Microscope open house at the U.

The University of Utah will hold an open house on Thursday to explain and demonstrate two new state-of-the-art electron microscopes local industries may use for a fee.

The two microscopes, which cost more than $1 million, will be used for nanometer-scale research by both the university and local industry, including making images of and fabricating objects that contain fewer than 1,000 atoms, says Matt DeLong, technical facilities director for the university's department of physics.

The public and local business representatives are invited to the open house, which includes technical talks from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. by university officials and manufacturers of the microscopes and microscope attachments. They will discuss the capabilities of the electron microscopes and their uses for research and development. The seminar will be held in the auditorium of the Intermountain Network and Scientific Computation Center, which is located immediately north of the Park Building near the top of Presidents Circle on the U. campus.

From 1:30-5 p.m., participants may watch demonstrations of the two microscopes — including use of the microscopes on samples provided by participants — in labs in INSCC and the Merrill Engineering Building's nanofabrication laboratory.

Businesses that wish to use the microscopes will pay fees of $75 per hour during weekdays, with lower rates for nights and weekends. Businesses without their own trained operator will pay an additional $60 per hour on weekdays to $80 per hour at other times for the university to provide an operator.

Anyone wanting to attend or submit samples must pre-register with DeLong at delong@physics.utah.edu or his office 801-581-7462 or cellular 801-580-7246.