Description

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) uses electrons as the source of illumination.  The image is formed by electrons that interact with the surface of the sample and "bounce" off with different energy levels.  Thus, the SEM is useful for investigating the surface features of a wide range of samples including everything from rocks to flowers and "bugs" to all kinds of nanomaterials.  The addition of X-ray microanalysis to the microscope enables the determination of the elemental composition of the samples observed. The electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) enables the discrimination of the crystalline phases of the sample.

 

Equipment and Specifications

FEI Quanta 600 field-emission gun Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope with an Bruker EDS X-ray microanalysis system and HKL EBSD system.  It has the following specifications:

• resolution of 1.2 nm at 30 kV, 1.5 nm at low vacuum mode, and 1.5 nm at ESEM mode.
• accelerating voltages up to 30 kV
• digital camera system

Bruker energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis system with fully quantitative analysis software package that includes X-ray mapping capabilities; Bruker QUANTAX EDS features the XFlash^®6 detector series with active areas from 10 to 100 mm².(http://www.bruker.com/).

 

Applications

In the OSU Microscopy Laboratory, the Scanning Electron Microscope is being used to examine the interaction between bacteria and geological materials including samples from contaminated oil wells, to examine the surfaces of dentures and protective mouthpieces to locate and characterize biofilms, to look for tin whiskers in space flight components, to follow the development of all-ceramic dental crowns and metal-ceramic composites, to follow the development of new approaches for manufacturing photonic band gap crystals and to take photos for the annual Ugly Bug Contest, among many other projects.