Category: News

ACMAL response to Covid-19 hiatus

ACMAL lab managers are working within the group, with other Shared Facility directors and the VPR office to formulate lab procedures to be used during this period. You can expect to receive those plans by weeks end. Please feel free to email me any ideas you may have relative to using a facility shared with other faculty and graduate students.

Updated March 13, 2020.

The ACMAL facility will be open during the one month hiatus.

Information for use of the facility during that time is included in this message.

Our overall message to you is please think ahead. If you know you will need help arrange that ahead of time.

Nearly no remote operation.

Most of the ACMAL equipment/software is not compatible with remote operation or remote data analysis. In nearly all cases you will need to come to the facility to work. An exception is two XRD software programs. Ed Laitila can help you access them ealaitil@mtu.edu .

Calendar system.

Use the calendar reservation system to book equipment time. XPS sessions can be scheduled by contacting Tim Leftwich trleftwi@mtu.edu. Avoid bringing multiple people to the lab with you. Work independently as much as possible. Special conditions apply for campus visitors who come to the labs.

Training.

ACMAL staff will do our best to accommodate training during the hiatus period, but it may not be available right away. Again, plan ahead.

Handling ACMAL equipment.

Please wear gloves for all instrument use. ACMAL staff will be cleaning door knobs, sample holders, keyboards and mice, and knob set controls each day. You can cleanse surfaces yourself if you’d like with wipes that will be available next week.

Sickness.

Do not come to the labs sick. Please refer to the University information regarding self-identifying illness and self-isolation. If ACMAL staff are exposed to COVID-19 or infected, a unit in the facility may have to be closed.

Fluid situation.

It is important to note that this situation is changing daily and you should expect adjustments to current policies and procedures. I will send you updates as necessary.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Contact me if you need help. My phone number is 906-369-1875. I don’t use text very much so call me.

Analytical Electron Microscopy at Nanoscale Feb. 13

Pinaki Mukherjee
Pinaki Mukherjee

ME-EM Graduate Seminar Speaker Series

proudly presents:

Pinaki Mukherjee, PhD

Michigan Technological University

Abstract: This talk presents an overview of state-of-the-art capabilities of the aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (ac-STEM) at ACMAL, Michigan Tech. The FEI Titan Themis microscope we have here is one of a kind in the whole nation in terms of capabilities. These capabilities have been developed in last two years and most of them are already available for users. We have a wide range of imaging and spectroscopic techniques that enables a user to identify elements at atomic scale (~ 0.1 nm). READ MORE

Thursday, February 13 at 4:00 p.m.

Electrical Energy Resources Center (EERC), 103
1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931

Spring 2020 Course in Surface and Interface Science

Lattice and micrograph representing course material.

Surface and Interface Science CH5665/MSE5665

(3 credits)
WF 1-2 p.m., M 1-3 p.m. (lab and analysis)

Learn To

  • Understand the physical and chemical processes that influence surface chemistry and growth
  • Apply surface science techniques to solve materials problems
  • Proper data analysis and interpretation
  • Design a project and solve a proposed hypothesis using surface analysis
  • Surface analysis methods: spectroscopy and microscopy techniques
  • XPS, AES, surface sensitive-FTIR, HREELS, Raman, surface structure (LEED), TPD, AFM and ambient pressure techniques
  • Applications in materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, environmental science, catalysis, semiconductors and related tech industries

Contact Instructor Dr. Kathryn A. Perrine

Recent Advances in ACMAL STEM Facility October 22

Pinaki Mukherjee
Pinaki Mukherjee

Materials Science and Engineering Seminar

Dr. Pinaki Mukherjee

Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Michigan Technological University

Abstract: This talk presents an overview of state-of-the-art capabilities of the aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (ac-STEM) at ACMAL, Michigan Tech. The FEI Titan Themis microscope we have here is one of a kind in the whole nation in terms of capabilities.

 Tuesday, October 22 at 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

 Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M), 610
1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931

ACMAL Works with Students on SEM Video Solution

Students by the SEMBlue Marble Security, born out of the Michigan Tech Enterprise program, is a virtual company comprised of American and international undergraduate students focused on securing the future through thoughtful use of technology.

The project Paul Sanders proposed to Glen Archer was straightforward enough — make something old new again. Sanders came upon the challenge through a former colleague at Ford Motor Company, James Boileau.

The company’s goal was to replace the CRT monitors with off-the-shelf LED displays, similar to what you would find in most office computers.

The students were given access to Tech’s JEOL 6400. In addition, Owen Mills, senior research engineer and director of the Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, provided printed schematics, operations and maintenance manuals. The search for a place to tap the video signals required the visual inspection and search of hundreds of pages of printed schematics. Finally Blue Marble found what they were looking for — a low-voltage signal in an early video display protocol pioneered by IBM called monochrome display adapter (MDA).

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Mark Wilcox.

Award Winning Adhesives Researcher Credits ACMAL Expertise

Micrograph of micropillar array
Adhesive-coated pillars made using a a silicon template provided by Microfabrication Facility Managing Director Chito Kendrick. The morphology was visualized using the ACMAL E-SEM with the help of Lab Supervisor Jerry Anzalone.

The Bhakta Rath Research Award honors a graduate student and faculty mentor for in-depth work with social impact. The 2019 winners are two biomedical engineers with a sticky past.

A smart adhesive doesn’t adhere all the time. In 2015, when Ameya Narkar started his doctoral research with Bruce Lee, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Michigan Technological University, the two turned to biological sources for a glue that could be turned on and off.

Q: How have your methods helped make the project successful?

Ameya Narkar: Our biomedical engineering department is full of approachable experts. It’s a small team and an effective one. I could walk down to a faculty member’s office and ask for advice when our project branched into areas beyond our lab’s expertise. Plus, I was able to work closely with the people in the Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory and the microfabrication facility. Collaboration is essential to successful research.

Read more at Michigan Tech News, by Allison Mills.