Research Facilities

The FV3000 system allows fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence confocal microscopy, fluorescence confocal polarizing microscopy, polarizing microscopy, phase contrast microscopy, high-speed polarizing and bright-field imaging up to 18750 fps at resolution 1024×1024 and 1100000 fps at 128×16 using a Photron high speed camera system. 

The FV3000 system allows simultaneous spectral imaging to 4 channels. Additionally, the FV3000 spectral detection system can be used to perform spectral scanning (imaging spectroscopy) to any channel in the confocal unit. The FLUOVIEW FV3000 system includes the following: 

1. Inverted IX83 fully motorized microscope 

2. FV3000 galvanometer scan head 

3. Four laser lines (all diode lasers): 405/488/561/640 nm. All laser lines are under the control of an acousto-optic tunable filter for wavelength switching 

4. Two spectral multi-alkali PMT detectors 

5. Transmitted light detector 

6. Five objectives: 10x, 20x, 40x air objectives and 60x, 100x oil objectives 

7. Motorized stage and stage software for tiling and stitching 

8. Metal halide light source for epifluorescence (DAPI, FITC, TRITC filter cubes) 

9. Polarizing and phase contrast observations are also possible for this configuration

10. Digital color fluorescence camera DP74 with live frame rate up to 60 fps

The Atomic Force Microscope Asylum Cypher ES visualizes the morphology and physical characteristics of thin films deposited on substrates composed of HOPG, mica, and silicon. Multiple operation modes are available, including blue drive mode as well as tapping mode and contact mode, operating in controlled gas or solution environments at 0-250 °C. Viscoelastic and electrochemical properties are studied by using various operation modes.

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The Olympus inverted microscope IX73 allows for different modalities of optical microscopy including bright- and dark-field microscopy, polarizing microscopy, phase contrast microscopy, high-speed polarizing and bright-field imaging up to 18750 fps at resolution 1024×1024 and 1100000 fps at 128×16 using a Photron high speed camera system.

This microscope can be used for microscopic spectroscopy and measurements of optical properties of materials as birefringence etc. using the Berek compensator U-CTB. 

The microscope IX73 can be also coupled with a holographic optical tweezers system.

The standalone holographic optical tweezers system (Meadowlark Optics, Inc) allows, for example, to manipulate and assemble micro- and nano-colloids dispersed in different hosts. 

The holographic optical tweezers system operates at 1064 nm supplied by IPG Photonics 5W laser and modulated by 1024 x 1024 Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) from Meadowlark Optics, Inc. The system can generate single and multiple optical traps. 

This system can operate in a standalone mode or can be coupled with the Olympus inverted microscope IX73.

The Photron high speed camera system FASTCAM Nova S20HS coupled with the Olympus IX73 microscope allows for high-speed imaging of fast dynamical processes in experimental samples in polarizing, bright-, and dark-field imaging modes up to 18750 fps at resolution 1024×1024 and 110000 fps at 128×16.

Infrared microscopy combines FT-IR spectroscopy with traditional light microscopy and allows for chemical analysis of very small structures. Thermo Scientific FTIR Microscope and Spectrophotometer system includes Nicolet iS50 FTIR advanced KBr Gold Spectrometer and RaptIR IR Microscope. The iS50 spectrometer allows for measurements in the range of 11700-600 cm^-1. RaptIR IR Microscope is equipped with a 4x glass refracting objective and 15x 0.65 N.A. diffraction limited objective and condenser.

The NETZSCH Heat Flow Meter HFM 446 Lambda Medium allows to measure thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of materials. The system is calibrated with an NIST-certified reference standard of known thermal conductivity. An accuracy of ± 1% can be easily achieved. The measurements with the HFM 446 Lambda Medium is based on various relevant standards, such as ASTM C518, ISO 8301, JIS A1412, DIN EN 12664 and DIN EN 12667. Maximum specimen size for measurements is 305 mm x 305 mm x 105 mm. Thermal conductivity can be measured in the range from 0.002 to 2 W/(m·K) at -20°C to 90°C (with forced cooling).

The Precigenome pressure control system (PG-MFC controller) can be used for different microfluidic application such as for example droplet generation or cell culture perfusion. It can be used for pressure generation and pressure control. The pressure control unit includes 8 sets of channels and an electronic control board. PG-MFC controller can output time dependent different pressures in various forms based on required input. Using liquid flow sensors, the controller can also output constant flow rates based on settings. 

The PG-MFC controller has following features:

1. Four independent pressure sources which can control pressures ranging from -7 psi to 13 psi. 

2. Each independent pressure source controls 2 channels. Real-time pressures and air flow rates can be monitored.

3. Pressure accuracy 0.25% of full scale.

The LTS120 Peltier system (Linkam Scientific Instruments) is a temperature control microscope stage using a 40 mm x 40 mm heating element to control the temperature of a sample mounted on a regular microscope slide and can be moved 15 mm in both x and y directions.  

Sample temperature can be controlled in the range of -25 °C to 120 °C with a rate from 0.1 °C to 30 °C/min. 

Ultra-low freezers provide safe preservation of samples in a variety of experiments and applications involving active and biological matter. The PHCBI ultra-low freezer provides a reliable storage of active and biological matter samples and cultures over the temperature range -40 to -86 °C in 1 °C increments.

The Model G3P-8 Programmable Spin Coating System from Specialty Coating Systems can be used for an accurate application of liquid materials such as photoresists, polyimides, metallo-organics, dopants and silica films on required surface. It is fully programmable with up to 30 programs with 20 steps each. Vacuum chucks of diameters 3/4″ and 2” are available. The rotational speed is up to 9999 RPM with 1 RPM increments. 

Laboratory reactors are used for stirring materials during chemical reactions at elevated temperature and pressure to strengthen the mass transfer and heat transfer processes. The lab stainless-steel high-pressure reactor autoclave FCF-50L (Xiamen Ollital Technology Co., Ltd.) has a capacity of 50 L and can provide a stirring speed of 5.5-600 RPM at the pressure of up to 400 psi and at the temperature up to 300 °C. 

The small volume lab magnetic stirring reactor OLT-HP-500 (Xiamen Ollital Technology Co., Ltd.) has a capacity of 500 mL and can operate at the pressure of up to 6 MPa and at the temperature up to 300 °C.