Department Facilities

The Physics Cryogenics Shop is an on-site resource for research and teaching labs needing various high-pressure gases and liquids, leak detection, metal deposition, and maintenance of vacuum pumps for research. Gases and liquids are available to Physics Department students and faculty and members of the University community.

The Cryo Shop assists with dispensing of high-pressure gases and liquids. The high-pressure gases available are dry nitrogen, high-purity nitrogen, helium, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and acetylene. Other products include liquid helium, which is produced on-site; and nitrogen, which is purchased from suppliers. All Mystery Guy products are available for purchase that have a UT-account and are authorized to make purchases on that account. All transactions are billed on a monthly cycle.

The Cryo Shop has the capability to test vacuum chambers and components for leaks, using helium leak detectors for ultra-high vacuum (10 (sup-10) ATM cc/Sec He) applications. Technicians work directly with faculty, students, and other staff when preparing and testing research apparatus for leaks.

Services include service and maintenance of vacuum pumps. Pumps that are used for research in this department can be brought here for periodic maintenance, which typically includes cleaning, changing oil, and replacing belts. Technicians also have the ability to do complete rebuilds that consist of seals, veins, reed valves, gaskets, and o-rings.

The Cryo Shop has experience and capability to do simple metal evaporation of metals such as aluminum, copper, gold, silver, chromium, iron, magnesium chloride, tungsten oxide, lead, potassium bromide, bismuth, nickel, platinum, and tin onto substrates. The metal deposition machine has the capability of acquiring a vacuum of 5.0 × 10^-6, which limits some applications required by this department.

Send an email to Kenny Schneider to set up an appointment to acquire or refill gases.

Location: PMA 3.104

Electronic shop services is handled by the CNS Instrument Design & Repair shop.

To request services, email Tim Hooper (thooper@cm.utexas.edu) and courtesy copy Kenny Schneider (kennys@physics.utexas.edu) describing the services needed and providing your 10-digit account. Chemistry will not know what “charge my DOE” means as they do not access to our accounts.

If you need assistance on the account to provide to Chemistry, send an email to: financials@physics.utexas.edu

The Physics Machine Shop is a core facility in the College for Natural Sciences whose function is to fabricate instruments for research labs in Physics and CNS. Machinists in Physics are responsible for design and fabrication of items used for research and in the classroom. 

Many of the instruments constructed in the Machine Shop are unique and could not be realistically obtained from other sources. Faculty and students work directly with instrument makers when projects are in progress. This interaction, especially with students, gives the students valuable knowledge about design, the techniques used to construct their instruments, and how to create usable drawings.

The Physics Machine Shop is staffed by the supervisor, Kenny Schneider and machinists. Because of their many years of combined experience and knowledge of machinery and materials used in this department, specialized research equipment and devices are always maintained and constructed very accurately and efficiently.

Our capabilities include the use of standard and specialized machine tools such as the lathe, vertical mill, drill presses, grinders, saws, metal shear, pan break, hydraulic press, computerized numerical control (CNC) mills, and hand measuring tools. We have the ability to construct many identical pieces, or a single piece, of great complexity. The Machine Shop can construct and weld ultra-high vacuum (10-10 ATM cc/Sec He) vessels from materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, Mu metal, and titanium. All weldments used in vacuum applications are leak-checked before being released to labs.

Location: PMA 3.206

 To request a Work Order:  Fill out the Physics’ Machine Shop Work Order Request Form.  If you need, any assistance with your order you will need to fill out a form and select the “Assistance Requested” button and a member of the Machine Shop will reach out to you. 

Students also have the option of constructing their own instruments in the Physics Student Shop. Our student shop has a part-time instrument maker, Jack Clifford, who supervises the daily activities making sure that all Machine Shop safety rules and procedure are followed. Jack is available to assist students with design and proper material selection for projects.

Each student must take training with shop supervisor on proper machine tool operation.

Location:  PMA 3.210

To request services:

• email Jack Clifford at clifford@physics.utexas.eduto make an appointment. 
• Drop-ins may not be accommodated based on current workload. 
• Appointments are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 7:30AM to 2:30PM.

Required:

• Download a copy of the Safety Manual & Agreement, after you have read the manual, print and complete the Usage Agreement found at the end of the document. Give the completed Agreement to Jack Clifford.