All Facilities | All Instruments
Imaging Facility
The Imaging Facility currently houses state-of-art 300 kV cryo-TEM, 200kV Cs corrected S/TEM, 120kV TEM, Dual-beam SEM/FIB, Raman Microscope, and super-resolution STED microscope for advanced imaging of materials and biological samples. The facility follows a user-fee based model and is open to all users, both internal and external. The facility welcomes users from academia and industry, with individual rate structures for both.
The supported applications include data collection for single particle 3D reconstruction, S/TEM and SEM imaging, advanced FIB applications (e.g. patterning, site-specific cross-sectional imaging, 2D image stack, TEM lamella preparation), chemical analysis by Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The facility also has plunge freezers for cryo-EM specimen preparation, plasma cleaner for SEM samples and TEM grids cleaning, and coater for coating of carbon (thermal-evaporation), Gold and Platinum (sputter coating).
Complete the online application to become a user of this and other ASRC facilities.
Facility Details
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FEI Helios Nanolab 660 FIB-SEM ›
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FEI Tecnai G2 Spirit Twin TEM ›
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FEI Titan Halo 80-300 TEM ›
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FEI Titan Themis 200 TEM ›
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FEI Vitrobot IV ›
Cryo-EM sample preparation
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Fischione M1070 NanoClean ›
plasma cleaning and glow discharge
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Leica EM ACE600 Coater ›
Au or Pt thin film sputter coating and C thin film thermal evaporation
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Leica TCS SP8 STED 3X ›
The TCS SP8 STED 3X, the newest generation of STED (Stimulated Emission Depletion) microscopy by Leica Microsystems, provides super-resolution imaging in all dimensions.
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Thermo Scientific Quattro ESEM ›
Environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) for the study of materials in their natural state.
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WITec Confocal Raman Microscope alpha300R ›
Instrument Rates Effective on 01/01/2024
CUNY Internal rates ($/hour) | External Academic rates ($/hour) | Start-up Companies ($/hour) | Industrial Companies ($/hour) | |
FEI TITAN THEMIS 200 KV TEM | 78 | 84 | 210 | 350 |
FEI HELIOS NANOLAB 660 FIB-SEM | 66 | 71 | 165 | 275 |
FEI HELIOS NANOLAB 660 SEM | 45 | 49 | 120 | 200 |
FEI SPIRIT 120 KV TEM | 35 | 38 | 120 | 200 |
LEICA TCS SP8 STED 3X | 40 | 44 | 120 | 200 |
WITec Raman Microscope | 25 | 28 | 75 | 125 |
Thermo Scientific Quattro ESEM | 45 | 49 | 120 | 200 |
Leica EM ACE600 Coater | 20 | 22 | 60 | 100 |
FEI Vitrobot (waived if imaging the prepared grids in the facility) | 10 | 17 | 45 | 75 |
CUNY Internal Rate ($/day) | External Academic Rate ($/day) | Start-up Rate ($/day) | Industrial Company Rate ($/day) | |
Halo 300 cryo-EM | 400 | 550 | 1400 | 2500 |
Note: the above Halo cryo-EM daily rates are effective on 01/01/2024, and only applys to 3D structural analysis projects, including grids screening and data collection by users themselves. Please contact faciltiy staff if you need more information.
CUNY Internal Rate ($/grid) | External Academic Rate ($/grid) | Start-up Rate ($/grid) | Industrial Company Rate ($/grid) | |
cryo-EM imaging | 60 | 120 | 300 | 420 |
Note: the above cryo-EM imaging service rates are effective on 01/01/2024, and only apply to non-structural project, facility staff will do the imaging and provide 5-8 images per grid. Please contact faciltiy staff if you need more information.
Materials Costs
Users are responsible for consumable materials. We supply standard materials, which Users have the option to purchase from facility. Due to uniqueness of each experiment we cannot guarantee to supply all materials to satisfy the needs of all Users.
Charge per unit | |
Cryo Grid Box | $15 |
UltraAuFoil grid | $50 |
Quantifoil or Cflat grid | $30 |
Lacey or Holey grid | $5 |
Ultrathin Carbon on Lacey grid | $10 |
Continous Carbon grid | $6 |
Small membrance box | $6 |
Staff Service Charges
Optional staff assistance service is available for sample characterization using instruments within Imaging Facility. This service is limited to the availability of staff time and capability of the instruments. Users are responsible for sample preparation. The staff hourly rates are added to the instrument hourly rates (listed in tables above) when technical staff service is utilized.
- Academic rate per hour: $60
- Start-up companies rate per hour: $90
- Industrial companies rate per hour: $120
(For record) Instrument Rates before 01/01/2024
Academic rates ($/hour) | Start-up Companies ($/hour) | Industrial Companies ($/hour) | |
FEI TITAN THEMIS 200 KV TEM | 78 | 210 | 350 |
FEI HELIOS NANOLAB 660 FIB-SEM | 66 | 165 | 275 |
FEI HELIOS NANOLAB 660 SEM | 45 | 120 | 200 |
FEI SPIRIT 120 KV TEM | 35 | 120 | 200 |
LEICA TCS SP8 STED 3X | 40 | 120 | 200 |
WITec Raman Microscope | 25 | 75 | 125 |
Leica EM ACE600 Coater | 20 | 60 | 100 |
FEI Vitrobot (waived if imaging the prepared grids in the facility) | 10 | 30 | 50 |
Academic Rate ($/day) | Start-up Rate ($/day) | Industrial Company Rate ($/day) | |
Halo 300 cryo-EM | 400 | 1200 | 2000 |
Note: the above Halo cryo-EM daily rates are effective on 03/01/2022, valid for one year and only applys to 3D structural analysis projects, including grids screening and data collection by users themselves. Please contact faciltiy staff if you need more information.
CUNY Rate ($/grid) | Non-CUNY Academic Rate ($/grid) | Start-up Rate ($/grid) | Industrial Company Rate ($/grid) | |
cryo-EM imaging | 60 | 100 | 180 | 300 |
Note: the above cryo-EM imaging service rates are effective on 03/01/2022, valid for one year and only apply to non-structural project, facility staff will do the imaging and provide 5-8 images per grid. Please contact faciltiy staff if you need more information.
ASRC Imaging Suite (IS) Facility User Registration Instruction
1. Fill out online ASRC Facility New User Application Form by clicking “Become a User” at https://asrc.gc.cuny.edu/facilities/. See “ASRC Facility User Registration Instruction” below on page 2-5 for more details.
2. The application review generally takes 3-5 business days. Upon approval, you will receive an email with Subject: ASRC Imaging Suite: User approved once your application form is approved. Info and links for the following step 3-5 are provided in the approval email.
3. Install Badger (Java based software for instrument reservation and invoicing) and create a new account. See “ASRC Facility User Registration Instruction” below on page 6-8 below for more details.
4. Sign up an ASRC ID card session (only if you plan to come in person to ASRC).
5. Attend Lab safety training if you are coming in person, and cryogenic safety training if you are coming in person and need to use liquid nitrogen.
Notes: Questions on New User Application form and Badger member approval status, please contact Celeste Ayala cayala@gc.cuny.edu; Questions on ASRC ID, please contact Pedro Balmaceda pbalmaceda@gc.cuny.edu; once your Badger member is approved, please contact Sheng Zhang szhang3@gc.cuny.edu and Tong Wang twang1@gc.cuny.edu to schedule instrument training. Please include which instrument(s) to get trained, and briefly describe the samples and what characterization to perform.
ASRC Facility User Registration Instruction 102024e1
Badger
Badger installation: http://cuny1.badgerlms.com/badger/News.html
For Badger/Java security issue, please refer to this instruction on how to access the “Java Cache Viewer” (or the “Configure Java” App) to add http://cuny1.badgerlms.com/ to the “Exception Site List”: Badger – Java Security Exception List
Badger User Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to reserve, check-in, enable and disable instruments in the Imagine Facility. (Note: during the phased reopening period at the ASRC reservations will be accepted via email only. See “User Policies” above for details.)
Instrument Instructions and Documentation
Titan Halo 300kV TEM
- SOP_Titan-Halo-300kV-TEM-Procedure_2021-e2
- SOP_Cryoholder-controller-puming-station
- SOP_Homemade-LN2-AutoFill-e2
- serialEM-note02-Single-particle-data-collection-stitching-MMM-MR-e3
- serialEM-note03-setup-LD-with-mP-and-nP-e2
- serialEM-note04-Multiple-Record-Setup-Dialog-e2
Titan Themis 200kV S/TEM
Tecnai Spirit 120kV TEM
Helios Nanolab 660 FIB-SEM
- FEI Helios NanoLab 660 Dualbeam FIB-SEM_2023
- TEM-Lamella-Sample-Preparation
- 2D-Image-Stack-Using-Auto-Slice-View
WITec Raman microscope
This document is full operation instruction of Control SIX for new users:
This document only show difference between Control FIVE and Control SIX, it is prepared for experienced Control FIVE users:
Leica STED
FEI Vitrobot
Fischione NanoClean
Leica EM ACE600 coater
Forms:
Other resources:
General
- Visitor information (building access, travel by public transportation and by car, parking facilities)
Nanoscience
Structural Biology
- Online class “Getting Started in cryoEM” by Grant Jensen at Caltech
- Lecture series on EM given at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
- Lectures from workshops organized by the National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy (NRAMM)
FIB-SEM/TEM reference operation videos:
- Basic SEM Operation by Michigan Center for Materials Characterization
- FIB TEM Lamella Prep Tutorial by Nicholas Rudawski
- TEM holder insertion and extraction by Nicholas Rudawski
Invoicing
PDF invoices will be emailed to PIs on the 15th of each calendar month.
Invoices can be sent to additional personnel or separated by account on request. Please contact Celeste Ayala to adjust your invoicing instructions.
Payment Options
For CUNY PIs with RF Accounts
CUNY PI’s wishing to pay their invoice using RF funds must provide the appropriate account information on the second page of the invoice. Payments can be split across RF accounts if desired.
Sign and return the invoice(s) via email to servicecenters@rfcuny.org or via fax to (212) 417-8567 for the funds to be transferred.
For other PIs
If paying by check:
Sign and mail the invoice(s) along with check payment to:
Finance Department
Research Foundation of CUNY
230 West 41st Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10036
If paying by credit card:
Credit Card payments can be made online via the Research Foundation payment portal.
- Under Available Events, click: CUNY ASRC Imaging Facility Use – RC-20161004-6477
- In the pop-up window, click the radio button for Another Amount and enter the amount listed on the invoice
- Add to the cart and proceed with the credit card payment
- Important: Email your signed invoice to Erika Montes at Erika_Montes@rfcuny.org and indicate that you have paid via online credit card.
Tracking Your Charges
PI’s can utilize Badger to view accumulated charges at any time. Review the Badger Instructions for PIs for more information on accessing this information.
Scheduling Training
You must have completed all steps in the user onboarding process and have an active Badger account before scheduling training.
- Contact Tong Wang (twang1@gc.cuny.edu) for training on the following instruments:
- FEI Titan Halo 80-300 Cryo TEM
- Leica STED
- WITec Raman Microscope
- Contact Sheng Zhang (szhang3@gc.cuny.edu) for training on the following instruments:
- FEI Helios Nanolab 660 FIB-SEM
- FEI Titan Themis 200 TEM
- 120 kV Tecnai Spirit TEM – contact both Tong Wang (twang1@gc.cuny.edu) and Sheng Zhang (szhang3@gc.cuny.edu) for training on this instrument
Training Costs
The general staff service charge is applied to instrument trainings: total training cost = staff hourly rate × staff hours + instrument hourly rate × instrument hours. Training hours are listed in the table below for all training packages. Charges are based on the listed hours in the table, not the actual training time. CUNY users pay only the instrument rate (no staff service charge).
See instrument and staff service rates
Training Packages | Maximum Training hours | Staff Hours (Non-CUNY Academic) | Staff Hours (Start-up and Industrial) |
SEM | 2 | 2 | 2 |
SEM + EDS | 3 | 3 | 3 |
SEM + FIB | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Auto Slice & View (must finish “SEM + FIB” training first) | 3 | 3 | 3 |
TEM sample lift out (must finish “SEM + FIB” training first) | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Leica STED | 2 | 2 | 2 |
WiTec Raman | 2 | 0 | 2 |
200kV Themis TEM | 2 | 2 | 2 |
200kV Themis TEM + STEM | 3 | 3 | 3 |
200kV Themis TEM + EDS | 3 | 3 | 3 |
200kV Themis TEM + tomography | 3 | 3 | 3 |
120 kV Spirit Standard training | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Negative Staining Training – 120kV Spirit* | 5 | 1 | 5 |
Cryo-EM Training Stage 1 – 120kV Spirit* | 8 | 2 | 8 |
Cryo-EM Training Stage 2 – 300kV Halo* | 1 day (7 hours) | 1 day (7 hours) | 1 day (7 hours) |
*CryoEM Training Special Requirements
CryoEM training consists of three stages:
- Negative Staining training
- Cryo-EM Stage 1 training
- Cryo-EM Stage 2 training
Users must practice a minimum of 10 hours and pass a qualifying test after completing each stage to progress to the next stage.
General Imaging Facility User Policies
All users must read this document carefully and sign it to certify that they are aware of, understand, and will adhere to the stated policies.
Facility Reservations
The Imaging Facility uses the Badger system to make instrument reservations. For experienced users, who do not need assistance from facility staff, please make reservations directly in Badger system following the facility user policies. For non-experienced users, who need staff assistance or training purposes, please contact the facility staff to confirm availability before making reservations in Badger. New users must finish all the user registration steps and are able to login Badger with their accounts before scheduling training.
COVID-19 Phased Reopening Policies
Computer Use Policies
For more information, please contact:
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Tong Wang, Ph.D.
- Manager, Imaging Suite
- Research Associate Professor, Nanoscience Initiative
Phone: 212.413.3352
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Sheng Zhang, Ph.D.
- Electron Microscopy Specialist, Imaging Facility
Phone: 212.413.3406
Facility Advisory Committee
- Amedee des Georges (New York University)
- Amirali Zangiabadi (Columbia University)
- Oleg Gang (Columbia University, BNL)
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