The IMS Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) is the main facility for materials analysis at Georgia Tech. The facility leadership and main core lab are located in the state-of-the-art Marcus Nanotechnology Building.
Available to academic, industry, and government users, The Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) is a coordinated set of complementary labs that enable internal GT and external researchers to analyze material properties at all scales from atomic-level ordering to collective behavior of molecules, compounds, & crystals to the macroscopic behavior of bulk solids and structures. The MCF is composed of several core labs – each specializing in one aspect of materials analysis – that are distributed across multiple buildings on campus. Areas of emphasis include:
- Electron Microscopy,
- Scanning Probe Microscopy,
- Optical Microscopy and Spectroscopy,
- X-Ray Diffraction & Spectroscopy,
- Surface Science,
- Mechanical Testing, and
- Molecular Property Measurement.
The MCF offers shared-user access to the latest in imaging and analysis technology, which can be accessed by users 24 hours a day. It also provides a full complement of services for researchers including,
- Basic and advanced instrument training
- Imaging and analysis consultations
- Remote sample prep, measurement, and data analysis
- Paper and proposal collaboration
Access to the MCF is managed through the campus-wide Shared User Management System (SUMS). SUMS is a custom-designed, web & mobile-accessible software platform combining equipment control, usage tracking, automated billing, and reporting templates. For more information or to become a user, click here.