Scanning Transmission Imaging of Elastomer Blends Using an Unmodified Conventional Scanning Electron Microscope

1995 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 342-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. F. Cudby ◽  
Barry A. Gilbey

Abstract A novel method for carrying out scanning transmission electron microscopy on a standard scanning electron microscope is described. This method involves the addition of a specially fabricated mount and is accomplished without carrying out any form of modification on the microscope. The method is compared to more conventional microscopy techniques and examples are given showing the advantages of this system.

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Wen You ◽  
Hsun-Yun Chang ◽  
Hua-Yang Liao ◽  
Wei-Lun Kao ◽  
Guo-Ji Yen ◽  
...  

AbstractBased on a scanning electron microscope operated at 30 kV with a homemade specimen holder and a multiangle solid-state detector behind the sample, low-kV scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is presented with subsequent electron tomography for three-dimensional (3D) volume structure. Because of the low acceleration voltage, the stronger electron-atom scattering leads to a stronger contrast in the resulting image than standard TEM, especially for light elements. Furthermore, the low-kV STEM yields less radiation damage to the specimen, hence the structure can be preserved. In this work, two-dimensional STEM images of a 1-μm-thick cell section with projection angles between ±50° were collected, and the 3D volume structure was reconstructed using the simultaneous iterative reconstructive technique algorithm with the TomoJ plugin for ImageJ, which are both public domain software. Furthermore, the cross-sectional structure was obtained with the Volume Viewer plugin in ImageJ. Although the tilting angle is constrained and limits the resulting structural resolution, slicing the reconstructed volume generated the depth profile of the thick specimen with sufficient resolution to examine cellular uptake of Au nanoparticles, and the final position of these nanoparticles inside the cell was imaged.


Author(s):  
Oliver C. Wells ◽  
P.C. Cheng

In this discussion the words “high resolution imaging” of a solid sample in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) mean that details can be resolved that are considerably smaller than the penetration depth of the incident electron beam (EB) into the specimen. “Atomic resolution” in either the transmission electron microscope (TEM) or scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) means that columns of atoms are resolved.Image contrasts in the backscattered electron (BSE) image are strongly affected by the specimen tilt and by the position and energy sensitivity of the BSE detector. The expression “BSE image” generally implies that the specimen is normal to the beam and the detector is above it. This shows compositional variations in the specimen with a spatial resolution limited by the spreading of the EB during the initial stages of penetration. This is similar in basic principle to the Z-Contrast method in the STEM that shows atomic resolution from a thinned single crystal mounted in the magnetic field of the focusing lens.


Author(s):  
William E. Vanderlinde

Abstract Recent developments in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation have greatly reduced the time and cost for preparing thin samples. In this paper, a method is demonstrated for viewing thin samples in transmission in an unmodified scanning electron microscope (SEM) using an easily constructed sample holder. Although not a substitute for true TEM analysis, this method allows for spatial resolution that is superior to typical SEM imaging and provides image contrast from material structure that is typical of TEM images. Furthermore, the method can produce extremely high resolution x-ray maps that are typically produced only by scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) systems.


2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1212-1213
Author(s):  
N Erdman ◽  
CH Nielsen ◽  
CA Ackerley

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2008 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, August 3 – August 7, 2008


Author(s):  
K. Shibatomi ◽  
T. Yamanoto ◽  
H. Koike

In the observation of a thick specimen by means of a transmission electron microscope, the intensity of electrons passing through the objective lens aperture is greatly reduced. So that the image is almost invisible. In addition to this fact, it have been reported that a chromatic aberration causes the deterioration of the image contrast rather than that of the resolution. The scanning electron microscope is, however, capable of electrically amplifying the signal of the decreasing intensity, and also free from a chromatic aberration so that the deterioration of the image contrast due to the aberration can be prevented. The electrical improvement of the image quality can be carried out by using the fascionating features of the SEM, that is, the amplification of a weak in-put signal forming the image and the descriminating action of the heigh level signal of the background. This paper reports some of the experimental results about the thickness dependence of the observability and quality of the image in the case of the transmission SEM.


Author(s):  
S. Takashima ◽  
H. Hashimoto ◽  
S. Kimoto

The resolution of a conventional transmission electron microscope (TEM) deteriorates as the specimen thickness increases, because chromatic aberration of the objective lens is caused by the energy loss of electrons). In the case of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), chromatic aberration does not exist as the restrictive factor for the resolution of the transmitted electron image, for the SEM has no imageforming lens. It is not sure, however, that the equal resolution to the probe diameter can be obtained in the case of a thick specimen. To study the relation between the specimen thickness and the resolution of the trans-mitted electron image obtained by the SEM, the following experiment was carried out.


Author(s):  
J. Temple Black

Since its introduction by Fernandez-Moran, the diamond knife has gained wide spread usage as a common material for cutting of thin sections of biological and metallic materials into thin films for examination in the transmission electron microscope. With the development of high voltage E.M. and scanning transmission E.M., microtomy applications will become increasingly important in the preparation of specimens. For those who can afford it, the diamond knife will thus continue to be an important tool to accomplish this effort until a cheaper but equally strong and sharp tool is found to replace the diamond, glass not withstanding.In Figs. 1 thru 3, a first attempt was made to examine the edge of a used (β=45°) diamond knife by means of the scanning electron microscope. Because diamond is conductive, first examination was tried without any coating of the diamond. However, the contamination at the edge caused severe charging during imaging. Next, a thin layer of carbon was deposited but charging was still extensive at high magnification - high voltage settings. Finally, the knife was given a light coating of gold-palladium which eliminated the charging and allowed high magnification micrographs to be made with reasonable resolution.


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