User FAQs

The Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) is a Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences Nanoscale Science Research Center jointly operated by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. As part of the National Nanoscience Initiative, CINT provides user access to technical staff and state-of-the-art equipment for nanoscale science research at no cost to users, except for proprietary research. CINT scientists and users partner to foster scientific discovery enabling the integration of nanoscience concepts and structures into the micro and macro worlds.

CINT has established four Science Thrusts in which new fundamental discoveries and understanding will enable the novel properties of nanostructured materials to be exploited by integration into microscale and larger systems. In addition, CINT Nanoscience Integration Challenges span multiple Scientific Thrusts and serve to focus this expertise. Each Integration Challenge identifies nanoscience integration research that will have significant impact by creating or enabling new nanotechnologies with multiple applications.

CINT contact names, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers are available on the website (http://cint.lanl.gov).

Contacts are listed on the web site for each capability. These contacts can provide information as to the location of the capability and associated equipment.

We seek your participation in shaping the CINT nanoscience integration program. Developing new concepts, ideas, and directions with the community is an essential part of the CINT vision. If your idea is aligned with a CINT Scientist’s research interests (listed on the web site), contact that person. If your idea is more general, contact the appropriate CINT Thrust Leader(s) or a member of the CINT management team.

The five DOE NSRCs are working closely together in building the DOE’s nanoscale science program. We have regular meetings to establish common processes and practices. At present however, users must apply to each DOE Nanoscale Science Research Center or National User Facility for access to their respective capabilities.

We invite your suggestions either by feedback at our User Workshops or by contacting a CINT Thrust Leader, CINT Scientist, or member of the management team.

Yes. For information, please see the CINT UEC web site. You can contact the UEC Chair or the CINT User Program Manager with additional questions.

CINT will have a limited number of post-doc and student intern positions that will be advertised on the web site. CINT will refer employment inquiries for staff positions to relevant organizations at SNL and LANL for consideration.

As with all DOE/BES national user facilities, CINT does not provide travel support as a part of the user program. However, both Los Alamos and Sandia laboratories have programs outside of CINT that may be able to provide some support on a limited basis. Please contact a CINT scientist or thrust leader to discuss these possibilities.

CINT understands that this is an important issue for many potential users. Realistic cost-of-living information will be available from the CINT User Administrator that will arrange your visit. CINT does not operate housing facilities.

The proposal you submit must describe the project support, including the supplies that would be needed from CINT. Notice of user acceptance will indicate what supplies CINT can provide and those that must be provided by the User.

Yes you can, depending on what the equipment is and how it will be used. The plan to bring your own equipment must be described in your proposal. Any such equipment must be approved in advance and meet the required LANL or SNL environmental, safety and health requirements. Please discuss this issue with a CINT scientist during the development of your proposal.

Yes, with advance notice and approval. Internet access for users with non-SNL or non-LANL personal computers will be via a special network for external connectivity. In addition, CINT-owned computers are available for users to access the Internet.

CINT users will be provided telephone and external web access.

Normal working hours for Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories is approximately 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Approval to work beyond these hours can be obtained. Such approval will be dependent many factors including the type of research activity that would be conducted outside of normal hours and what additional training might be required to meet laboratory and DOE health and safety regulations.

As a DOE/BES national user facility, CINT has a mission to provide nanoscience capabilities for use by external scientists. Working together, the external and internal scientists in the CINT community will define future directions in nanoscience integration and, therefore, the future of CINT itself.

The Call for CINT User Proposals and the CINT web site describe the capabilities available, scientific focus, and evaluation process. Briefly, user proposals are first screened for feasibility, then prioritized by an external panel, and approved by management based upon availability of resources. Scientific impact, relevance to the Call for User Proposals, and qualifications of the investigators are the criteria used by the external panel to prioritize the user proposals.

Yes! Contact a CINT scientist; they are ready to work with you. CINT strongly encourages collaborations with our staff members.

It is not necessary to collaborate in order to be a CINT User. All proposals will be given equal consideration in this regard. Each proposal will be evaluated for scientific quality and feasibility. After external review, accepted proposals will be prioritized based upon scientific merit and relevance to the objectives stated in the proposal call and available resources.

Absolutely yes. CINT is one scientific community with scientists and capabilities at both Sandia and Los Alamos. In preparing a proposal, it is best to contact the appropriate CINT scientists at each Lab. Describe how you will take advantage of the opportunity to use this range of capabilities in your CINT User Proposal.

CINT encourages coordinated use of these and other major facilities as a part of CINT nanoscale science proposals. Submit one CINT proposal in which all necessary capabilities are requested. CINT will work with you and the other facilities to satisfy their requirements for access.

CINT is a scientific community focused upon nanoscience integration. If your idea requires both CINT and LANSCE capabilities to be fully successful, then it should be submitted as a CINT User Proposal. CINT has established a joint review process for proposals that request access to CINT and LANSCE neutron beam time.

Although each NSCR utilizes an external review selection process, the distinctions between Centers and their host Laboratories necessitates that selection decisions be made locally.

CINT encourages scientific interactions and expects researchers to respond to unforeseen opportunities. Incremental additional capability requests to achieve the scientific objectives of the proposal will be considered. Significant changes in the original project objective will require re-submission and competition for access.