California NanoSystems Institute

The Nano and Pico Characterization Lab (NPC) in the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) provides an unprecedented collection of nanoscale surface analysis instrumentation in a single, multi-user facility. By combining multiple modes of surface analysis, this facility enables thorough investigation of the vast array of physical, chemical and electrical properties necessary for complete study of an experimental system and developing nanotechnologies.

The Nano & Pico Characterization Lab provides both state-of-the-art microscopic techniques to visualize surfaces, adsorbates, nanostructures and devices at the atomic and molecular scale as well as a unique opportunity for researchers to gain insight into local properties under a wide range of experimental conditions. An ever increasing demand for knowledge of how matter behaves at the nanoscale and beyond has forced these measurements and methods to the forefront of nanoscience research.

SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY (SPM) systems rely upon a unique tactile sensing of surfaces using a sharp, mechanical probe. SPM systems operate in a diverse range of environments, including temperatures and pressures ranging from the extreme vacuum of space (UHV) to atmospheric and liquid environments. The diversity of operation has enabled nanoscale investigation of structural, mechanical, electrical and magnetic properties of surfaces and adsorbates. Beyond imaging, spectroscopic methods enable the measurement of fundamental forces acting at the nanoscale including bond formation, single molecular events such as binding, unwinding and folding as well as nanomechanics at the molecular, cellular and organismal scale. The Nano & Pico Characterization Lab encompasses SPM imaging under all these experimental conditions and is a cornerstone for developing new nanotechnology products and performing nanoscience research.

Equipment Reservation: http://clms.cnsi.ucla.edu/cnsi/clms/