Electron microscopy sessions are always sessions with technical assistance, in special cases it can be used in self-service mode, after prior advanced instruction by the laboratory staff.

How to request a Service

1.  To access a session you must contact the laboratory meb@igme.es. FAQ: days-hours available, characteristics of the sample and its requirements for its observation in the SEM.
2.  The session request for users of the institute is made through a form provided by the technician that will be sent filled to the email meb@igme.es.
3. Session requests by users from other CSIC institutes and OPIs, as well as technical support work for companies, will be carried out following a request by email to laboratories@igme.es
4. When observation of samples that require metallization is requested, the samples will be delivered to the laboratory technician the same day, and if drying is required, they will be delivered at least the day before.
5.  Since the user is normally present in the laboratory, at the end of the session they will take their samples and the results obtained (images, analysis) will be sent electronically.
6. A backup will be done regularly.
7. When for technical reasons of the equipment, the user cannot make his observations on the scheduled day, a new priority reservation will be made.
8. When a user cannot make use of a session that he had reserved, he has to notify it for its cancellation.

User engagement

The most delicate routines and operations (calibrations, alignments, filament shutdown, sample change) MUST be carried out by laboratory technicians.
Users who are going to handle the equipment by themselves will have the first session assisted and, in the following ones, they will be advised and helped by the technical person assigned to the service until they acquire autonomy in the development of the work. In the event of any difficulty arising during the session with the equipment, the laboratory technicians will be able to advise and attend to solve the problem.
Users will communicate to the technical staff the incidents that may have occurred during the handling of the equipment, especially those that may require the repair or maintenance of the equipment. All this will avoid inconveniences for users who want to use the equipment in the next session.