Tools and Technical Expertise
Specialized facilities in the Clemson University Department of Physics and Astronomy give faculty and students the tools and technical expertise to explore fundamental questions and develop new experimental capabilities. These shared resources create opportunities for discovery, collaboration and hands-on learning that strengthen Clemson’s research leadership.
Our Facilities
Instrument Shop
The Department of Physics and Astronomy Instrument Shop provides technical support for the department’s teaching, research and outreach missions. Its capabilities include precision machining, welding and fabrication, electronics assembly and repair, prototyping, and the design and development of specialized scientific instrumentation. Shop personnel collaborate with faculty, researchers and students to design, build, modify, repair and maintain laboratory equipment and one-of-a-kind experimental apparatus, ranging from routine equipment repairs to complex payloads for NASA sounding rocket missions. The shop supports instructional laboratories, faculty and student research projects, and public outreach initiatives with a commitment to innovative, high-quality technical solutions.
EBIT
The Clemson University Electron Beam Ion Trap facility produces, traps and extracts beams of highly charged ions for the controlled irradiation of solid and gaseous targets. By coupling an electron beam ion trap to an external beamline, CUEBIT enables precision studies of ion-matter interactions relevant to atomic physics, plasma physics, surface physics, condensed matter and materials science, and laboratory astrophysics. The facility supports both fundamental and applied research while providing advanced experimental training for undergraduate and graduate students.
Technical Operations Laboratory
The Technical Operations Laboratory provides advanced fabrication, characterization and device integration capabilities that support research across the department. Operated by the department’s staff physicist, the laboratory enables thin film fabrication, sample preparation and vacuum processing, microelectronic device assembly, precision surface characterization, and rapid prototyping. Equipped with facilities such as molecular beam epitaxy, electron beam evaporation, atomic force microscopy, wire bonding, electrical probe testing, vacuum processing equipment and laser engraving, the TOL serves as a shared resource that supports interdisciplinary research, instrument development and hands-on training for undergraduate and graduate students.
Atmospheric Research Laboratory
The Clemson Atmospheric Research Laboratory is located in the Clemson University Forest. CARL has been used since the 1990s as a field research site for studying the Earth’s atmosphere and ionosphere. In particular, CARL currently has a 30 MHz coherent scatter radar that is used to investigate plasma irregularities in the midlatitude ionosphere. Additional experiments include bistatic reception of high-frequency transmitters of opportunity to understand the physics of the bottomside of the ionosphere. These projects and others have been supported by the NSF, NASA, AFOSR and ONR.
