It's been two weeks since we started ramping up the fab at MIT.nano following the shutdown due to COVID-19. Below are some helpful tips and updates for users. Remember, if something is not working out well, or you have ideas for improvements or simplifications, you can always send us feedback at mitnano-feedback@mit.edu.
24-hr users
Past 24-hr users have 24-hr access again as of June 29 (as indicated in last week’s emailed schedule). If you were a 24-hr fab user before the shutdown, simply follow the same buddy/afterhour procedures for Fab-12 and Fab-39.
If you are not yet a 24-hr user, we are starting new 24-hr user interviews July 10th. Review the 24-hr request procedures and sign up in Atlas.
For non-24hr users, the current hours are still 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Once phase two of MIT’s research ramp-up starts, we will see how to best extend this.
External user access
Unfortunately, MIT has still not provided a path for external users to access the campus. We are pushing and advocating aggressively for a solution for our external users. We remain hopeful that some form of solution will be forthcoming over the next few weeks.
Lab operations & safety
A few important safety pointers (based on actual observations):
- Please remember to clip your nametags to your hangers in Fab-12, so someone else doesn’t accidentally use your gown.
- In Fab-12, when storing your gown, do not clip the boots to the neck or back of your gown. This is for safety reasons: boots have the highest chance for picking up chemical contamination in the lab, and storing them near your hood or sleeves is not a good idea. Please return boots to the boot rack instead, as always (we do share boots, unlike gowns and hoods).
- Avoid using your sample/tweezer container to also store your personal face mask. (It can pick up possible chemical contaminants that you’ll then breathe in when you leave the lab). Use the small plastic storage bags provided in the gowning area.
Fab-39 TRL vinyl gloves
These are moving to a more logical place. We originally had the vinyl gloves outside the lab door in TRL, moving them in and out each day. That was a very error-prone method. The TRL door itself can be pushed without touching a handle; therefore, we will move the gloves to inside the TRL main gowning room, as an easier place (also easier to re-stock).
Fab-39: Electrical shutdown July 7-9
MIT will be replacing some building equipment in 39 that should help with humidity issues. However, this requires a shutdown next week (July 8 plus the day before and after to shut tools down and bring them up again). This makes next week particularly short (given that MIT added July 6 as a holiday).
The timing is obviously not great, and it is beyond our control, but it should provide benefits going forward. Some tools in Fab-39 are still down, and some are awaiting field service (e.g. Oxford 100). Field service visits are moved to after the shutdown to avoid repairing a tool right before having to shut it down, especially for frail tools.
Trainings & access
- First time back? Please attend one of the back-to-lab check-in training. The next one is Tuesday, June 30. Sign up at signup.mit.edu/mitnano_checkin.
- We are resuming the Fab-12 wet chemical process training (classroom portion). This is required for hands-on wet bench training, as well as for 24-hr user qualification. The next session is scheduled for July 8. Sign up here.
- New User Orientations: We are planning to resume the new user orientations early August. More details will be sent out once we have set the schedule in 1-2 weeks.
- Stuck? We had a few cases where users didn’t have access to the front door of building 12. This happens when a PI does not add MIT.nano as a core facility on their researcher’s entry into the covid pass database. Easy check: building 12 should be included in the email you get after the covidpass attestation. If it’s not, you need to have your PI add building 12 for you.
- Still stuck? If you didn’t keep your EHS requirements up-to-date (like managing hazardous waste, etc) your card for the Fab-12 cleanroom entry was not activated. Please complete all requirements so we can provide access. Re-activation is a manual process, so let us know.