Scheduling and Cancellation Policy
- Trained users can reserve instruments no more than three weeks ahead of time. Each instrument has a reservation limit of 5 hours per day and 20 hours within the three-week period. These limits do not apply during nights and weekends. Exceptions can be made only after consulting with EMC staff.
- Trained users can cancel scheduled sessions up to 24 hours before the start time without incurring any fees.
To cancel a session within 24 hours of the start time, users must contact EMC staff. If staff is notified before 4 pm on the business day prior to the session, a fee equivalent to 1 hour of the unassisted rate for the booked equipment will be charged. After this deadline, the full session fee will apply.
No-shows, where the user does not come to the EMC to use the reserved equipment, will be charged for the entire session.
Assisted sessions (including training sessions) may be canceled if the user is not present in the lab within 15 minutes of the agreed start time; in this case, the full session will still be charged. If the session starts late, the full planned time will be charged.
Sessions that end early (whether due to completing work faster than expected or issues with the sample) will not typically incur penalties; only the time used will be billed, assuming that this flexibility is used respectfully and infrequently. We encourage users to notify staff beforehand if an early finish is anticipated.
We understand that various factors, such as family emergencies or problematic samples, can result in the need to cancel reserved time. If you anticipate that a challenging sample might lead to a session cancellation or a shortened session, please contact the EMC staff in advance (more than 24 hours ahead) so that we can arrange for another user to fill the slot if needed. As long as users communicate in good faith, no penalty will be applied.
Training
To facilitate training, a fixed number of user hours will be billed at the unassisted rate for each instrument (TBD by EMC), except for Life Sciences sample preparation. Re-training after a long period of user inactivity will be charged at the assisted rate. Practice specimens provided by the EMC will be used in the initial phase of training, after which the user's samples may be utilized.
After hours and weekends
For after-hours & weekend use by approved, experienced University of Kentucky operators only, the (unassisted) hourly rates for UK internal use will be lowered by 1/3 (33.3%) for electron microscopes, XPS and SAXS. After-hours and weekend access is also possible for non UK users; please contact the EMC staff for details.
External Users
The EMC staff will provide training for external users, and/or provide services by performing the characterization work and, if necessary, specimen preparation. See the pricing chart for external users. In some cases a valid PO number is required before analysis can be scheduled. In such cases it is best to send the PO to the EMC staff directly by email. Typically, external users are not allowed to access the instruments unattended after normal working hours. The information below is required before analysis can start:
- Purchase order
- Address where invoice is to be sent
- Contact person in your business office who will handle this invoice
- Your own contact information
For industrial users who require confidentiality and intellectual property agreements, please contact the EMC staff directly.
External Users Payment
Payment by check or wire transfer only (no credit card). Payment is due within 30 days of invoicing (Net 30).
1HeliScan microCT operation modes
Two operation modes are available on the HeliScan microCT. The highest resolutions (voxel size) for the tungsten source (W) and the Lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) sources are ~800 nm and ~400 nm, respectively. The HeliScan microCT is typically configured with the tungsten filament. Switching between sources requires significant equipment re-calibration: access to LaB6 capabilities may be accessible only after a sufficient number of scans are planned by multiple users (TBD by staff).
2Automated sessions
Automated session hours for the electron microscopes, XPS and SAXS (i.e. long unattended runs) are eligible to be billed at a reduced rate: academic/government rate will equal the after-hours rate for that instrument. For-profit business rate is set separately for each instrument, but also includes a reduced rate for automated microCT scans.
3Capped charges for unattended long runs/scans
Available on select instruments (primarily overnight; subject to EMC staff approval and calendar availability). Charges for EM's, XPS, SAXS are capped at 5 hrs (overnight) or 10 hrs (weekend). Charges for microCT are capped at 8 hrs (overnight) or 20 hrs (weekend). Charges for JEOL CCP (cross-section polisher) are capped at 6 hrs, for each individual session.
4Sample preparation equipment
There are separate categories of specimen preparation equipment:
- Type A: n/a
- Type B: Leica EM ACE600 carbon & sputter coater will be charged at the rates indicated in the table on a "per run" basis; metallography (low speed precision saw, grinder/polishers, compound microscope, etc.) will be charged on a "per hour" basis. The metallography fee will be waived for the preparation of samples that will be characterized in EMC equipment.