*Note: This page was translated by AI from the Japanese original. In case of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall prevail.*
[Important] Key Takeaways and Summary (For Those with Urgent Needs)
Currently, requests for analytical services (technical support including sample preparation, TEM observation, and analysis) associated with our facility are heavily congested. If you have immediate deadlines, please review the following essential points:
- Congestion Status: Requests for sample preparation, TEM observation, and microanalysis are currently experiencing heavy congestion.
- Operational Framework: Since FY2024, the Division of Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM), IMR has operated without dedicated technical staff. Direct request-based observation or preparation services are not directly accepted or conducted by AEM.
- Inquiry and Reception Channel: Analytical requests and technical support are, in principle, handled under the CINTS / ARIM framework by the ARIM Project Unit, Analytical Research Core for Advanced Materials (ARCAM) (operating under a different administrative and personnel system from direct AEM reception).
- Estimated Lead Time: When requesting an end-to-end service from sample preparation to TEM observation, the waiting period before work actually commences is currently estimated at approximately two months or longer.
- Call for Advance Consultation: If your experiments have strict deadlines — such as graduation, master’s, or doctoral theses, peer review revisions/submissions, or upcoming conference presentations — please consult with us as early as possible.
- Alternative Options: When swift data acquisition is required, please consider utilizing self-service operation, conducting preliminary screening, or exploring other electron microscopy facilities on or off campus.
Thank you for your interest in utilizing the Division of Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM), Institute for Materials Research (IMR), Tohoku University.
At present, we are receiving a large concentration of requests for technical support, including TEM sample preparation, observation, and microanalysis, resulting in extended waiting periods before work can begin.
The objective of this announcement is not to discourage or suppress service requests, but to provide prospective users with essential information regarding current congestion factors, key considerations across the workflow, and realistic alternatives (including self-service and external facilities) to help you plan your research schedule and thesis preparations smoothly.
1. Anticipated Congestion Toward Year-End and Fiscal Year-End
Demand for sample preparation, observation, and analysis is currently concentrated, requiring substantial time for technical staff to accommodate each case.
Looking ahead from autumn into winter and toward the end of the fiscal year (November to March), experiment requests are anticipated to surge for the following milestones:
- Data collection for graduation, master’s, and doctoral dissertations
- New academic journal submissions and additional experiments for peer-review revisions
- Data acquisition for upcoming academic conference presentations and project reports
If inquiries or requests are submitted immediately before deadlines, there is a very high probability that we will be unable to complete the required work in time. For research projects with fixed deadlines, we kindly ask that you formulate your experimental plans with ample margin and consult with us as early as possible.
2. TEM Sample Preparation and FIB Bottleneck
For request-based sample preparation associated with our facility, Focused Ion Beam (FIB) processing serves as the standard methodology, with the exception of dispersion samples such as powders and nanoparticles.
Please note that sample preparation via Ar ion milling or ion slicer techniques has been suspended as a routine request-based service due to the absence of dedicated technical staff since FY2024 (these instruments are currently operated primarily by technical support staff for maintenance and operation verification).
At present, our FIB instruments (Versa 3D, Quanta 3D, and AMBER X) are heavily booked for both self-service and request-based processing. As announced on October 27, 2026, work on new requests is expected to commence no earlier than December 2026.
Consequently, when requesting a full workflow encompassing FIB preparation from bulk specimens followed by TEM observation, the specimen preparation stage represents the primary bottleneck for the overall schedule.
Please be mindful that the commencement date of FIB processing is entirely different from the final completion date of the entire project including TEM observation. Once FIB processing starts, preparing the specimen typically requires several working days, followed by scheduling machine time for TEM observation/analysis, conducting the experiment, and compiling the data. Even if processing starts in December, the completion of all analytical deliverables will occur well after that point.
For details on FIB instrument operating status and reservation calendar policies, please refer to the following announcement:
📄 FIB Instrument Congestion and Planned Utilization Request (Published October 27, 2026)
3. Requesting TEM Observation and Analysis (Staff Capacity vs. Instrument Availability)
Regarding Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM/STEM) themselves, machine time is relatively accessible for self-service users who hold valid operational licenses.
However, technical staff performing observation proxies and analytical support are currently juggling numerous concurrent commitments, making immediate accommodation of requested experiments extremely difficult.
A crucial point to note is that open slots on the reservation calendar do not equate to technical staff availability for service requests.
Even when days appear vacant on the instrument calendar, staff are engaged in other ongoing processing jobs, user support, or facility maintenance tasks, meaning that requested experiments cannot simply be scheduled into those slots immediately.
Furthermore, even for specimens that do not require FIB preparation (such as pre-thinned specimens or dispersion samples), experiments may require extended durations depending on analytical difficulty, such as:
- Beam-sensitive specimens (organic materials, polymers, certain halides/oxides, etc.)
- High-resolution observation requiring precise crystallographic zone-axis alignment
- Specimens requiring extensive time to search for regions of interest or optimize conditions
For challenging observations, it is common that only one specimen can be adequately addressed within a full day’s machine time. If data collection across multiple specimens is required, multiple days of staff commitment must be scheduled, further extending the turnaround time. Please develop realistic plans aligned with the quantity and characteristics of your specimens.
4. Recommended Self-Service and Preliminary Screening
To enhance experimental efficiency and reduce waiting times, we strongly encourage users to utilize self-service operation for any steps that can be performed within your own research group.
In particular, for dispersed specimens such as powders and nanoparticles, researchers can often prepare (drop-cast and dry) samples onto TEM support grids in their own laboratories.
Furthermore, when inserting dispersion specimens into a TEM, it is not uncommon to find severe particle agglomeration or inadequate distribution density. Even when planning to request advanced high-resolution observation or elemental mapping from staff, we recommend conducting prior self-service screening on a general-purpose TEM whenever possible to verify specimen quality.
- User preparation of specimens on TEM grids
- Self-service preliminary inspection of dispersion state and foil thickness
- Pre-selection of optimal grids and specimens prior to formal analysis
Selecting suitable specimens in advance drastically cuts down on trial-and-error and unproductive machine time during formal staff sessions, accelerating final data delivery.
*We recognize that not all researchers possess operational licenses for self-service; this recommendation is offered wherever feasible within your laboratory setup.
5. Other Electron Microscopy Facilities on Campus (Options for Consideration)
If our projected waiting times do not align with your research schedule, or if you require immediate data, exploring other electron microscopy facilities across Tohoku University is a viable alternative.
Several shared or departmental facilities exist within Tohoku University:
- Tohoku Center for Electron Microscopy (TCEM)
- School of Engineering Electron Microscopy Facilities (Aobayama Campus)
- Department of Materials Science Facilities, School of Engineering
For an overview and comparative summary of on-campus TEM equipment, please consult our reference guide:
📄 TEMs Available on Campus (for Materials)
Please note that the above facilities primarily cater to metals, inorganic materials, and device specimens. For biological specimens, organic compounds, and soft materials that require cryogenic preservation or are susceptible to severe electron beam damage, consulting specialized facilities such as the Cryo-Electron Microscopes at the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM) is also recommended.
Please note that the Division of Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM) does not conduct preliminary intake confirmation, coordination, or referral arrangements with the aforementioned facilities.
AEM does not introduce, proxy, coordinate priority handling, or guarantee quicker service at other facilities.
These facilities are presented strictly as independent options for users to consider. Regarding intake status, eligibility criteria, available observation/analytical modes, and application procedures, users must contact each facility directly.
6. Utilizing Nationwide Facilities via the ARIM Network
Beyond on-campus resources, researchers may consider utilizing shared equipment across universities and institutes nationwide through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Advanced Research Infrastructure for Materials (ARIM) network.
If your research project permits external facility utilization, state-of-the-art electron microscopes and nanofabrication systems across 26 participating institutions throughout Japan are accessible.
You can search registered facilities and technical support menus via the official search portal:
🔗 ARIM Japan Shared Facility Search System
*Terms of use, user eligibility, and support categories (instrument use, technical service, collaborative research, etc.) vary by institution; please verify details directly with the respective facility.
7. Advance Consultation and Information to Prepare
Technical staff resources available for analytical requests are limited, with a physical ceiling on the number of projects that can be accommodated simultaneously.
Consequently, even with early consultation, we cannot guarantee that experiments can be scheduled on your exact preferred dates due to congestion or instrument status. Furthermore, as emphasized above, the waiting time until work commences differs from the total duration required to complete data collection.
For critical research milestones with immovable deadlines — especially degree theses and paper submissions — early consultation during the planning stages is essential.
Information to Organize Prior to Consultation
To facilitate smooth evaluation and scheduling, we kindly ask that you prepare the following information when making an inquiry:
- Research Objective and Background: What specific scientific question needs to be addressed?
- Specimen Details: Material composition, shape, dimensions, quantity, conductivity/magnetism, and handling cautions (air exposure, beam sensitivity, etc.).
- Requested Observation and Analysis: TEM morphology, high-resolution STEM, EDS elemental analysis, electron diffraction, etc.
- Required Deadline: Thesis submission date, conference date, submission deadline, etc.
- Scope Feasible on User Side: Feasibility of specimen preparation, grid mounting, or preliminary self-screening.
8. Contact and Consultation Channels
Inquiries and consultation requests for analytical services (technical services, observation support, etc.) utilizing our facilities are received by the ARIM Project Unit, Analytical Research Core for Advanced Materials (ARCAM).
Technical Support and Request Consultation Window:
ARIM Project Unit, Analytical Research Core for Advanced Materials (ARCAM), Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University
🔗 ARIM Project Unit: Inquiries and Access
📝 Consultation Request Form (Google Forms)
General Guide to Shared Facility Utilization:
🔗 CINTS (Center for Integrated Network of Technical Support, Tohoku University)
*This post was created by an AI agent.