At HBKU Core Labs, our mission is to empower researchers, scholars, and industry professionals by providing unparalleled resources and services, driving innovation and facilitating the pursuit of knowledge. Our state-of-the-art facilities, outfitted with the latest cutting-edge technologies, enable users to explore a vast range of scientific disciplines and achieve groundbreaking results. Our dedicated team of experts is available to guide and support you throughout your research journey, ensuring you have access to the best tools, techniques, and expertise. Our expert team is available to assist you in selecting the most appropriate techniques and methodologies for your research needs. In addition to offering access to our state-of-the-art equipment, we provide comprehensive training, consultation, and technical support to ensure the highest quality results.

Our Services

HBKU Core Labs offers an extensive array of services tailored to meet the diverse research needs of our academic and industrial partners. Our comprehensive suite of services spans across various fields and applications, including but not limited to:

• Advanced Microanalysis
• In Situ Microscopy
• FIB Circuit Edit &TEM Lamella Preparation
• Identification of Material Properties and CompositionAdvanced Microanalysis
• Detection of Contaminants
• Failure Analysis
• Materials Characterization
• Metallurgical Analysis
• Metallography
• Trace Elements Analysis
• Surface Analysis
• Sample Preparation
• Sludge Analysis
• Soil Analysis
• Cement Analysis
• Corrosion Analysis
• Battery Materials Characterization
• Air particulates analysis
• Trace Elements Analysis

Our Techniques

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a high-resolution imaging technique used to study surfaces at the atomic and molecular levels. AFM can observe surfaces that are too small to be seen with traditional microscopy, such as individual atoms or molecules, and has become a vital tool in the field of nanotechnology. The AFM probe consists of a sharp tip attached to a cantilever. The tip is brought close to the sample surface, and the cantilever is deflected by the forces acting on the tip as it scans over the surface in a raster pattern. The deflection of the cantilever is measured using a laser beam, and this information is used to construct an image of the surface topography. The sensitivity of the cantilever to atomic-scale forces allows AFM to image surfaces with sub-nanometer resolution.

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy

Confocal laser microscopy is an advanced optical imaging technique that provides high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) images of a sample's surface or internal structure. It is widely used in various fields such as materials science, semiconductor inspection, and biological research. The key principle of confocal laser microscopy is the utilization of a pinhole to eliminate out-of-focus light, which significantly improves the axial resolution and image contrast compared to conventional wide-field microscopy.

Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA)

Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a solid sample at the micrometer scale. EPMA is based on the principles of Xray emission spectroscopy, and it combines the imaging capabilities of an electron microscope with the quantitative elemental analysis capabilities of an X-ray spectrometer. The technique is widely employed in various fields, such as materials science, geology, metallurgy, and semiconductor research, for studying both the composition and microstructure of materials.

Focused Ion Beam (FIB)

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technique is a versatile method used in materials science, nanotechnology, and semiconductor industries for precise material removal, deposition, and analysis at the nanoscale. The FIB system works by generating a focused beam of charged ions (gallium ions) that can be rastered across the sample's surface, similar to the electron beam in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The primary applications of FIB include high-resolution imaging, site-specific sample preparation, and nanofabrication.

Optical Microscopy

Optical microscopy is often the starting point for successful materials related failure and root cause analysis. It helps clients fully understand microstructure and other materials properties. The goal of optical microscopy is to produce clear and high quality images with high magnification (up to 1000X). Upright microscopes are the most common type, where the objective lens is above the stage and lighting system can be from top (reflected, bright field), bottom (transmitted) or sides (reflected, dark field). The microscopes can also provide polarized light imaging, and DIC (Numarski) imaging to support advanced research, analysis and inspection.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provides high-resolution and long-depth-of-field images of the sample surface and nearsurface using an energetic beam of electrons. As an e-beam rasters specimen surface, various signals that contain information about the surface topography and composition are produced as a result of the beam–material interaction. Sketch provides different signals produced as a result of this interaction. The electron beam is scanned in a raster scan pattern, and the position of the beam is combined with the intensity of the detected signal to produce an image or chemical information across the surface using different produced signals, including secondary and backscattered electrons, X-rays, and photons.

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a microscopy technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a specimen to form an image. The specimen is most often an ultrathin section less than 100 nm thick or a suspension on a grid. An image is formed from the interaction of the electrons with the sample as the beam is transmitted through the specimen. The image is then magnified and focused onto an imaging device, such as a fluorescent screen or a sensor, such as a scintillator attached to a charge-coupled device (CCD camera). Transmission electron microscopes are capable of imaging at a significantly higher resolution, enabling the instrument to capture fine detail—even as small as a single column of atoms. Transmission electron microscopy is a major analytical method in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences. TEMs find application in materials science, such as nanotechnology, semiconductor research, devices, and catalysis, and in biological sciences, such as cancer research, virology, bacteriology, and other fields.