Anyone in the world can access the micro/nano fabrication facilities at the Institute for Matter and Systems (IMS). Whether you are already a member of the Georgia Tech community or not, there are only a few simple steps to join and get access.
Internal Users
Internal users are researchers who are active students or faculty at Georgia Tech.
External Users
External users are researchers from academic institutions other than Georgia Tech, government laboratories, and industry. If you are from an academic or government institution, you will pay the same rates as Georgia Tech users. Prospective external users will need to first contact Billyde Brown (billyde.brown@gatech.edu), who will walk you through the process of becoming a Georgia Tech affiliate. Once we have received and processed your information, you will receive further instruction from the IMS operations staff.
Getting Started
Prospective users, both internal and external, must first join their respective principal investigator’s (PI) billing group, and the IMS - Micro/Nano Fabrication Facility equipment group within the Georgia Tech Shared User Management System (SUMS). If you intend to work within the IMS cleanrooms, you must also attend a virtual new researcher orientation and complete our prerequisite training requirements. You can register for a scheduled orientation on our training requirements page.
Create a SUMS Account
You can create your SUMS account by logging into https://sums.gatech.edu/ using your GT username and password. External users will receive this information upon completion of the affiliate process. While logged in, please take the time to fill out your SUMS profile information.
Join the IMS - Micro/Nano Fabrication Facility Equipment Group
The training requirements page can be accessed here. It can also be accessed from anywhere on SUMS by following the steps below.
- Select “Equipment Groups” from the top tool bar, and then select “Equipment Group Search” from the drop-down menu
- Search for the IMS - Micro/Nano Fabrication Facility and once found, press the “Open” button
- Click on the “Become A Member” link, which will take you to the training requirements page
- Register for and attend one of the scheduled new researcher orientations
Join Your PI’s Billing Group
- Select “Billing Groups” from the top tool bar, and then select “Billing Group Search” from the drop-down menu
- Search for and select the billing group you will be working with
- Select the “Join Billing Group” tab and then press “Click here to request to join”
- Access will be granted upon approval from a billing group administrator
New User Orientation
The new researcher orientation will cover the IMS policies and procedures, lab-specific safety training, and basic process/fabrication development. Upon completion of the orientation and prerequisite training requirements, you will become a member of the equipment group. You will be authorized to use the cleanrooms and start getting trained on the process equipment within them.