The Materials Characterization Facility houses state-of-the-art characterization tools maintained by technical staff members. Researchers can be trained to operate instruments independently. Learn more about the specifications of equipment available.
 Hysitron TI990 TriboIndenter equipment details |  Quattro S ESEM equipment details |  Instron Tensile Tester 34TM-50 equipment details |
 Panalytical X’Pert MRD Pro X-ray Diffractometer equipment details |  Evident FluoView FV3000 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope |  DSC-TGA |
 Confocal Microscope (FLUOVIEW FV3000) |  DIL L75 Horizontal/Vertical |  Raman Spectrometer |
Hysitron TI990 TriboIndenter
The TI 990 is an advanced nanomechanical testing system designed to perform specific mechanical tests to obtain
properties such as hardness, modulus, scratch resistance, and wear resistance on nanoscale materials and thin films. The
main part of the system is a proprietary force/displacement transducer that accurately measures forces and
displacements down to uN and nm levels. This transducer is mounted to a piezo nanopositioner that can be used for
accurate placement. The system also includes an optical camera coupled to a 3-axis motorized staging system for
micro-positioning and sample registration. The entire unit is placed on an active vibration dampening system and
is housed in an enclosure to specifically isolate the unit from outside noise.
Quattro S ESEM
The Quattro S is a field emission scanning electron microscope capable of generating and collecting all available information from any type of sample material: it is the most versatile high-resolution low-vacuum FEG SEM with extended low-vacuum capabilities for really challenging samples and dynamic experiments. This newly designed Quattro S is the most versatile high-resolution SEM for characterization, prototyping, and in situ analysis.
Instron Tensile Tester 34TM-50
The Instron 34TM-50 is a robust dual-column universal testing machine with a force capacity of up to 50 kN, offering a generous vertical test space of approximately 1198 mm (E1)and uses high-resolution position control, combining precision with versatility. Grippers for standard tensile tets re available.
Panalytical X’Pert MRD Pro X-ray Diffractometer
Evident FluoView FV3000 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope
The FluoView FV3000 features TruSpectral detection technology for multi-channel spectral imaging with high sensitivity in multiple dynamic ranges. The microscope is equipped with 4X (NA 0.13), 10X (NA 0.40), 20X (0.80) and 60X (oil immersion objective, NA 1.42), a Galvo scan unit, a riser for electrophysiology configuration, a motorized stage and is installed on a vibration isolation table.
Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer (STA)
A Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer (STA) combines two powerful thermal analysis techniques—Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) (or sometimes Differential Thermal Analysis, DTA)—in a single instrument. This means it can monitor both mass changes and heat flow of a sample at the same time, under identical test conditions (e.g., same atmosphere, heating rates, sample geometry), which significantly enhances the accuracy and interpret-ability of results. The curtain tool can go up to 1600C and still conduct precise measurements.
Linseis Dilatometer
The Linseis Dilatometer is a precision instrument designed to measure dimensional changes—like expansion and shrinkage—of materials as a function of temperature under controlled environments. Widely used across materials science and quality control, it’s applicable to solids, powders, liquids, and pastes.
Evident (formerly Olympus) FluoView FV30
The Evident (formerly Olympus) FluoView FV3000 is a next-generation confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) designed for fast, sensitive, and highly flexible imaging of live cells and tissues. It combines high-speed scanning, advanced spectral detection, and intuitive operation—making it accessible even to novice users while delivering publication-quality data.