1. Schedule and Sign-up

• All users must be trained by facility staff or experienced lab members.
• All trained users are required to sign in on the schedule calendar at least 24 hours before their planned session to use any piece of equipment, even just a five minute look. Every user must fill in his/her name, time range, special mode, and camera requirement. Cancellation should be made on the schedule calendar as soon as the user decides to cancel a scheduled session.
• EM users should note down on the users log for each session their name, date, exposure numbers of the films they have taken. Write down also in the comments area any malfunction, warning messages on the EM screen, abnormal vacuum readings, and other relevant information.
• When the work is down, equipment should be left clean and in standard configuration.
• In addition to keeping record in the user’s log, a user should report immediately to the lab manager of any problems that prevent the normal operation or need prompt service.
• The facility is based on a first-come first-serve basis. Plan Ahead!
• Users are half hour late without giving notice may cause the appointment cancelled.

2. Operation of Electron Microscopes

• Always follow instruction manuals. If one is not sure about certain operation, consult the facility staff or an experienced user.
• The cold finger is used to reduce contamination in the microscope's column. Users are recommended to use it whenever possible. Check and fill up liquid nitrogen in the cold finger dewar before starting a session. Upon finishing a session at the end of a day, the user should pour out the remaining liquid nitrogen and put the dewar back on the stage to let the cold finger warm up slowly, avoiding a sudden contamination of the column.
• Before powering up the filament, one should always check the vacuum, especially the IGP reading. Turn up the filament current slowly. It is acceptable to leave the hight tension (HT) either on or off, but one should turn off the filament unless there is another user continue to use the EM after one's session.
• Do not turn the HT off when the filament is on. For CM200/FEG, some tips on how to increase the lifetime of the emitter are posted on the bookshelf inside EM Room 1. Below are a few most critical tips: 1. ALWAYS close Valve V7 while being away from the scope or changing samples. 2. STANDBY mode should be used as much as possible. 3. DO NOT switch on HT BEFORE at least 1 kV of EXTRACTION is reached.
• Each EM room is facilitated with a Magnetic Field Compensation System. One should see only green lights when the system is running properly. A momentary field surge may result in a warning beeper without interrupting the system. An intensive field change may trip off the system, and one in this case will see a red light on the DISABLE push button. Then the user can enable the system by pushing the reset button. No one is supposed to adjust the three (gain, warning, and trip-off) level-control potentiometers. If one has problem with the system, please contact the lab manager.

3. EM Camera and Darkroom

Taking pictures with CCD Camera

• User should transfer images to his/her own disk or to a computer elsewhere via internet for data storage immediately after finishing the scheduled session. One should never store the data in the facility hard drive. All data should be saved in the designated User Files directory. Any data on the desktop or other system folder directories will be deleted without warming.

Taking pictures with film

• Always check the film stock number in the microscope before starting a session. If one needs a full camera (36 exposures for CM12 and 56 exposures for CM200) or a certain number of films in the camera, please make a note on the schedule calendar so that the user before the session can leave the camera in an appropriate condition.
• If one takes exposures that require special treatment/development, it is his/her responsibility to change and develop the camera immediately. As a corollary, sign up for sufficient time to accommodate changing the camera.
• Before venting the camera, make sure the dry nitrogen gas is turned on and the pressure is set at about 2 psi. Normally, the gas regulator is set on the right pressure, and the user only needs to open the gas valve.
• A user should change the camera and develop the films in any of the following cases: (a) There are less than 12 films (2/3 of full load) left in the camera. (b) More than 12 pictures have been taken. (c) Pictures have been taken in the low-dose mode. (d) The next user has requested a full camera or more films than what are left in the camera.
• Always wear gloves when you touch films, film holders, and cameras.
• Make sure to reset the camera after changing it.
• Reload the camera and place it in the vacuum desiccator after film development. Make sure there are enough films in the desiccator for the next load. Be sure to check, and replace if necessary, the phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5).
• After using the darkroom, inspect and be sure to leave it in a clean state. Clean up developer/fixer spills on the floor and/or bench top.
• Remember to turn off the safe lights after using the darkroom; otherwise other users will be confused.

4. Safety and Security

• All NYUMC safety code regarding facilities radioactive materials and chemicals should be followed in the facility.
• We encourage unassisted usage of the equipment in the facility at any time, however the last person leaving the EM suite after 6:00pm on weekdays or any time on weekends must make sure the main gate of the EM suite be locked.