The Characterization Facility is a multi-user, shared instrumentation facility for materials research spanning from nanotechnology to biology and medicine.  Our analytical capabilities include microscopy via electron beams, force probes and visible light, including cryogenic methods; elemental and chemical imaging including depth profiling; elemental, chemical and mass spectrometry; atomic and molecular structure analysis via X-ray, ion or electron scattering; nanomechanical and nanotribological probes; and other tools for surface and thin-film metrology. Equipment includes: Small- and Wide-angle X-ray Scattering (including micro), Scanning probe microscopes (including environmental) and nanoindentors, Ion Beam Analysis (RBS, FReS, PIXE, NRA), Surface analysis (XPS, Auger, micro-contact angle), Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (including cryo/bio, EDS/EELS, EBSD, cathodolum.), Infrared and Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, stylus and light profilometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry and light microscopy; training/rental of all of the above; work with externals (industry/academic/government), educational outreach; internal curricular usage.