Usage Rates

Overview of KNI Lab User Fees
Rates below are valid beginning October 1, 2025 and are subject to change

• Fees are incurred on a pay-as-you-go basis (tools are charged by the hour or portion thereof).
• Lab users do NOT incur lab fees during days or months of non-use.
• Invoices are issued monthly.

Note: New users must submit a New User Form and attend general KNI Lab safety training before lab access is granted.

Caltech & JPL Usage Rates

Below is a table of direct hourly rates for lab and equipment use in the KNI Laboratory. Hourly rates are applied to an individual's actual usage in the KNI Lab. Discounted hourly rates are "unlocked" for hours that exceed the monthly usage thresholds listed below. Rates do not include any applicable indirect charges, such as F&A fees. F&A (overhead) will be applied separately based on the customer's PTA award type. Lab invoices are issued on a monthly basis. Rates are valid beginning October 1, 2025 and are subject to change.

Tool Name	Resource Area	Hourly Rate
General Lab	See details below	$43/hr
Raith EBPG 5000+ and 5200 Electron Beam Writers	Electron Beam Lithography (EBL)	$130/hr
FEI Nova 600 Dualbeam Focused Ion Beam	Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam (FIB)	$75/hr
Oxford Cobra III-V ALE Etch System (TBA)	Deposition, Chemical Vapor	$60/hr
Oxford PECVD "2" System (TBA)	Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam (FIB)	$60/hr
Oxford FlexAl ALD/ALE System	Deposition, Chemical Vapor	$40/hr
Oxford III-V Etch System	Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam (FIB)	$40/hr
Oxford Dielectric Etch System	Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam (FIB)	$40/hr
Oxford DRIE Etch System	Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam (FIB)	$40/hr
Oxford PECVD System (legacy)	Microscopy, Focused Ion Beam (FIB)	$40/hr
Nanoscribe PPGT	2D/3D Print	$5/hr

Academic Discount on General Cleanroom Usage

A 50% discount will be applied to the General Cleanroom rate for any cleanroom usage accrued *after* 40 hours per calendar month. The hourly rate for cleanroom time after the 40 hour threshold is met is $21.50.

Example: A user logs 50 hours in the cleanroom during the month of October. Their invoice will be: (40 x $43) + (10 x $21.50) = $1,935

General Lab use is counted as time in the KNI cleanroom facility. It includes access to:

• Atomic Force Microscope
• Critical Point Dryer
• Electron Beam Evaporators
• Laser Interference Lithography System
• Mask Aligners
• Parylene Coater
• Profilometer
• Rapid Thermal Processor
• Scanning Electron Microscopes (Quanta, Sirion)
• Scriber Breaker
• Spectroscopic Ellipsometer
• Tube Furnaces (Wet, Dry Oxide + Annealing)
• Wafer Stepper
• Wet Chemistry Room/general supplies
• Wire Bonder
• XeF2 Silicon Etcher
• Other tools not listed in the table above

Miscellaneous Rates

• Precious Metal (gold, platinum, etc.) usage will be billed the market rate, per gram.
• Staff-approved full service work is $100/hr.

Overhead/Indirect Cost Rate

The KNI Lab charges for Non-Caltech Academic, Government, and Corporate KNI lab members are subject to Caltech's F&A (indirect/"overhead") rate. The F&A rate for fiscal year 2025 is 70%. Internal (Caltech and JPL) users will also have overhead applied to their charges. The overhead is accounted for in the back end of the internal charging process and the overhead rate is dependent on the PTA used to pay for the KNI Lab fees. If you have questions about this, please check with your grants manager.

External/Corporate Memberships

The KNI Lab is also open to industry and startup companies. Rates for companies differ from the posted rates (above) for our academic users. For information on the KNI corporate lab membership plan, please send an email to tkimoto@caltech.edu with details regarding 1) the number of people looking to join as KNI lab members, 2) equipment needs, 3) anticipated start date, and 4) information about the company. Startup companies may qualify for limited-term reduced rates. Additional paperwork is required, including a Facilities Use Agreement, certificate of liability insurance that meets Caltech requirements, a purchase order, and an External Affiliate appointment. This process can take up to a few weeks, and all steps must be completed before an external user is able to start in the KNI Lab.