Instruments and apparatus, if no instrument or apparatus of equivalent scientific value for the purposes for which the instrument or apparatus is intended to be used is being manufactured in the United States (see U.S. note 6 to this subchapter)
Articles entered for the use of any nonprofit institution, whether public or private, established for educational or scientific purposes: > Instruments and apparatus, if no instrument or apparatus of equivalent scientific value for the purposes for which the instrument or apparatus is intended to be used is being manufactured in the United States (see U.S. note 6 to this subchapter)
Duty Rate (from China)
Except for products described in headings 9903.03.02–9903.03.11, articles the product of any country, as provided for in subdivision (aa) of U.S. note 2 to this subchapter
Products classified under HTS 9810.00.60.00
High-Resolution Cryo-Electron Microscope
Advanced cryo-electron microscope for 3D protein structure determination at near-atomic resolution, listed under chapter 90 instruments. No equivalent domestic instrument exists for sub-3Å resolution structural biology research. Requires Secretary of Commerce certification per U.S. note 6 for duty-free entry to nonprofit research institutions.
400 MHz NMR Spectrometer
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometer for biomolecular structure analysis, classified under chapter 90. No U.S.-manufactured equivalent offers same field strength-to-cost ratio for academic research. Duty-free entry requires Commerce Department finding per subchapter note.
Femtosecond Laser System
Ultrafast titanium-sapphire laser system for attosecond science and pump-probe spectroscopy (chapter 90). Unique pulse duration and repetition rate unavailable from U.S. manufacturers. Certified for nonprofit university research under U.S. note 6 procedures.
Synchrotron X-Ray Diffractometer
High-brilliance X-ray source and detector system for macromolecular crystallography (chapter 90). No equivalent compact synchrotron light source manufactured domestically. Requires Commerce certification for university structural biology labs.
Quantum Cascade Laser Spectrometer
Tunable mid-infrared QCL spectrometer for trace gas analysis (chapter 90). Unique spectral coverage and sensitivity unavailable from U.S. manufacturers. Certified for atmospheric research at nonprofit institutions.
Two-Photon Confocal Microscope
Advanced multiphoton microscope for deep tissue imaging (chapter 90). No U.S.-made system offers equivalent penetration depth and resolution combination. Duty-free for neuroscience research laboratories.
Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer
High-resolution MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer for proteomics (chapter 90). Superior mass accuracy and fragmentation unavailable from domestic manufacturers. Certified for nonprofit biomedical research.
Atomic Force Microscope
High-speed AFM with environmental control for live cell imaging (chapter 90). No equivalent combination of speed, resolution, and environmental control domestically available. For nonprofit nanotechnology research.
Single-Molecule Fluorescence Microscope
Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope for single-molecule biophysics (chapter 90). Unique combination of sensitivity and throughput unavailable domestically. Certified for university research.
Raman Microspectroscope
Confocal Raman microspectroscope with automated mapping (chapter 90). Superior spatial resolution and spectral range unavailable from U.S. manufacturers. For nonprofit materials science research.