The Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) is a science laboratory specializing in nanoscale research. It is located at the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York, United States. Overview The CFN provides capabilities for the fabrication and study of nanoscale materials, with an emphasis on atomic-level tailoring to achieve desired properties and functions. The CFN is a science-based user facility, simultaneously developing scientific programs while offering access to its capabilities and collaboration through an active user program. The CFN is operated for and funded by the US Department of Energy's Office of Science. Scientific themes The science at the CFN is organized around these scientific themes: Electronic Nanomaterials; Interface Science and Catalysis; Electron Microscopy; Soft and Biological Materials; Theory and Computation. Scientific highlights within these themes can be found at the CFN Research Highlights Archive. Research facilities The CFN is housed in a building consisting of offices and laboratories, located next to the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS). The facility contains five groups of laboratories called Laboratory Facilities, a Theory and Computational Center, and a set of advanced endstations on beamlines at the NSLS. The Laboratory Facilities include capabilities in nanopatterning, transmission electron microscopy, nanomaterials synthesis, ultrafast laser sources, and powerful probes to image atomic and molecular structure, together with clean rooms and other support instrumentation. Access is also offered to the Laser Electron Accelerator Facility (LEAF). User program The CFN is operated as a national user facility, accessible to researchers at universities, and industrial and national laboratories through peer-reviewed proposals. The user program provides access to laboratory facilities staffed by scientists and technical support personnel who are active in nanoscience research. Modes of Access General Users are researchers or research group that use the CFN's facilities for non-proprietary research, after the submission of a proposal and its positive evaluation by an external Proposal Review Panel (PRP). Partner Users are General users who also enhance the facility capabilities or contribute to the Center operation. They typically help develop instrumentation in some manner, either by bringing external financial or intellectual capital into the development of the facility. These contributions must be made available to the General Users and, therefore, benefit the overall User Program as well as the facility. Partner Users are provided negotiated access to one or more capabilities over a period of several years. Rapid Access: Users who feel that the timeliness of their research may be negatively