TEM Observation, Sample Preparation, and Usage Fees: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Note: This page was translated by AI from the Japanese original. In case of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall prevail.

About this article
This article is a piece written by AI, summarizing informal impressions from day-to-day operations and answers to questions we frequently receive. We hope you find it useful as background reading, but please note that it does not necessarily reflect finalized institutional policy. If anything is unclear, please feel free to contact us.

This FAQ collects questions we frequently receive about TEM observation/analysis, TEM specimen preparation, self-use, training, technical support, and equipment usage fees.
The amounts and durations given are not fixed prices or guarantees of results; they are estimates to help you plan your budget and mode of use. The cost estimates assume use within the university, or use under an ARIM project (with data sharing) for academic purposes with an expectation of published results. Other categories of use may be subject to a different fee structure, so please check the latest fee schedule and usage guide at the time of use for the official terms.

Overview of Usage Fees

Q. Roughly how much does it cost per specimen for TEM observation/analysis?

The cost of TEM observation/analysis varies considerably depending on the specimen’s condition, whether specimen preparation is needed, the instrument used, the content of the observation/analysis, and whether it is self-use or requested use.

If the TEM specimen has already been prepared by the user and an experienced user performs self-use, this can sometimes be done for roughly a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of yen.

On the other hand, for a general bulk specimen whose processing conditions have not been established, when TEM specimen preparation through observation/analysis is requested as a package, the Division’s budgeting estimate assumes about 2.5 days for TEM specimen preparation by FIB plus about 1 day for observation/analysis on JEM-ARM200F.

For use within the university, or use under an ARIM project (with data sharing) for academic purposes with an expectation of published results, we use roughly ¥200,000-300,000 per specimen as a starting point for initial budget planning. This is not a fixed price; it varies with the required equipment time and technical support time.

Q. Why is there such a wide range in usage fees?

The total cost of TEM observation/analysis is not determined by the TEM’s own equipment usage time alone.

Reaching the target data requires multiple steps: specimen sampling/pre-treatment, TEM specimen preparation, searching the observation area, adjusting crystal orientation, acquiring image/electron diffraction data, EDS/EELS analysis, and additional observation/processing as needed.

In self-use, where the user carries these out, technical support can be limited to what is actually needed; when everything is requested as a package, it can become specialized work spanning several days.

Q. Can self-use keep costs lower than requested use?

Yes. When the user handles equipment operation, choice of observation area, and observation/analysis condition judgments, technical support fees can be kept down and the equipment can be used only for the time actually needed.

Also, because the researcher who understands the specimen best can judge as observation proceeds, this is advantageous not only in cost but also in the speed of research decision-making, especially for specimens whose observation target or conditions are not yet established.

That said, self-use requires an operating license for each instrument, as well as the skill to judge appropriate observation/analysis conditions for the research purpose.

Q. If the observation/analysis result is not what we expected, do we still have to pay?

In principle, yes.

The Division’s equipment usage fees and technical support fees are not success-based; they are charged for the equipment use and technical support actually performed. So even if the expected observation or analysis result is not obtained, in principle a fee applies for the work actually carried out.

For specimens whose processing or observation conditions have not been established, we prioritize the success rate of specimen preparation/observation over processing speed, so that the fee the user bears is used as effectively as possible. Cases where the Division is clearly at fault, such as an equipment failure, are handled separately.

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TEM Specimen Preparation by Focused Ion Beam (FIB)

Q. Why is FIB used as the standard method for requested specimen preparation?

FIB’s major advantages are its positional selectivity, letting a TEM specimen be prepared from a specific location, and the fact that thinning can be carried out while checking the processing location and state on an SEM image. Because a target area such as an interface, precipitate, or defect can be selected for processing, and the workflow can be relatively well standardized even for specimens with unestablished processing conditions, it is well suited to requested specimen preparation.

Methods such as electropolishing and ion milling can be lower-cost and more efficient than FIB when the conditions for a given material have already been established within the lab. For specimens with unestablished conditions, however, the need to repeat pre-processing, optimize processing conditions, confirm the electron-transparent area by TEM, and carry out additional processing makes the required time difficult to estimate in advance.

For this reason, except for materials where ion-beam-induced damage is a concern or nanoparticles for which the dispersion method is suitable, the Division uses FIB as the standard method for requested specimen preparation from bulk specimens whose processing conditions have not been established.

Q. How much time does FIB specimen preparation require?

When processing conditions for the same or a similar specimen are already well established, preparation can sometimes be completed in about a day.

On the other hand, for academic research specimens whose processing conditions have not been established, the process must proceed while checking the specimen’s response to ion irradiation and the degree of processing damage. For general requested specimens with unestablished processing conditions, the Division uses an average of about 2.5 days as a budgeting estimate.

Q. Can a high beam-current condition shorten FIB processing time?

Applying a high beam-current condition to the rough-milling step can sometimes shorten processing time. Users may also specify particular processing conditions.

However, prioritizing processing speed too much raises the risk of losing the target area, ion-irradiation damage, and specimen deformation. Even if the specified conditions do not produce the expected TEM specimen, fees for the equipment use and technical support actually performed will still apply.

Q. Is automated FIB processing time also counted as technical support time?

For requested use, in principle, we count the FIB equipment usage time and technical support time as the same duration.

Even during automated processing, checking the processing state, judging progress, responding to abnormalities, and changing conditions as needed are all required, and the staff member cannot fully step away from that work to other tasks. We think of the technical support fee not only in terms of the moments spent actively operating the equipment, but based on whether the staff member’s time is being reserved for the requested work.

On the other hand, when a self-use user normally operates the equipment themselves and requests technical support only for a specific step, only the time actually spent providing support is counted as technical support time, so equipment usage time and technical support time do not necessarily match.

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TEM Specimen Preparation Methods Other Than FIB

The TEM specimen preparation method is chosen according to the specimen’s form, material, observation purpose, and the required positional/orientation selectivity. Besides FIB, methods include the dispersion method, the crushing method, electropolishing, Ar ion milling, and specimen preparation with the ion slicer.

These are not technically inferior to FIB. In particular, when a lab continuously handles the same or a similar material and has accumulated specimen-preparation conditions and experience in-house, these methods can sometimes produce good TEM specimens at lower cost and more efficiently than FIB.

Q. What kind of specimens is the dispersion method suited to?

For nanoparticle dispersions or powder specimens that can be dispersed in a solvent, the dispersion method – mounting the specimen directly on a support-film TEM grid – can be applied.

Typically, the specimen is dispersed in a suitable solvent, the dispersion state is adjusted with ultrasonication if needed, and then a drop is placed on a support-film TEM grid and thoroughly dried before observation. The direct cost is mainly the TEM grid and solvent, making this one of the lower-cost TEM specimen preparation methods.

It suits particle size/shape, dispersion/aggregation state, determining whether a material is crystalline or amorphous, and high-resolution observation without a specified orientation. On the other hand, the position and crystal orientation of particles on the support film generally cannot be chosen. When targeting a specific zone axis, phase, or interface, specimen preparation itself may be low-cost, but searching the observation area and adjusting crystal orientation on the TEM can take time.

Q. When is the crushing method effective?

This method mechanically crushes a bulk specimen and mounts the resulting electron-transparent flakes or fine particles on a support-film TEM grid. Since it requires no dedicated thin-film processing equipment, it can allow simple, low-cost preparation of TEM specimens depending on the material and observation purpose.

On the other hand, the sampling location and crystal orientation cannot be specified, and plastic deformation, fracturing, and surface damage from crushing may affect the observation results. For this reason, it may not be suitable when the aim is to evaluate the original bulk microstructure and interfaces while preserving their positional relationships.

Q. When is electropolishing effective?

For metals and alloys, setting appropriate electrolyte and polishing conditions makes electropolishing an effective TEM specimen preparation method that can produce a relatively wide electron-transparent area at low cost. Labs that continuously handle the same or a similar material system can efficiently prepare many specimens once they establish the electrolyte composition, applied voltage, temperature, and polishing end-point conditions.

On the other hand, the electrolyte and polishing conditions used vary greatly by material system, and for materials with unestablished conditions, finding suitable conditions is itself a substantial undertaking. The Division does not have systematically accumulated electropolishing conditions that can be applied in common across all materials.

Q. Why is the electropolishing instrument basically available only for loan use?

The Division’s electropolishing equipment was transferred from a now-closed in-house lab. Because the Division did not operate electropolishing as a common-use menu item before the transfer, know-how on electrolyte and polishing conditions for each material system has not been systematically accumulated as shared-facility knowledge.

In addition, the Division does not have local exhaust equipment (a fume hood) for running electropolishing on an ongoing basis, nor a dedicated environment for consolidated storage/management of chemicals and waste-liquid treatment.

For this reason, we currently do not provide comprehensive support for requested specimen preparation with this method; it is basically available for loan use by labs that have their own knowledge of electrolytes, polishing conditions, and chemical management.

Q. What kind of specimen preparation method is Ar ion milling?

This method irradiates a specimen that has already been pre-thinned by mechanical polishing with an Ar ion beam to form an electron-transparent area. The Division has ion milling instruments including a Gatan PIPS II (B) and a Fischione Model 1010.

It is widely used for TEM specimen preparation of oxides, ceramics, composite materials, and the like, and where processing conditions for a given material are established, it can produce specimens at a lower direct cost than FIB.

On the other hand, the specimen normally needs to be thinned sufficiently by mechanical polishing before being loaded into the instrument, and this pre-processing step also requires skill appropriate to the material. Ion energy, incidence angle, cooling conditions, and processing end-point also need to be set according to the material.

Q. Do you currently accept requested specimen preparation by ion milling?

The Division previously provided comprehensive support for requested specimen preparation by ion milling. Because no dedicated technical staff member is currently assigned, we no longer operate this as a standard specimen preparation service accepting requested specimens on an ongoing basis.

At present, technical support staff mainly operate the instrument as needed to maintain its condition and confirm that it is working properly. Keeping the equipment in usable condition and continuously carrying out requested specimen preparation while judging material-specific processing conditions require different staffing levels.

Q. What kind of specimen preparation is the ion slicer suited to?

The Division has a JEOL EM-09100IS ion slicer. A feature of the ion slicer is that ion-beam processing can begin from a relatively thick specimen, which makes it especially suited to preparing cross-sectional TEM specimens from bulk materials.

Because processing can start from a thicker state than with ordinary ion milling, it is also effective for brittle materials that are difficult to finish thin by mechanical polishing.

Labs that continuously prepare cross-sectional specimens from the same or similar bulk materials can readily standardize specimen dimensions, pre-polishing, mounting method, and ion irradiation conditions, making this method well suited to routinizing specimen preparation at the lab level.

Q. Do you currently accept requested specimen preparation with the ion slicer?

As with ion milling, the Division previously provided comprehensive support for requested specimen preparation with the ion slicer, but because no dedicated technical staff member is currently assigned, we no longer devote resources to ongoing requested specimen preparation by this method.

At present, technical support staff mainly operate the instrument as needed to maintain its condition and confirm that it is working properly.

Q. Why don’t you offer comprehensive requested-preparation services for methods other than FIB?

The reasons differ by method.

• Dispersion and crushing methods: it is often more efficient for the user, who understands the research purpose and specimen characteristics, to prepare the specimen themselves, including choosing and adjusting conditions
• Electropolishing: beyond material-specific electrolyte/polishing conditions, a dedicated operating environment is needed, including local exhaust, chemical storage/management, and waste-liquid treatment
• Ion milling and the ion slicer: requested specimen preparation was offered previously, but standard requested-preparation operations are currently suspended because no dedicated technical staff member is assigned

For this reason, for methods other than FIB, we review the specimen, the observation purpose, any known processing conditions, and what pre-treatment the user’s lab can perform, and consider each case individually.

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Self-Use, Training, and Licensing

Q. Why does the Division treat self-use as its basic approach?

Cost is not the only reason.

In self-use, the researcher who best understands the specimen selects the observation area and can judge, on the spot, the next observation/analysis conditions based on the image, electron diffraction, and analysis results obtained. Especially for specimens whose observation target or conditions have not been established, this kind of research judgment strongly affects both experimental efficiency and data quality.

Labs that use the facility continuously can also accumulate, within the lab, not just equipment operation but specimen-preparation and observation know-how specific to their material system. Where a user can acquire the necessary skills, the Division treats self-use as its basic approach.

Q. If we complete basic-operation training, can we immediately observe our own research specimens on our own?

We provide standardized training in the basic operation of the equipment. However, being able to operate the equipment safely on your own and being able to obtain observation/analysis data appropriate to the research purpose are different skills.

Even after completing basic-operation training, observation experience with actual research specimens is still needed. The time required to become proficient varies considerably with usage frequency, repetition, the material system involved, the difficulty of the observation/analysis, and your approach, so we cannot state a uniform number of sessions that would be “enough.”

Q. What does license certification actually certify?

The Division’s license system is a scheme to confirm the skills and knowledge needed to operate the shared equipment safely, without causing trouble or breakdowns, and on that basis to permit use of the equipment.

It checks specimen conditions, inserting/withdrawing the specimen holder, handling of the vacuum system, electron-beam operation, checking equipment status, protecting the detectors, and responses to abnormal situations.

License certification therefore does not certify that a user can independently carry out research-appropriate observation/analysis of any material system.

Q. How does training on JEM-2100plus proceed?

Our basic-to-elementary training generally proceeds as follows.

1. Basic 1: Safety, equipment, loading the specimen, up through getting a beam
2. Basic 2: Adjustments and finding your field of view, mainly on the screen
3. Elementary 1: Basic TEM observation and data acquisition with the camera
4. Elementary 2: Dark-field observation, NBD/CBD, basic STEM, etc.
5. Elementary 3: Any additional skills needed
6. Self-directed practice
7. Elementary license certification

The content may change depending on equipment status and when the training is held. Rather than certifying users based on a single explanation, the goal is to bring them, through hands-on practice, repetition, and self-directed operation, to a point where they can handle the shared equipment on their own.

Q. Is learning to operate the equipment different from learning to acquire the data you need?

Yes. What users ultimately need is not equipment operation itself, but the ability to obtain the data their research requires and judge the next observation/analysis direction on the spot.

Basic operation can be standardized as a set of procedures. In an actual research specimen, however, you also need to evaluate the specimen’s condition, select the observation area, adjust crystal orientation, set imaging/diffraction/analysis conditions, and decide whether additional observation is needed based on the results obtained.

Because these depend heavily on the material system and research purpose, we generally do not provide lab-specific observation know-how as standard training.

Accumulating material-specific observation/analysis experience through attended observation with your own research specimens and continued self-use is, in effect, the training for acquiring the data you need.

Q. How much experience is needed to become proficient in TEM observation/analysis?

There is no single answer. The following is not a formal curriculum or a guarantee of any particular level, but a typical pattern seen in labs that use TEM relatively frequently, at roughly 2-4 sessions per month, over time.

Example experience stage	Approximate scope of skill/coverage	Approximate years of experience
Roughly senior undergraduate	Has learned basic operation and performs basic TEM observation under guidance	Year 1
Master’s student	Independently performs basic TEM observation of their own research specimens	Years 2-3
Doctoral student	Performs more advanced observation/analysis of their own specimens, and can also handle basic observation of similar specimens within their research group	Years 4-6
Postdoc, etc.	Can handle requested observation/analysis of similar material systems brought in from collaborators	Years 7-9
Experienced user	Can plan and carry out observation/analysis even for unfamiliar requested specimens outside their own specialty	Roughly years 10-15

There is a large gap between being able to observe your own research specimens and being able to handle requested specimens with a different material background. For your own research specimens, you already know the material’s history, the expected microstructure/phases, and what to look for. For a requested specimen, by contrast, you must judge the specimen’s condition, observation area, phase, crystal orientation, and analysis conditions, and build an observation/analysis plan, starting from limited prior information.

Q. Does the time to become proficient shorten for researchers who use TEM at high frequency?

Yes. With higher usage frequency, proficiency with the material systems and observation methods you have experience with can improve considerably faster.

The experience-year figures above assume a power-user lab continuing at roughly 2-4 uses per month. Researchers in instrument- or analysis-technique development, who use TEM as their main research tool at a frequency of once or twice a week or more, accumulate experience quickly, and for the material systems/methods they continue to work with, may become proficient at twice the rate or more compared with a typical lab.

However, becoming highly proficient with a particular material system/method at high frequency is a different thing from being broadly capable of handling requested specimens with a different material background.

Q. What kind of researchers tend to use requested observation/analysis?

Researchers whose main research theme is instrument or analysis-technique development, and who use TEM at high frequency, mostly carry out their own observation/analysis and do not typically rely on requested use.

Requested use is centered on researchers who use TEM to obtain information needed for part of their research, rather than as their primary and constant research tool. Some labs also choose, as a matter of policy, not to build up TEM specimen-preparation/operation/observation skills in-house and instead to request a specialized facility when needed.

For a one-off observation/analysis, or when the burden of maintaining skills and equipment continuously within the lab is large, requested use can sometimes reduce total cost.

Q. Why is continued self-practice and use still needed after obtaining a license?

A TEM is a large research instrument built from a high-voltage/high-vacuum system, a precision specimen stage, specimen holders, and highly sensitive detectors. Using it safely and reliably requires not only memorizing the operating procedure but also repeatedly building up the ability to check equipment status, judge whether a specimen/holder is suitable, and respond to vacuum abnormalities and the like.

Because even a seemingly minor operating mistake can lead to a shutdown or an expensive repair, it is important to maintain your operating skill through continued use even after obtaining a license.

Q. How much impact can an operating mistake have on the equipment?

The following are examples used in past skills training at the Division to explain the scale of impact an operating mistake can have on the equipment. They do not represent current repair estimates or amounts that would be charged to a user.

Example	Impact on equipment / approximate figure from past materials
Mistake while inserting/withdrawing the specimen holder	About a day of downtime for vacuum trouble, baking, etc.
EDS detector damage	Example of about ¥3 million, with recovery taking several months
Deformation of a specimen holder	Example of about ¥1 million
Losing a part or minor holder damage while loading/unloading a specimen	Example of tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand yen
Aperture contamination / vacuum-system component damage	Several days or more of downtime, example of about ¥1 million
A specimen falling into the column	Several days or more of downtime, example of a few hundred thousand to ¥1 million depending on the state
Aperture damage	Several weeks of downtime, example of about ¥500,000
Burn-in of the camera detector	Detector replacement is extremely costly; an example illustrating a possible ¥5-10 million

The actual handling of failures and any associated costs are determined case by case, based on the cause, the circumstances, and applicable regulations.

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Instrument Selection for Observation/Analysis Purposes

Q. Does using the lowest-fee instrument first reduce total cost?

Not necessarily.

If you have sufficient experience with the material system and TEM observation, and the required observation method is clear, choosing an instrument that is just sufficient for the purpose can keep usage fees down.

On the other hand, for a requested specimen whose observation target or conditions are not yet established, doing a preliminary observation on a general-purpose TEM and then moving to JEM-ARM200F can require re-searching the observation area and re-adjusting conditions each time the instrument changes. For this reason, unless there is a clear reason not to, our standard approach is to use JEM-ARM200F to acquire morphology/composition information from low magnification and narrow down the target area.

Q. For a requested specimen whose observation conditions are not yet established, how do you start observation on JEM-ARM200F?

For a specimen whose observation target/conditions have not been established, we first acquire HAADF-STEM images from low magnification, combining this with STEM-EDS mapping as needed to check the correspondence between morphology and composition.

Based on this, we narrow down the target phase, interface, precipitate, etc., adjust crystal orientation as needed, and then proceed to high-resolution observation and additional analysis.

This does not mean starting at the highest magnification; it is a matter of organizing overall information about the specimen at low magnification first and then progressively narrowing the observation area.

Q. Is it best to do all observation/analysis on JEM-ARM200F?

While JEM-ARM200F can handle many kinds of observation/analysis, it is not necessarily optimal for every experiment. The Division deliberately maintains multiple TEMs with different characteristics for different observation purposes.

• JEM-2000EXII: electron diffraction, bright-field (BF)/dark-field (DF) observation, confirming crystal orientation/orientation relationships using its high-tilt capability, etc.
• EM-002B: TEM observation for specific purposes, including magnetic materials and other cases where ease of instrument recovery matters
• JEM-2100plus: a general-purpose instrument for standard TEM observation, electron diffraction, and high-resolution TEM, and the main instrument used for user training
• JEM-ARM200F(S)/JEM-ARM200F(W): high-resolution observation/analysis using HAADF-STEM with aberration-corrected STEM, EDS, EELS, etc.

We choose the instrument taking into account the required spatial resolution, specimen tilt, electron diffraction, STEM, and spectroscopic analysis needs.

Q. How much proficiency is needed for self-use of JEM-ARM200F?

JEM-ARM200F is a high-performance instrument centered on aberration-corrected STEM, and making proper use of its capabilities requires, in addition to basic TEM operation, a corresponding degree of observation experience. Its configuration is also complex and includes highly sensitive detectors, so managing operational risk matters for a shared facility.

For this reason, users acquire general TEM skills on JEM-2100plus first, and move to self-use of JEM-ARM200F based on their research purpose, the observation/analysis method required, usage frequency, and level of proficiency.

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Observation/Analysis and Research Judgment

Q. Does a multi-phase specimen take longer to observe/analyze?

It tends to.

For a multi-phase specimen, identifying the target phase requires exploring the observation area while correlating morphology, composition, electron diffraction, and other information. A researcher who is used to continuously working with the same material system may be able to judge this quickly, but for a requested specimen whose material background or observation conditions have not been established, identifying the phase and selecting a representative area can take time.

Q. If data is technically acquired correctly, is its research validity also guaranteed?

No, it is not guaranteed.

The equipment operating normally and acquiring TEM images, STEM images, electron diffraction, EDS, EELS, and other data under appropriate observation/analysis conditions is a different matter from judging whether that data is representative of the specimen as a whole, or captures a phase, interface, or area that matters for the research.

Especially for a specimen whose material background or observation target has not been sufficiently shared, it is important for the researcher who best understands the specimen to be involved in the observation.

Q. Does standard technical support include academic interpretation of the results?

Standard technical support mainly covers TEM specimen preparation, equipment operation, setting observation/analysis conditions, and acquiring data such as images, electron diffraction, and spectra.

On the other hand, if you need ongoing involvement extending to formulating a research hypothesis, judging the research validity of the data obtained, materials-science interpretation, designing additional experiments, and forming conclusions for a paper, it is more appropriate to treat this as joint research rather than standard requested use.

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Equipment Usage Fees, Technical Support, and Joint Research

Q. Why is an equipment usage fee needed even though this is a university shared facility?

Keeping large research instruments continuously available requires ongoing maintenance/operating costs, including maintenance, repairs, electricity, cooling water, and air conditioning.

The Division’s equipment usage fees are calculated based on the university’s lending/fee-calculation standards. Conceptually, this can be expressed as unit usage cost ≈ annual maintenance/operating cost ÷ estimated usage hours.

The Division does not pass on the full maintenance cost through equipment usage fees, and the fee is not set to include a profit margin. For detailed calculation grounds and financial figures, please refer to the published materials.

Q. Why do equipment usage fees differ between facilities?

This is because the fee-calculation method and the structure of who bears the maintenance cost differ between facilities.

The unit usage cost can differ for the same type of equipment depending on the proportion of maintenance cost borne by common institutional funds, various subsidies, the annual usage hours used in the calculation, and how equipment purchase cost is treated.

For this reason, the appropriateness of a fee cannot be judged by comparing hourly rates alone.

Q. Why is a technical support fee needed for requested use?

The Division is not a contract-analysis facility performing analysis exclusively; it is a shared facility based on self-use. In self-use, the user handles equipment operation and observation/analysis condition judgments, so staff time is not continuously tied up in these tasks. Requested specimen preparation and requested observation/analysis, on the other hand, require the assigned staff member to secure dedicated working time for each case.

The technical support fee is set based on the idea of charging, roughly, the portion of hourly staff labor cost corresponding to the time the assigned staff member’s schedule is committed to the requested work. Whereas the equipment usage fee relates to the cost of maintaining and operating the equipment, the technical support fee is a cost for the human resources that self-use would not normally require.

At present, the Division has no dedicated technical staff member assigned, and faculty must also prioritize equipment management and maintaining the shared-use environment. If requested observation/analysis were accepted free of charge on an ongoing basis under this staffing, we could not handle every case, making fair shared use difficult. For this reason, requested use and technical support are handled mainly under the CINTS/ARIM support framework, with a set technical support fee corresponding to the scope of support.

Q. If we arrange it as joint research, are equipment usage and technical support fees waived?

In principle, no, they are not waived.

Joint research is not a scheme for avoiding the fees of requested analysis; it is a framework for advancing research content together.

Whether to accept joint research is decided case by case, taking into account the research content, its academic significance, the faculty member’s expertise, and the balance with their research, education, and equipment-management duties. Equipment usage fees and the like also apply in principle even for joint research.

The main difference from ordinary requested use is that, beyond equipment operation and data acquisition, the faculty member is involved as a co-researcher in the research plan, the observation/analysis policy, data analysis, and the academic interpretation of the results.

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ARIM/CINTS Shared-Use Support and External Use

Q. What effect does external use have on the availability of the equipment for in-university use?

External use also requires equipment operating time and staff time, and it uses a portion of the shared facility’s finite usage capacity. At the same time, when evaluating the Division’s shared-use system, it is not appropriate to consider the equipment time occupied by external use in isolation.

The Division’s core equipment includes instruments installed through ARIM and its predecessor projects. Staff assigned under the ARIM/CINTS project provide the technical support, and revenue from equipment usage fees and technical support fees also contributes, as a result, to the stable maintenance and operation of the shared facility as a whole.

Accordingly, when considering the impact of external use, the relevant comparison is not “the current equipment, staffing, and funding maintained while only external use is removed,” but rather “what the situation would be without the equipment, staffing, and funding support provided through ARIM/CINTS.”

The Division publishes information on the funding for equipment and on its finances. Please refer to the published materials for details.

Q. How is requested FIB use positioned within the operation of the shared facility?

TEM specimen preparation by FIB tends to occupy the equipment for a relatively long time per case, and requested use accounts for a high proportion of its use. Because requested use in principle counts equipment usage time and technical support time as the same duration, both equipment usage fees and technical support fees apply.

Requested FIB use therefore uses equipment time and staff resources, while its revenue also contributes substantially to the stable maintenance and operation of the shared facility as a whole.

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Ways to Reduce Your Usage Cost

Q. What can we do to keep usage cost as low as possible?

The key to reducing usage cost is not simply comparing the hourly rate of different instruments, but reducing the total amount of specimen preparation, equipment use, and technical support needed to obtain the target data.

1. Make use of self-use: If the user can choose the observation area and judge observation/analysis conditions, technical support can be limited to what is actually needed.
2. Build up specimen-preparation conditions within your lab: When continuously handling the same or a similar material, it is effective to accumulate reproducible procedures for dispersion, mechanical polishing, electropolishing, ion milling, and so on.
3. Clarify the purpose of observation/analysis: Making your research question concrete – such as “what do we want to confirm about this interface” or “what is the composition of this phase” – can reduce time spent searching observation areas and doing unnecessary analysis.
4. Build up experience with the same material system: Accumulating FIB processing conditions, observation conditions, and characteristics of the target area reduces trial and error.
5. Choose an instrument/analysis method that is adequate for the purpose: If you understand the material system and observation method well, JEM-2100plus and similar instruments may be enough to achieve your purpose.
6. Process multiple specimens in stages: It is efficient to establish specimen-preparation/observation conditions on a representative specimen first, then process the rest based on those results.
7. Check available support programs: Where eligible, you may be able to use shared-facility support programs within the university.

The single most effective way to reduce usage cost is to increase what your lab can do on its own, and to concentrate your use of the shared facility on the specimen preparation, observation, and analysis you actually need it for.
Beyond fees, the Division treats self-use as its basic approach wherever possible, from the standpoint of faster research decision-making and the accumulation of skills and know-how.

Q. Are there support programs for early-career researchers?

Tohoku University has support programs for shared-facility use aimed at, among others, early-career researchers.

Because program details can change, this FAQ does not fix specific support rates or caps. Please check the latest information at the time of use.

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Information Needed When You Contact Us

Q. What information should we provide when we contact you?

The following information makes it easier for us to work out the right combination of TEM specimen preparation method, instrument, and self-use/attended support/requested use:

• What you want to find out from your research
• The specimen’s material, shape, dimensions, and condition
• The location, phase, or interface you want to observe
• Any known handling precautions or known constraints regarding electron-beam/ion-beam irradiation
• What specimen-preparation/observation steps your lab can carry out
• Your prior TEM experience and how often you expect to use it
• Any known processing conditions, past observation results, or the analysis method you would like to use

It is fine if you have not yet decided on an instrument or analysis method. Please start by telling us your research purpose and specimen information.

For a more detailed explanation of how we think about costs, please also see “How Much Does TEM Analysis Cost? — Cost and Usage Guide for TEM Sample Preparation, Observation, and Analysis.”

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