Services

1/10/2023: The EPMA lab is not currently staffed with an on-duty lab manager until further notice. Access to the instrument is limited to previously trained independent users. For all inquiries related to the lab, please contact the lab P.I., Dr. Marc Hirschmann at [email protected]

Fees and Scheduling

Internal Academic Users 

Internal Academic Rates - Effective FY22/23 (July 20th, 2022)

  • Day rate (24 hrs): $792.28/day
  • Hourly rate: $99.03/hr

The fees above apply to users from the University of Minnesota. These fees are charged to cover maintenance, supply, and personnel costs related to the lab and its equipment.

The fees for "day rate" and "hourly rate" listed above are for "instrument time" only. At this time, the instrument is available only for users previously trained in the lab. Assistance with the instrument, analytical setup and data processing is not available.

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.

Internal academic daytime rates are billed in half-hour (30-minute) increments. 

Acceptance of academic rates includes acceptance of our policy on acknowledgement in publication -- 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.

External Academic/Commercial Users & Service Policies

At this time, the lab is not training external or carrying out contract sample analyses. Previously trained and fully independent users should contact the lab P.I., Dr. Marc Hirschmann, to inquire about accessing and using the lab, and to discuss external academic/commercial rates.

  • External Academic/Commercial rates are billed in quarter-hour (15-minute) increments.

Fees for Carbon and Metal Coats

  • Carbon coats done by certified users: $23.45/batch (internal UMN users)
  • external users: $38.69/batch (prevgiously trained users only)

Users interested in receiving training on the lab's carbon coaters 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: 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 120 Angstroms thick.