmatic fluids, and studies of coal macerals.