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SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (SEM)

SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (SEM)
 

CEMAS has three scanning electron microscopes (SEM), providing students, researchers, and industrial partners with many options to analyze and investigate their materials-related challenges. 

Every SEM at CEMAS is outfitted with EDAX silicon-drift x-ray detectors, capable of very high-count rates for compositional analysis of specimens, enabling the elemental mapping of specimens in minutes, rather than hours. 

CEMAS has two Apreo high-resolution SEMs capable of imaging difficult samples at high resolution with low accelerating voltages. Each Apreo is equipped with an EDAX high-speed Hikari electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) camera that provides rapid crystallographic analysis of both bulk specimens and thin foils (Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction).  

The newest SEM addition is the variable pressure Quattro ESEM equipped with multiple stages for in-situ experiments to study samples from -190°C to 1110°C and under load or wet conditions. Additionally, the Quattro has a full scope of analytical tools to analyze multiple aspects of each experiment. 

Other capabilities available on the microscopes include large area mapping, cathodoluminescence imaging and spectroscopy, electrical feedthroughs for custom signal detection, and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging. Most importantly, the staff members at CEMAS have the expertise necessary to help users obtain the best quality data possible, and the knowledge base to assist in its analysis.

SEM Instruments at CEMAS

SEM Instrument Manager

SEM Techniques at CEMAS

  • Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
  • Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD)
  • Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD)
  • Cathodoluminescence (CL) Imaging and Spectroscopy
  • High-resolution secondary and backscatter electron imaging
  • Large area imaging and tiling
  • In-situ tensile testing
  • Heating and cooling capabilities 
  • Variable pressure operation (low vacuum/ESEM)
SEM News
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