User Information

TMI offers the use of its over 100 instruments and pieces of equipment to both internal UT users, and corporate and external users. Learn more about how to access the TMI instrumentation below.

UT Internal Users

How to Become a User of the TMI Facilities

  1. Contact the facility manager for specific instrumentation to discuss the project feasibility or register for a training class in UTLearn. For training class not poasted in UTLearn contact the facility manager via email.

    • AFM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Cleanroom Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Ion Milling Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Polymer Characterization Facility (DLS, TGA): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Metrology (Profilometry) Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • SEM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Spectroscopy: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Witec Raman), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (UVVIS Spectrometer, Fluorimeter, Renishaw Raman)
    • STM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • TEM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • X-ray Diffraction Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy: Dr. Hugo Celio

  2. Please be aware that before entering the TMI labs, users have to complete a series of online safety classes using the UTLearn portal. 
    • OH 101 Hazard Communication (General) - Required for all lab personnel working with or around hazardous chemicals.
    • OH 201 Laboratory Safety - Required for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
    • OH 202 Hazardous Waste Management - Required for all personnel, including faculty, staff, and students who work in a laboratory using hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
    • OH 238 Laboratory Safety Refresher - Required 3 years after OH 201 is completed for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials and every 3 years thereafter.
    • FF 205 Fire Extinguisher Use - Take either the online or the event class. The event class is offered only once a month. Please register in advance.
    • OH 204 Compressed Gases - This training provides information on how to safely handle and use compressed gases.
    • OH 241 Cryogen Safety - This training provides a general overview for the use of cryogens.
    • OH 306 X-Ray Safety - This training provides a general overview for the use of X-rays.
    • In addition the OH 102 Hazard Communication (Site-Specific) will be covered by each TMI facility manager as part of the specific instrument training.

  3. If the project is feasible, the facility manager will ask you to send him/her an email with a training request or register for a training class in UTLearn.  Classes posted in UTLearn have the above safety classes as pre-requisites.  Make sure to complete them before atempting to register for any instrumentation specific training classes. To register for a trainign class in UTLearn follow the steps below:
    • Login in UTLearn using your UTEID
    • Do a global search as "TMI"
    • From the list select the desired training class
    • Press the "Select a session tab"
    • Select "View Details"
    • Press "Request"
    • An email confrmation will be sent to you confirming the successul registration to the class
  4. Shorter training classes (1 hour) are not posted on UTLearn.  Those are set by the facility manager upon receiving an email request from the user. 
  5. The training will cover instructions on how to make and cancel reservations in FBS, theoretical aspects of the technique and how to use the instrument. Training materials in the form of Standard Operating Procedures and instrument manuals may be sent to the users prior to the training class for review.
  6. The first session on the instrument may be supervised. Some of the facilities will require a certification session. Details on this will be discussed during the training session.
  7. If you need after hours access to either FNT or EER you will need to send an email with your EID to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
  8. TMI facilities are open 24/7. Restrictions may apply for particular facilities and will be communicated to you during the training session.
How to Reserve Instruments
  1. At the beginning of the training session, the facility manager will add you to the Facility Billing System (FBS). FBS is an inetrnet-based platform that TMI, and many other user facilities at UT, use to make create reservations and for billing purposes.

  2. Make sure that the email you give the facility manager to be setup with in FBS is the same email that links to your UT EID.

  3. To make reservations access FBS
    • Sign in using your UT EID.
    • Go in User/Schedule → new window
    • Under Resource select the name of the facility → new window
    • Select the date by clicking on the calendar → new window
    • Select the starting time → new window
    • Enter the end time; the Lab and Requestor are already selected. Enter your group’s 10 digit account number (no dashes). Make sure the account is still valid or you reservation will not be accepted by the system.
    • Press Save changes.
    • A confirmation email will be sent to your email address.
    • Depending on the resource, the reservation can be deleted or changed without being invoiced. The details about the policy on reservation changes will be communicated to you during the training session.
Billing Information
  1. The hourly rate for each of the TMI instrumentation is set by VPR's Office and approved every few years or whenever new instrumentation becomes available. The hourly fees are available on the instrumentation pages. 

  2. If some of the FBS entries need to be modified because of instruments issues, please make sure to inform the facility manager promptly via email.

  3. Following the close of each month of usage invoices generated from the FBS data will be sent to your PI. Changes to the invoices are still possible at this time, including changing the account number for particular charges. Please send an email TMI Admin (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and copy the facility manager for the particular instrument.

Corporate and External Users

(Corporate or External Users Only) How to Become a User of the TMI Facilities

  1. Contact the facility manager for specific instrumentation to discuss the project feasibility.

    • AFM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Cleanroom Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Ion Milling Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Polymer Characterization Facility (DLS, TGA): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Metrology (Profilometry) Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • SEM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Spectroscopy: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Raman), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Absorption spectroscopy, Fluorometry)
    • STM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • TEM Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • X-ray Diffraction Facility: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy: Dr. Hugo Celio

  2. If the project is feasible, the facility manager will send you a contract (Memorandum of Understanding, MOU) to be signed by somebody with signature authority for contracts from your institution. The contract will then by sent to the UT Vice President for Research's Office for final approval. It usually takes 2-3 business days to receive the approval. The MOUs are valid for 2 years.

  3. Obtain an UT EID.

  4. Before entering the TMI labs prospective corporate users have to complete a series of online safety classes using the UTLearn portal. Non-UT employees will have first to register in order to have access to classes.
    • OH 101 Hazard Communication (General) - Required for all lab personnel working with or around hazardous chemicals.
    • OH 201 Laboratory Safety - Required for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
    • OH 202 Hazardous Waste Management - Required for all personnel, including faculty, staff, and students who work in a laboratory using hazardous chemicals or biological materials.
    • OH 238 Laboratory Safety Refresher - Required 3 years after OH 201 is completed for all lab personnel working with hazardous chemicals or biological materials and every 3 years thereafter.
    • FF 205 Fire Extinguisher Use - Offered only once a month. Please register in advance.
    • OH 204 Compressed Gases - This training provides information on how to safely handle and use compressed gases.
    • OH 241 Cryogen Safety - This training provides a general overview for the use of cryogens.
    • OH 306 X-Ray Safety - This training provides a general overview for the use of X-rays.
    • In addition the OH 102 Hazard Communication (Site-Specific) will be covered by each TMI facility manager as part of the specific instrument training.

  5. A training date for the particular facility will be set by the facility manager. The training will cover instructions on how to make reservations in FBS and how to use the instrument. Materials may be sent prior to the training for the user to review.

  6. The first session on the tool will be usually be supervised. Some of the facilities will require a certification session. Details on this will be discussed during the training session.

  7. After hour access to the TMI labs is not permitted.
(Corporate or External Users Only) How to Reserve Instruments
  1. At the beginning of the training session, the facility manager will add you to FBS. FBS is a platform that TMI, and many other user facilities at UT, use to make instruments reservations and for billing.

  2. Make sure to remember the email used to add you to FBS. An email will be sent to you from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (makes sure to check your spam) with instructions on how to setup the password.

  3. To make reservations access FBS
    • Sign in using your email and password you just setup
    • Go in User/Schedule → new window
    • Under Resource select the name of the facility → new window
    • Select the date by clicking on the calendar → new window
    • Select the starting time → new window
    • Enter the end time; the Lab and Requestor are already selected. No account is necessary at this time.
    • Press Save changes.
    • An confirmation email will be sent to your email address.
    • Depending on the resource, the reservation can be deleted or changed without being invoiced. The details about the policy on reservation changes will be communicated to you during the training session.

(Corporate or External Users Only) Billing Information
  1. The hourly rate for each of the TMI instrumentation is set by UT’s Office of Accounting and approved every 3 years or whenever new instrumentation becomes available. The hourly fees are available on the instrumentation pages.

  2. If some of the FBS entries need to be modified because of instruments issues, please make sure to inform the facility manager promptly via email.

  3. Following the close of each month of usage invoices generated from the FBS data will be sent via email to your company.

  4. The usual way to pay the invoices is via checks paid net 30.

  5. For all billing inquiries, please contact TMI Admin: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.