Getting Started
The Imaging and Microscopy Facility (IMF) is unique on this campus in the scope of its role in teaching and its open-access policy for all users. Each year, many students come through the lab, making it a challenge to keep track of everyone. Therefore, we ask that each of our users go through the following steps to set up your account, take care of your safetry training as well as instrumenation training, so we can issue your access rights. Publication and reporting requirements are also listed below. Hands-on training will be in person at the Science and Engineering 2 Building, Room 90 (SE2-90, basement level). Internal users need to fulfill the requirements below. External users will need to contact the lab manager for further instructions.
1. Lab Safety training through EH&S at UC Merced needs to be up to date. TEM, SEM, XPS, and XRD users are required to take Radiation Safety for users of radiation producing machines (ME-EHS-UCLOL0020-ECO). Radiation safety is also required if you work with uranyl acetate staining for TEM. (courses can be access through UC Learning Center)
a. Access the UC Learning Center https://uc.sumtotal.host (alternative link: UC learning Center)
b. Login with your UCMNETID (UC Merced email) and password.
c. You will be directed to the UC Learning Center.
d. In the search box type "radiation producing machines (ecourse)
e. Click the blue "select" button on the right
f. Click start
2. Paperwork and Training videos: Complete IMF Welcome Form and additional forms (see below for specific training), submit to Lab Manager, Kennedy Nguyen (knguyen65@ucmerced.edu). All training videos are on the training page.
a. For either SEM training requires this form: Review the SEM Manual and answer the last question on the quiz and submit it to the Lab Manager. After going through the manual, you will be expected to answer a couple of the quiz questions during the hands-on training session. Watch the videos for review before training: Gold Coating and GeminiSEM 500 basic training (Review), and EDS training video (Review)
b. For XRD Training complete the safety quiz, XRD Radiation Safety Quiz and submit. Watch the XRD training video (Review)
c. For TEM training, watch the video for Basic TEM training (Review)
d. For XPS training, watch the video for Basic XPS training (Review)
e. For Confocal training, watch this video for the LSM 880 software and watch this video for Hands-on Training (Review)
f. For Witec Confocal-Raman System, watch this video for Raman Spectrometer from workshop zoom meeting.
g. For Rigaku Synergy-S Single Crystal, watch this video for Single Crystal XRD (Review).
Check out IMF forms for Protocols and guides for instruments: https://imf.ucmerced.edu/imf-forms
3. Sign up for iLab; for directions go here. Schedule a training time with the lab manager (Typically Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm) and once a training time is agreed upon, then the user will sign up in iLab with the desired instrument. Confirm with lab manager via email before booking. Once training is completed, full access (after hour access) will be granted once the user can use the instrument alone with minimal help.
4. Publications Acknowledgement: We require that all publications/talks/posters acknowledge the Imaging and Microscopy Facility at UC Merced. Acknowledgement of any facility personnel is at your discretion. Please submit paper copies or PDF files. They will be used for tracking purposes and will become part of the facility’s year-end report. Publications can be reported to IMF by email lab manager.
5. Access rights allow you to enter the laboratory 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Access rights are issued in accordance with the university’s key/card-control policy that defines who can be issued a key/card; record keeping requirements; and more.
This facility also has a few additional requirements.
- You must be a UC Merced employee, a graduate student or an active undergraduate researcher;
- You must meet the minimum laboratory and workplace safety-training requirements for the facility;
- You must be properly trained in on the equipment you plan to use;
- We must have your recharge authorization on file; and
- You must not share your access card with anyone.
If the above requirements are met, IMF personnel will request the university update your access card.
EXTERNAL USERS: Contact lab manager for paperwork requirements and access.
