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BOOKINGS & SAMPLE SUBMISSION

For those with training, please book your instrument time using the FACES scheduler system (http://faces.ccrc.uga.edu/) using the group name QCHEM_SA.  For registration on the FACES system, please contact Robin Roberts (robin.roberts@chem.queensu.ca).  He will verify that you are eligible for instrument booking.  Note that Queen’s users already registered for the Queen’s chemistry NMR and/or AV facilities  through FACES will have to be registered separately for the Surface Analysis system.  

For those who want their samples run by a technician, please contact either  Dr. Ruiyao Wang, ruiyao.wang@chem.queensu.ca who will book a time for you and arrange to receive your samples.  If you want to discuss any technical requirements or the suitability of the various surface analysis techniques available to your particular sample, please contact Dr. Horton (hortonj@chem.queensu.ca).

As a general rule, samples should be no larger than approximately 2 cm x 2 cm, reasonably flat, and capable of being mounted using conducting Cu tape.  Powdered or high surface area samples present problems of outgassing, and should be discussed with the technicians beforehand, but can often be accommodated.  For SEM measurements, conducting or Au-coated samples are required.  We have a Au-coater available which can be used to prepare your samples for an extra charge.  Non-conducting samples for XPS and AES analysis should be as thin as possible so as to minimize charging effects.

Note that most samples take at least 2 hours to pump down from atmospheric pressure before they can be transferred into the UHV environment of the surface analysis system; powdered samples may take longer.  A maximum of three samples can be pumped down at a time.  For that reason, it is helpful if you can submit samples the day before so the technicians can pump down the samples overnight, and, for those running the analysis themselves, to co-ordinate with any other users on that day to expedite transfer of samples to and from the analysis chamber.