In addition to numerous individual researcher laboratories, the Physics Department has a number of advanced facilities in our shared labs that are available for use by all members of the University and local businesses.
Microdevice Prototyping Facility
MPF (Microdevice Prototyping Facility) is a regional user facility which enables fabrication of state-of-the-art nanoscale electronic, mechanical, spintronic and optoelectronic devices for microscale fundamental and applied sciences. Our main facility is located on the fourth floor of the Physical Sciences building in a purpose-built 2800 square-foot facility containing an ISO class 5 (FED STD class 100) cleanroom. The facility’s capabilities to perform oxide chemical vapor deposition, deep reactive ion etching, metallization for high throughput lithography processes, and chip packaging are unique to the campus and enhances the other user facilities available on campus.
MPF’s facilities also include characterization equipment on the first floor of the Physical Sciences building on a specialty flooring that absorbs excess vibrations. For the imaging of surfaces ranging from non-conducting to conducting and from hard to soft and delicate samples, the UHV AFM/STM is the most versatile scanning probe microscope available. The optical beam deflection detection offers unsurpassed sensitivity for low forces in contact mode AFM imaging. Instantaneous switching between AFM and STM imaging modes and simultaneous STM and AFM imaging is possible.
MPF is open to outside users and we wish to develop strong university-industry collaborations in addition to facilitate the ongoing research in the department and the university. If you’d like to learn more about our facilities and what they can do for your research, please visit us at http://mpf.physics.ucf.edu!
Materials Characterization Facility
To maintain U.S. competitiveness in a global technology market, research universities are challenged to build and maintain a culture of innovation, and an effective technology transfer process that makes new products and new technology available from research and development to commercialization. In 1998, recognizing that research and education in materials science and engineering is an essential enabler of most technologies and applications as well as an important technology and market on its own, UCF responded to this challenge by creating the Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) to promote interdisciplinary research and education in materials science and engineering, and to help drive high-technology economic growth of the central Florida region.
The multi-user facilities operated by AMPAC — Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) and Advanced Microfabrication Facility (AMF) — provide state-of-the-art equipment and clean-room facilities not only to UCF researchers, but also to researchers from industry, university, and government organizations around the country.
The Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) is dedicated to providing researchers and industrial partners a place to perform characterization and analysis to advance research; classroom education and hands-on training in the use of state-of-the-art characterization equipment; user-friendly support services with expert advice and data interpretation; and to enhance competitiveness of industrial partners and boost economic development of the Central Florida region.
MCF occupies about 7,000 sq. ft. of space and is supported by 3 full-time research engineers and a full-time facilities coordinator. Collaboration with other universities is encouraged. To find out more, please visit http://www.ampac.ucf.edu/ .
Physics Machine Shop
The Physics Department Machine Shop is located in Room 146 of the Mathematical Sciences Building. It is staffed by a full time Engineer and is capable of light to medium machining and fabrication. Machines include: 3 Lathes, 2 Milling Machines, 3 Drill Presses, a Band Saw, Metal Sheer, Grinder and other assorted tools and machines. The shop serves both as a resource for experimentalists wishing to save time and labor costs by having parts made in house as well as a teaching facility for students wishing to explore the art of manufacturing their own equipment and devices. A one credit hour shop course is taught in the summer for interested students.
Robinson Observatory
Robinson Observatory is located near the south end of campus and houses a research-quality 20-inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope with a high-grade 6-megapixel CCD camera. Faculty and graduate students use this facility for research projects ranging from asteroid characterization to exoplanet transits and more. The observatory also owns a 14-inch and several 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes; these portable instruments are brought out every week during the academic year as part of RO’s Public Viewings. Such events are free and open to the campus community and the public.
For more information, visit:
Experimental Research Facilities
Experimental research facilities within the Department include a scanning Raman microscope, far infrared lasers, SQUID magnetometry, x-ray imaging, photoelectron spectroscopy, UHV STM/AFM, SIMS, LEED and RHEED, sputter deposition, physical vapor deposition, CVD, AFM/MFM, Auger microscopy, SEM, EBICS, and many other instruments. Students in our programs are also trained in the use of RBS and STEM through the Materials Characterization Facility. Theoretical research in condensed matter, optical physics, and atomic and molecular research as well as astronomy utilize department clusters, as well as connections to supercomputer centers. Although not all of these research facilities are available to the general public, they can be made available through contracts.
