The MRL X-ray Facility provides state-of-the-art x-ray diffraction tools for characterizing structural properties of a wide range of materials including metals and composites, polymers and biological materials, and electronic and optoelectronic materials in the lengthscale range of 0.1 nm - 100 nm. As a key research asset of the MRL, the x-ray facility is accessible by MRL researchers as well as off-campus academic groups and industrial users. In addition to maintaining an array of commercial and custom-built specialty instruments, the facility staff also conducts active research in developing new x-ray imaging methods and instrumentation to advance the capabilities of x-ray characterization techniques.

Recharge Rates

The MRL x-ray facility is operated on a recharge basis. Current recharge rates (effective 08/01/2023) are as follows:

Instruments/Resources On-Campus Rate ($/hr) Off-Campus Rate (Academic/Non-profit) ($/hr) Off-Campus Rate (Private/For Profit) ($/hr)
Commercial Diffractometers
(MRD & MPD Thin Film & Powder, Rigaku Smartlab, XRF)
50.50 78.53 151.50
Specialty Diffractometers
(Intermediate and Ultra SAXS, WAXS)
37.86 58.87 113.58
Nikon Microscope 27.13 42.19 81.39
R&D Engineer 120.55 187.46 361.65
Prof. Researcher 245.25 381.36 735.75
Assoc. X-ray Specialist 117.95 183.41 353.85
Structural Databases free to authorized users    

For UCSB users, a campus charge account number is required prior to setting up a valid user name. For off-campus users, a blanket P.O. number and a bill to address should be provided before any work in the facility. Accounts will be billed on a monthly basis. It is the responsibility of the users to update account information by contacting staff members. Expired charge accounts will result in suspension of user previleges.


Contact

Email is the preferred means of initial contact.    

Youli Li
Technical Director
youli@mrl.ucsb.edu


Location

MRL 1012,1032 and CNSI (Elings Hall) 1409
Interactive Campus Map
Campus Map

Management, operation and acquisition of equipment for the X-ray facility is supported by the Materials Research Laboratory: an NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC).