Imaging of soft and hard materials using a Boersch phase plate in a transmission electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alloyeau, D., E-mail: alloyeau.damien@gmail.com [National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, MS/72, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Hsieh, W.K. [National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, MS/72, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Anderson, E.H.; Hilken, L. [Center for X-ray Optics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CA 94720 (United States); Benner, G. [Carl Zeiss NTS GmbH, Oberkochen 73447 (Germany); Meng, X. [Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1770 (United States); Chen, F.R. [Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Kisielowski, C. [National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, MS/72, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2010-04-15

Using two levels of electron beam lithography, vapor phase deposition techniques, and FIB etching, we have fabricated an electrostatic Boersch phase plate for contrast enhancement of weak phase objects in a transmission electron microscope. The phase plate has suitable dimensions for the imaging of small biological samples without compromising the high-resolution capabilities of the microscope. A micro-structured electrode allows for phase tuning of the unscattered electron beam, which enables the recording of contrast enhanced in-focus images and in-line holograms. We have demonstrated experimentally that our phase plate improves the contrast of carbon nanotubes while maintaining high-resolution imaging performance, which is demonstrated for the case of an AlGaAs heterostructure. The development opens a new way to study interfaces between soft and hard materials.

Instrumental Developments for In-situ Breakdown Experiments inside a Scanning Electron Microscope

CERN Document Server

Muranaka, T; Leifer, K; Ziemann, V

2011-01-01

Electrical discharges in accelerating structures are one of the key issues limiting the performance of future high energy accelerators such as the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC). Fundamental understanding of breakdown phenomena is an indispensable part of the CLIC feasibility study. The present work concerns the experimental study of breakdown using Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs). A SEM gives us the opportunity to achieve high electrical gradients of 1\\,kV/$\\mu$m which corresponds to 1\\,GV/m by exciting a probe needle with a high voltage power supply and controlling the positioning of the needle with a linear piezo motor. The gap between the needle tip and the surface is controlled with sub-micron precision. A second electron microscope equipped with a Focused Ion Beam (FIB) is used to create surface corrugations and to sharpen the probe needle to a tip radius of about 50\\,nm. Moreover it is used to prepare cross sections of a voltage breakdown area in order to study the geometrical surface damages as w...

Exploring the interior of cuticles and compressions of fossil plants by FIB-SEM milling and image microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sender, L M; Escapa, I; Benedetti, A; Cúneo, R; Diez, J B

2018-01-01

We present the first study of cuticles and compressions of fossil leaves by Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM). Cavities preserved inside fossil leaf compressions corresponding to substomatal chambers have been observed for the first time and several new features were identified in the cross-section cuts. These results open a new way in the investigation of the three-dimensional structures of both micro- and nanostructural features of fossil plants. Moreover, the application of the FIB-SEM technique to both fossils and extant plant remains represent a new source of taxonomical, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic information. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

Image contrast enhancement of Ni/YSZ anode during the slice-and-view process in FIB-SEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shu-Sheng; Takayama, Akiko; Matsumura, Syo; Koyama, Michihisa

2016-03-01

Focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) is a widely used and easily operational equipment for three-dimensional reconstruction with flexible analysis volume. It has been using successfully and increasingly in the field of solid oxide fuel cell. However, the phase contrast of the SEM images is indistinct in many cases, which will bring difficulties to the image processing. Herein, the phase contrast of a conventional Ni/yttria stabilized zirconia anode is tuned in an FIB-SEM with In-Lens secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electron detectors. Two accessories, tungsten probe and carbon nozzle, are inserted during the observation. The former has no influence on the contrast. When the carbon nozzle is inserted, best and distinct contrast can be obtained by In-Lens SE detector. This method is novel for contrast enhancement. Phase segmentation of the image can be automatically performed. The related mechanism for different images is discussed. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

Cassette-based in-situ TEM sample inspection in the dual-beam FIB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kendrick, A B; Moore, T M; Zaykova-Feldman, L; Amador, G; Hammer, M

2008-01-01

A novel method is presented, combining site-specific TEM sample preparation and in-situ STEM analysis in a dual-beam microscope (FIB/SEM) fitted with a chamber mounted nano-manipulator. TEM samples are prepared using a modified in-situ, lift-out method, whereby the samples are thinned and oriented for immediate in-situ STEM analysis using the tilt, translation, and rotation capabilities of a FIB/SEM sample stage, a nano-manipulator, and a novel cassette. This cassette can provide a second tilt axis, orthogonal to the stage tilt axis, so that the STEM image contrast can be optimized to reveal the structural features of the sample (true STEM imaging in the FIB/SEM). The angles necessary for stage rotation and probe shaft rotation are calculated based on the position of the nano-manipulator relative to the stage and door and the stage tilt angle. A FIB/SEM instrument, equipped with a high resolution scanning electron column, can provide sufficiently high image resolution to enable many failure analysis and process control applications to be successfully carried out without requiring the use of a separate dedicated TEM/STEM instrument. The benefits of this novel approach are increased throughput and reduced cost per sample. Comparative analysis of different sample preparation methods is provided, and the STEM images obtained are shown.

Three-dimensional ultrastructure of osteocytes assessed by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Tomoka; Yamamoto, Tomomaya; Hongo, Hiromi; Qiu, Zixuan; Abe, Miki; Kanesaki, Takuma; Tanaka, Kawori; Endo, Takashi; de Freitas, Paulo Henrique Luiz; Li, Minqi; Amizuka, Norio

2018-04-01

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the application of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy, FIB-SEM for revealing the three-dimensional features of osteocytic cytoplasmic processes in metaphyseal (immature) and diaphyseal (mature) trabeculae. Tibiae of eight-week-old male mice were fixed with aldehyde solution, and treated with block staining prior to FIB-SEM observation. While two-dimensional backscattered SEM images showed osteocytes' cytoplasmic processes in a fragmented fashion, three-dimensional reconstructions of FIB-SEM images demonstrated that osteocytes in primary metaphyseal trabeculae extended their cytoplasmic processes randomly, thus maintaining contact with neighboring osteocytes and osteoblasts. In contrast, diaphyseal osteocytes extended thin cytoplasmic processes from their cell bodies, which ran perpendicular to the bone surface. In addition, these osteocytes featured thick processes that branched into thinner, transverse cytoplasmic processes; at some point, however, these transverse processes bend at a right angle to run perpendicular to the bone surface. Osteoblasts also possessed thicker cytoplasmic processes that branched off as thinner processes, which then connected with cytoplasmic processes of neighboring osteocytes. Thus, FIB-SEM is a useful technology for visualizing the three-dimensional structures of osteocytes and their cytoplasmic processes.

Focused ion beam (FIB) milling of electrically insulating specimens using simultaneous primary electron and ion beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stokes, D J; Vystavel, T; Morrissey, F

2007-01-01

There is currently great interest in combining focused ion beam (FIB) and scanning electron microscopy technologies for advanced studies of polymeric materials and biological microstructures, as well as for sophisticated nanoscale fabrication and prototyping. Irradiation of electrically insulating materials with a positive ion beam in high vacuum can lead to the accumulation of charge, causing deflection of the ion beam. The resultant image drift has significant consequences upon the accuracy and quality of FIB milling, imaging and chemical vapour deposition. A method is described for suppressing ion beam drift using a defocused, low-energy primary electron beam, leading to the derivation of a mathematical expression to correlate the ion and electron beam energies and currents with other parameters required for electrically stabilizing these challenging materials

3-D Analysis of Graphite Nodules in Ductile Cast Iron Using FIB-SEM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D'Angelo, Luca; Jespersen, Freja N.; MacDonald, A. Nicole

Ductile cast iron samples were analysed in a Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope, FIB-SEM. The focussed ion beam was used to carefully remove layers of the graphite nodules to reveal internal structures in the nodules. The sample preparation and milling procedure for sectioning graphite...... inside the nodules, their orientation in relation to the graphite and the chemistry of the inclusions is analysed and described. Formation of the structures during solidification and subsequent cooling to room temperature is discussed....

A New Approach to Studying Biological and Soft Materials Using Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB SEM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stokes, D J; Morrissey, F; Lich, B H

2006-01-01

Over the last decade techniques such as confocal light microscopy, in combination with fluorescent labelling, have helped biologists and life scientists to study biological architectures at tissue and cell level in great detail. Meanwhile, obtaining information at very small length scales is possible with the combination of sample preparation techniques and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is well known for the determination of surface characteristics and morphology. However, the desire to understand the three dimensional relationships of meso-scale hierarchies has led to the development of advanced microscopy techniques, to give a further complementary approach. A focused ion beam (FIB) can be used as a nano-scalpel and hence allows us to reveal internal microstructure in a site-specific manner. Whilst FIB instruments have been used to study and verify the three-dimensional architecture of man made materials, SEM and FIB technologies have now been brought together in a single instrument representing a powerful combination for the study of biological specimens and soft materials. We demonstrate the use of FIB SEM to study three-dimensional relationships for a range of length scales and materials, from small-scale cellular structures to the larger scale interactions between biomedical materials and tissues. FIB cutting of heterogeneous mixtures of hard and soft materials, resulting in a uniform cross-section, has proved to be of particular value since classical preparation methods tend to introduce artefacts. Furthermore, by appropriate selection, we can sequentially cross-section to create a series of 'slices' at specific intervals. 3D reconstruction software can then be used to volume-render information from the 2D slices, enabling us to immediately see the spatial relationships between microstructural components

Multi-scale characterization by FIB-SEM/TEM/3DAP.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohkubo, T; Sepehri-Amin, H; Sasaki, T T; Hono, K

2014-11-01

In order to improve properties of functional materials, it is important to understand the relation between the structure and the properties since the structure has large effect to the properties. This can be done by using multi-scale microstructure analysis from macro-scale to nano and atomic scale. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with focused ion beam (FIB), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and 3D atom probe (3DAP) are complementary analysis tools making it possible to know the structure and the chemistry from micron to atomic resolution. SEM gives us overall microstructural and chemical information by various kinds of detectors such as secondary electron, backscattered electron, EDS and EBSD detectors. Also, it is possible to analyze 3D structure and chemistry via FIB serial sectioning. In addition, using TEM we can focus on desired region to get more complementary information from HRTEM/STEM/Lorentz images, SAED/NBD patterns and EDS/EELS to see the detail micro or nano-structure and chemistry. Especially, combination of probe Cs corrector and split EDS detectors with large detector size enable us to analyze the atomic scale elemental distribution. Furthermore, if the specimen has a complicated 3D nanostructure, or we need to analyze light elements such as hydrogen, lithium or boron, 3DAP can be used as the only technique which can visualize and analyze distribution of all constituent atoms of our materials within a few hundreds nm area. Hence, site-specific sample preparation using FIB/SEM is necessary to get desired information from region of interest. Therefore, this complementary analysis combination works very well to understand the detail of materials.In this presentation, we will show the analysis results obtained from some of functional materials by Carl Zeiss CrossBeam 1540EsB FIB/SEM, FEI Tecnai G(2) F30, Titan G2 80-200 TEMs and locally build laser assisted 3DAP. As the one of the example, result of multi-scale characterization for

Distinction between amorphous and healed planar deformation features in shocked quartz using composite color scanning electron microscope cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Hamers, Maartje F.; Pennock, Gill M.; Herwegh, Marco; Drury, Martyn R.

2016-10-01

Planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz are one of the most reliable and most widely used forms of evidence for hypervelocity impact. PDFs can be identified in scanning electron microscope cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL) images, but not all PDFs show the same CL behavior: there are nonluminescent and red luminescent PDFs. This study aims to explain the origin of the different CL emissions in PDFs. Focused ion beam (FIB) thin foils were prepared of specific sample locations selected in composite color SEM-CL images and were analyzed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The FIB preparation technique allowed a direct, often one-to-one correlation between the CL images and the defect structure observed in TEM. This correlation shows that composite color SEM-CL imaging allows distinction between amorphous PDFs on one hand and healed PDFs and basal Brazil twins on the other: nonluminescent PDFs are amorphous, while healed PDFs and basal Brazil twins are red luminescent, with a dominant emission peak at 650 nm. We suggest that the red luminescence is the result of preferential beam damage along dislocations, fluid inclusions, and twin boundaries. Furthermore, a high-pressure phase (possibly stishovite) in PDFs can be detected in color SEM-CL images by its blue luminescence.

Two novel approaches to study arthropod anatomy by using dualbeam FIB/SEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Giulio, Andrea; Muzzi, Maurizio

2018-03-01

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) has always been the conventional method to study arthropod ultrastructure, while the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was mainly devoted to the examination of the external cuticular structures by secondary electrons. The new generation field emission SEMs are capable to generate images at sub-cellular level, comparable to TEM images employing backscattered electrons. The potential of this kind of acquisition becomes very powerful in the dual beam FIB/SEM where the SEM column is combined with a Focused Ion Beam (FIB) column. FIB uses ions as a nano-scalpel to slice samples fixed and embedded in resin, replacing traditional ultramicrotomy. We here present two novel methods, which optimize the use of FIB/SEM for studying arthropod anatomy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Minimal resin embedding of multicellular specimens for targeted FIB-SEM imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Schieber, Nicole L; Machado, Pedro; Markert, Sebastian M; Stigloher, Christian; Schwab, Yannick; Steyer, Anna M

2017-01-01

Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is a powerful tool to perform ultrastructural analysis of targeted tissues or cells. The large field of view of the light microscope (LM) enables quick and efficient surveys of the whole specimen. It is also compatible with live imaging, giving access to functional assays. CLEM protocols take advantage of the features to efficiently retrace the position of targeted sites when switching from one modality to the other. They more often rely on anatomical cues that are visible both by light and electron microscopy. We present here a simple workflow where multicellular specimens are embedded in minimal amounts of resin, exposing their surface topology that can be imaged by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). LM and SEM both benefit from a large field of view that can cover whole model organisms. As a result, targeting specific anatomic locations by focused ion beam-SEM (FIB-SEM) tomography becomes straightforward. We illustrate this application on three different model organisms, used in our laboratory: the zebrafish embryo Danio rerio, the marine worm Platynereis dumerilii, and the dauer larva of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we focus on the experimental steps to reduce the amount of resin covering the samples and to image the specimens inside an FIB-SEM. We expect this approach to have widespread applications for volume electron microscopy on multiple model organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional intracellular structure of a whole rice mesophyll cell observed with FIB-SEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Oi, Takao; Enomoto, Sakiko; Nakao, Tomoyo; Arai, Shigeo; Yamane, Koji; Taniguchi, Mitsutaka

2017-07-01

Ultrathin sections of rice leaf blades observed two-dimensionally using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) show that the chlorenchyma is composed of lobed mesophyll cells, with intricate cell boundaries, and lined with chloroplasts. The lobed cell shape and chloroplast positioning are believed to enhance the area available for the gas exchange surface for photosynthesis in rice leaves. However, a cell image revealing the three-dimensional (3-D) ultrastructure of rice mesophyll cells has not been visualized. In this study, a whole rice mesophyll cell was observed using a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), which provides many serial sections automatically, rapidly and correctly, thereby enabling 3-D cell structure reconstruction. Rice leaf blades were fixed chemically using the method for conventional TEM observation, embedded in resin and subsequently set in the FIB-SEM chamber. Specimen blocks were sectioned transversely using the FIB, and block-face images were captured using the SEM. The sectioning and imaging were repeated overnight for 200-500 slices (each 50 nm thick). The resultant large-volume image stacks ( x = 25 μm, y = 25 μm, z = 10-25 μm) contained one or two whole mesophyll cells. The 3-D models of whole mesophyll cells were reconstructed using image processing software. The reconstructed cell models were discoid shaped with several lobes around the cell periphery. The cell shape increased the surface area, and the ratio of surface area to volume was twice that of a cylinder having the same volume. The chloroplasts occupied half the cell volume and spread as sheets along the cell lobes, covering most of the inner cell surface, with adjacent chloroplasts in close contact with each other. Cellular and sub-cellular ultrastructures of a whole mesophyll cell in a rice leaf blade are demonstrated three-dimensionally using a FIB-SEM. The 3-D models and numerical information support the hypothesis that rice mesophyll

Solar Flare Track Exposure Ages in Regolith Particles: A Calibration for Transmission Electron Microscope Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Eve L.; Keller, Lindsay P.

2015-01-01

Mineral grains in lunar and asteroidal regolith samples provide a unique record of their interaction with the space environment. Space weathering effects result from multiple processes including: exposure to the solar wind, which results in ion damage and implantation effects that are preserved in the rims of grains (typically the outermost 100 nm); cosmic ray and solar flare activity, which result in track formation; and impact processes that result in the accumulation of vapor-deposited elements, impact melts and adhering grains on particle surfaces. Determining the rate at which these effects accumulate in the grains during their space exposure is critical to studies of the surface evolution of airless bodies. Solar flare energetic particles (mainly Fe-group nuclei) have a penetration depth of a few millimeters and leave a trail of ionization damage in insulating materials that is readily observable by transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging. The density of solar flare particle tracks is used to infer the length of time an object was at or near the regolith surface (i.e., its exposure age). Track measurements by TEM methods are routine, yet track production rate calibrations have only been determined using chemical etching techniques [e.g., 1, and references therein]. We used focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) sample preparation techniques combined with TEM imaging to determine the track density/exposure age relations for lunar rock 64455. The 64455 sample was used earlier by [2] to determine a track production rate by chemical etching of tracks in anorthite. Here, we show that combined FIB/TEM techniques provide a more accurate determination of a track production rate and also allow us to extend the calibration to solar flare tracks in olivine.

Simulation of FIB-SEM images for analysis of porous microstructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Prill, Torben; Schladitz, Katja

2013-01-01

Focused ion beam nanotomography-scanning electron microscopy tomography yields high-quality three-dimensional images of materials microstructures at the nanometer scale combining serial sectioning using a focused ion beam with SEM. However, FIB-SEM tomography of highly porous media leads to shine-through artifacts preventing automatic segmentation of the solid component. We simulate the SEM process in order to generate synthetic FIB-SEM image data for developing and validating segmentation methods. Monte-Carlo techniques yield accurate results, but are too slow for the simulation of FIB-SEM tomography requiring hundreds of SEM images for one dataset alone. Nevertheless, a quasi-analytic description of the specimen and various acceleration techniques, including a track compression algorithm and an acceleration for the simulation of secondary electrons, cut down the computing time by orders of magnitude, allowing for the first time to simulate FIB-SEM tomography. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Labyrinths, columns and cavities: new internal features of pollen grain walls in the Acanthaceae detected by FIB-SEM.

Science.gov (United States)

House, Alisoun; Balkwill, Kevin

2016-03-01

External pollen grain morphology has been widely used in the taxonomy and systematics of flowering plants, especially the Acanthaceae which are noted for pollen diversity. However internal pollen wall features have received far less attention due to the difficulty of examining the wall structure. Advancing technology in the field of microscopy has made it possible, with the use of a focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), to view the structure of pollen grain walls in far greater detail and in three dimensions. In this study the wall structures of 13 species from the Acanthaceae were investigated for features of potential systematic relevance. FIB-SEM was applied to obtain precise cross sections of pollen grains at selected positions for examining the wall ultrastructure. Exploratory studies of the exine have thus far identified five basic structural types. The investigations also show that similar external pollen wall features may have a distinctly different internal structure. FIB-SEM studies have revealed diverse internal pollen wall features which may now be investigated for their systematic and functional significance.

Transmission electron microscope CCD camera

Science.gov (United States)

Downing, Kenneth H.

1999-01-01

In order to improve the performance of a CCD camera on a high voltage electron microscope, an electron decelerator is inserted between the microscope column and the CCD. This arrangement optimizes the interaction of the electron beam with the scintillator of the CCD camera while retaining optimization of the microscope optics and of the interaction of the beam with the specimen. Changing the electron beam energy between the specimen and camera allows both to be optimized.

A fluorescence scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanemaru, Takaaki; Hirata, Kazuho; Takasu, Shin-ichi; Isobe, Shin-ichiro; Mizuki, Keiji; Mataka, Shuntaro; Nakamura, Kei-ichiro

2009-01-01

Fluorescence techniques are widely used in biological research to examine molecular localization, while electron microscopy can provide unique ultrastructural information. To date, correlative images from both fluorescence and electron microscopy have been obtained separately using two different instruments, i.e. a fluorescence microscope (FM) and an electron microscope (EM). In the current study, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) (JEOL JXA8600 M) was combined with a fluorescence digital camera microscope unit and this hybrid instrument was named a fluorescence SEM (FL-SEM). In the labeling of FL-SEM samples, both Fluolid, which is an organic EL dye, and Alexa Fluor, were employed. We successfully demonstrated that the FL-SEM is a simple and practical tool for correlative fluorescence and electron microscopy.

Reconstructing the microstructure of polyimide-silicalite mixed-matrix membranes and their particle connectivity using FIB-SEM tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Diblíková, P; Veselý, M; Sysel, P; Čapek, P

2018-03-01

Properties of a composite material made of a continuous matrix and particles often depend on microscopic details, such as contacts between particles. Focusing on processing raw focused-ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) tomography data, we reconstructed three mixed-matrix membrane samples made of 6FDA-ODA polyimide and silicalite-1 particles. In the first step of image processing, backscattered electron (BSE) and secondary electron (SE) signals were mixed in a ratio that was expected to obtain a segmented 3D image with a realistic volume fraction of silicalite-1. Second, after spatial alignment of the stacked FIB-SEM data, the 3D image was smoothed using adaptive median and anisotropic nonlinear diffusion filters. Third, the image was segmented using the power watershed method coupled with a seeding algorithm based on geodesic reconstruction from the markers. If the resulting volume fraction did not match the target value quantified by chemical analysis of the sample, the BSE and SE signals were mixed in another ratio and the procedure was repeated until the target volume fraction was achieved. Otherwise, the segmented 3D image (replica) was accepted and its microstructure was thoroughly characterized with special attention paid to connectivity of the silicalite phase. In terms of the phase connectivity, Monte Carlo simulations based on the pure-phase permeability values enabled us to calculate the effective permeability tensor, the main diagonal elements of which were compared with the experimental permeability. In line with the hypothesis proposed in our recent paper (Čapek, P. et al. (2014) Comput. Mater. Sci. 89, 142-156), the results confirmed that the existence of particle clusters was a key microstructural feature determining effective permeability. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

3D reconstruction and characterization of carbides in Ni-based high carbon alloy in a FIB-SEM system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bala, Piotr [AGH Univ. of Science and Technology, Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, Krakow (Poland); AGH Univ. of Science and Technology, Academic Centre of Materials and Nanotechnology, Krakow (Poland); Tsyrulin, Katja; Jaksch, Heiner [Carl-Zeiss, Oberkochen (Germany); Stepien, Milena [AGH Univ. of Science and Technology, Academic Centre of Materials and Nanotechnology, Krakow (Poland)

2015-07-15

Dual beam focused ion beam scanning electron microscopes (FIB-SEMs) are well suited for characterizing micron and submicron size microstructural features in three dimensions throughout a serial-sectioning experiment. In this article, a FIB-SEM instrument was used to collect morphological, crystallographic, and chemical information for an Ni-Ta-Al-Cr alloy of high carbon content. The alloy has been designed to have excellent tribological properties at elevated temperatures. The morphology, spatial distribution, scale, and degree of interconnection of primary carbides in the Ni-Ta-Al-Cr-C alloy was assessed via serial sectioning in a casting cross-section. The 3D reconstructions showed that the primary carbides and dendrites were forming a dendrite surrounded by primary carbide network over the entire cross-section. Additionally, the morphology and spatial distribution of secondary carbides after heat treatment was determined.

Characterization of electron microscopes with binary pseudo-random multilayer test samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yashchuk, Valeriy V.; Conley, Raymond; Anderson, Erik H.; Barber, Samuel K.; Bouet, Nathalie; McKinney, Wayne R.; Takacs, Peter Z.; Voronov, Dmitriy L.

2010-01-01

We discuss the results of SEM and TEM measurements with the BPRML test samples fabricated from a BPRML (WSi2/Si with fundamental layer thickness of 3 nm) with a Dual Beam FIB (focused ion beam)/SEM technique. In particular, we demonstrate that significant information about the metrological reliability of the TEM measurements can be extracted even when the fundamental frequency of the BPRML sample is smaller than the Nyquist frequency of the measurements. The measurements demonstrate a number of problems related to the interpretation of the SEM and TEM data. Note that similar BPRML test samples can be used to characterize x-ray microscopes. Corresponding work with x-ray microscopes is in progress.

Human cardiac telocytes: 3D imaging by FIB-SEM tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Cretoiu, D; Hummel, E; Zimmermann, H; Gherghiceanu, M; Popescu, L M

2014-11-01

Telocyte (TC) is a newly identified type of cell in the cardiac interstitium (www.telocytes.com). TCs are described by classical transmission electron microscopy as cells with very thin and long telopodes (Tps; cellular prolongations) having podoms (dilations) and podomers (very thin segments). TCs' three-dimensional (3D) morphology is still unknown. Cardiac TCs seem to be particularly involved in long and short distance intercellular signalling and, therefore, their 3D architecture is important for understanding their spatial connections. Using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) we show, for the first time, the whole ultrastructural anatomy of cardiac TCs. 3D reconstruction of cardiac TCs by FIB-SEM tomography confirms that they have long, narrow but flattened (ribbon-like) telopodes, with humps generated by the podoms. FIB-SEM tomography also confirms the network made by TCs in the cardiac interstitium through adherens junctions. This study provides the first FIB-SEM tomography of a human cell type. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Design of a transmission electron positron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyama, Masao; Inoue, M.; Kogure, Y.; Hayashi, Y.; Yoshii, T.; Kurihara, T.; Tsuno, K.

2003-01-01

This paper reports the plans and design of positron-electron microscopes being built at KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization), Tsukuba, Japan. A used electron microscope is altered. The kinetic energies of positrons produced by accelerators or by nuclear decays are not a unique value but show a spread over in a wide range. Positron beam is guided to a transmission electron microscope (JEM100SX). Positrons are moderated by a tungsten foil, are accelerated and are focused on a nickel sheet. The monochromatic focused beam is injected into an electron microscope. The focusing and aberration of positrons are the same as electrons in a magnetic system which are used in commercial electron microscopes. Imaging plates are used to record positron images for the transmission electron microscope. (author)

Analysis of degradation in nickel-based alloys using focused ion beam imaging and specimen preparation combined with analytical electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phaneuf, M.W.; Botton, G.A.

2002-01-01

Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopes have become well-established in the semiconductor industry during the past decade, and are rapidly gaining attention in the field of materials science, both as a tool for producing site specific, parallel sided transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens and as stand alone specimen preparation and imaging systems. FIB secondary electron imaging (SEI) of nickel-based alloys, such as commercially produced Alloy 600 (approximately Ni 15Cr 10Fe 0.5C), has been demonstrated to show a high degree of sensitivity to the presence of deformation in the alloy, and FIB secondary ion imaging (SII) is particularly useful for identifying the presence of grain boundary corrosion, as secondary ion yields from metallic specimens can increase by three orders of magnitude in the presence of oxygen. This 'oxygen enhanced yield', makes FIB SII ideal for detection of corrosion at grain boundaries down to thicknesses of only a few tens of nanometers. Historically, while TEM has been considered the tool of choice for high resolution chemical and crystallographic analysis of specimens, the technique has suffered from difficulties in producing suitable samples from site-specific areas with a high probability of success. The advent of FIB specimen preparation for TEM has largely changed that. FIB imaging can be combined with FIB 'nano-machining' techniques to produce site-specific, parallel sided TEM specimens well-suited to analytical electron microscopy (AEM) analyses in the TEM, including electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron diffraction. When combined with new FIB-based methodologies for surveying large areas to exactly select the regions of interest, such as crack tips or the maximum extent of penetration of intergranular attack (IGA), subsequent FIB TEM specimen preparation and TEM analysis unite to produce a powerful tool to study these phenomena. Examples of these applications of FIB

A novel approach to TEM preparation with a (7-axis stage) triple-beam FIB-SEM system

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Jamil J.

2015-10-01

Preparation of lamellae from bulk to grid for Cs-corrected Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) observation has mostly become routine work on the latest FIB-SEM systems, with standardized techniques that often are left to automation for the initial steps. The finalization of lamellae however, has mostly become, non-routine, non-repeatable and often driven by user experience level in most cases to produce high quality damage-less cross section. Materials processing of the latest technologies, with ever-shrinking Nano-sized structures pose challenges to modern FIB-SEM systems. This can often lead to specialized techniques and hyper-specific functions for producing ultra-thin high quality lamellae that often are lab specific, preventing practical use of such techniques across multiple materials and applications. Several factors that should be incorporated in processing fine structured materials successfully include how the use of electron and ion scan conditions can affect a thin section during ion milling, the type of ion species applied for material processing during the finalization of lamellae with gallium ions or of a smaller ion species type such as Ar/Xe, sample orientation of the lamella during the thinning process which is linked to ion beam incident angle as a direct relationship in the creation of waterfall effects or curtain effects, and how software can be employed to aid in the reduction of these artifacts with reproducible results regardless of FIB-SEM experience for site-specific lift outs. A traditional TEM preparation was performed of a fine structure specimen in pursuit of a process technique to produce a high quality TEM lamella which would address all of the factors mentioned. These new capabilities have been refined and improved upon during the FIB-SEM design and development stages with an end result of a new approach that yields an improvement in quality by the reduction of common ion milling artifacts such as curtain effects, amorphous

Spectroscopy of electron irradiated polymers in electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faraj, S.H.; Salih, S.M.

1981-01-01

The damage induced by energetic electrons in the course of irradiation of polymers in a transmission electron microscope was investigated spectroscopically. Damage on the molecular level has been detected at very low exposure doses. These effects have been induced by electron doses less than that received by the specimen when it is situated at its usual place of the specimen stage in the electron microscope by a factor of 1,000. (author)

Designs for a quantum electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruit, P; Hobbs, R G; Kim, C-S; Yang, Y; Manfrinato, V R; Hammer, J; Thomas, S; Weber, P; Klopfer, B; Kohstall, C; Juffmann, T; Kasevich, M A; Hommelhoff, P; Berggren, K K

2016-05-01

One of the astounding consequences of quantum mechanics is that it allows the detection of a target using an incident probe, with only a low probability of interaction of the probe and the target. This 'quantum weirdness' could be applied in the field of electron microscopy to generate images of beam-sensitive specimens with substantially reduced damage to the specimen. A reduction of beam-induced damage to specimens is especially of great importance if it can enable imaging of biological specimens with atomic resolution. Following a recent suggestion that interaction-free measurements are possible with electrons, we now analyze the difficulties of actually building an atomic resolution interaction-free electron microscope, or "quantum electron microscope". A quantum electron microscope would require a number of unique components not found in conventional transmission electron microscopes. These components include a coherent electron beam-splitter or two-state-coupler, and a resonator structure to allow each electron to interrogate the specimen multiple times, thus supporting high success probabilities for interaction-free detection of the specimen. Different system designs are presented here, which are based on four different choices of two-state-couplers: a thin crystal, a grating mirror, a standing light wave and an electro-dynamical pseudopotential. Challenges for the detailed electron optical design are identified as future directions for development. While it is concluded that it should be possible to build an atomic resolution quantum electron microscope, we have also identified a number of hurdles to the development of such a microscope and further theoretical investigations that will be required to enable a complete interpretation of the images produced by such a microscope. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nano-tomography of porous geological materials using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, Yang; King, Helen E.; van Huis, Marijn A.; Drury, Martyn R.; Plümper, Oliver

2016-01-01

Tomographic analysis using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) provides three-dimensional information about solid materials with a resolution of a few nanometres and thus bridges the gap between X-ray and transmission electron microscopic tomography techniques. This contribution

Center for Electron Nanoscopy, CEN-DTU

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horsewell, Andy

- The projects - The physics Field Emission Gun very intense, highly coherent, stable electron source TEM 80 – 300 keV SEM ~1 – 30 keV Monochromator S/TEM TEM) Cs correction E-cell in-situ TEM, T0, reactive gasses, mass spectrometer, XRD - The microscopes E-TEM, A-TEM......, TEM, FEGSEM, FIB/FEGSEM, LVSEM, ESEM E-TEM Environmental cell, gas-surface interactions, in-situ heating, tomography A-TEM Analytical high resolution microscopy, S/TEM, HREM, EFTEM, EDS, HAADF FIB/FEGSEM Microscopy, EDS, EBSD in 3-dimensions 3D image reconstruction for microstructure, composition...

Analytical Electron Microscope

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Titan 80-300 is a transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with spectroscopic detectors to allow chemical, elemental, and other analytical measurements to...

Electron Microscopy of Nanostructures in Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Købler, Carsten

with cells is therefore increasingly more relevant from both an engineering and a toxicological viewpoint. My work involves developing and exploring electron microscopy (EM) for imaging nanostructures in cells, for the purpose of understanding nanostructure-cell interactions in terms of their possibilities...... in science and concerns in toxicology. In the present work, EM methods for imaging nanostructure-cell interactions have been explored, and the complex interactions documented and ordered. In particular the usability of the focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) was explored. Using EM...... in literature. Furthermore, EM proved valuable as it revealed an unnoticed CNT effect. FIB-SEM helped establish that the effect was linked to eosionophilic crystalline pneumonia (ECP)....

Comparative study of image contrast in scanning electron microscope and helium ion microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, R; Chen, Y; Zhang, H; Zhou, Y; Fox, D; Maguire, P; Wang, J J; Rodenburg, C

2017-12-01

Images of Ga + -implanted amorphous silicon layers in a 110 n-type silicon substrate have been collected by a range of detectors in a scanning electron microscope and a helium ion microscope. The effects of the implantation dose and imaging parameters (beam energy, dwell time, etc.) on the image contrast were investigated. We demonstrate a similar relationship for both the helium ion microscope Everhart-Thornley and scanning electron microscope Inlens detectors between the contrast of the images and the Ga + density and imaging parameters. These results also show that dynamic charging effects have a significant impact on the quantification of the helium ion microscope and scanning electron microscope contrast. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

Designs for a quantum electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruit, P., E-mail: p.kruit@tudelft.nl [Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628CJ Delft (Netherlands); Hobbs, R.G.; Kim, C-S.; Yang, Y.; Manfrinato, V.R. [Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Hammer, J.; Thomas, S.; Weber, P. [Department of Physics, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Staudtstrasse 1, d-91058 Erlangen (Germany); Klopfer, B.; Kohstall, C.; Juffmann, T.; Kasevich, M.A. [Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Hommelhoff, P. [Department of Physics, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Staudtstrasse 1, d-91058 Erlangen (Germany); Berggren, K.K. [Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

2016-05-15

One of the astounding consequences of quantum mechanics is that it allows the detection of a target using an incident probe, with only a low probability of interaction of the probe and the target. This ‘quantum weirdness’ could be applied in the field of electron microscopy to generate images of beam-sensitive specimens with substantially reduced damage to the specimen. A reduction of beam-induced damage to specimens is especially of great importance if it can enable imaging of biological specimens with atomic resolution. Following a recent suggestion that interaction-free measurements are possible with electrons, we now analyze the difficulties of actually building an atomic resolution interaction-free electron microscope, or “quantum electron microscope”. A quantum electron microscope would require a number of unique components not found in conventional transmission electron microscopes. These components include a coherent electron beam-splitter or two-state-coupler, and a resonator structure to allow each electron to interrogate the specimen multiple times, thus supporting high success probabilities for interaction-free detection of the specimen. Different system designs are presented here, which are based on four different choices of two-state-couplers: a thin crystal, a grating mirror, a standing light wave and an electro-dynamical pseudopotential. Challenges for the detailed electron optical design are identified as future directions for development. While it is concluded that it should be possible to build an atomic resolution quantum electron microscope, we have also identified a number of hurdles to the development of such a microscope and further theoretical investigations that will be required to enable a complete interpretation of the images produced by such a microscope. - Highlights: • Quantum electron microscopy has the potential of reducing radiation damage. • QEM requires a fraction of the electron wave to pass through the sample

Designs for a quantum electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruit, P.; Hobbs, R.G.; Kim, C-S.; Yang, Y.; Manfrinato, V.R.; Hammer, J.; Thomas, S.; Weber, P.; Klopfer, B.; Kohstall, C.; Juffmann, T.; Kasevich, M.A.; Hommelhoff, P.; Berggren, K.K.

2016-01-01

One of the astounding consequences of quantum mechanics is that it allows the detection of a target using an incident probe, with only a low probability of interaction of the probe and the target. This ‘quantum weirdness’ could be applied in the field of electron microscopy to generate images of beam-sensitive specimens with substantially reduced damage to the specimen. A reduction of beam-induced damage to specimens is especially of great importance if it can enable imaging of biological specimens with atomic resolution. Following a recent suggestion that interaction-free measurements are possible with electrons, we now analyze the difficulties of actually building an atomic resolution interaction-free electron microscope, or “quantum electron microscope”. A quantum electron microscope would require a number of unique components not found in conventional transmission electron microscopes. These components include a coherent electron beam-splitter or two-state-coupler, and a resonator structure to allow each electron to interrogate the specimen multiple times, thus supporting high success probabilities for interaction-free detection of the specimen. Different system designs are presented here, which are based on four different choices of two-state-couplers: a thin crystal, a grating mirror, a standing light wave and an electro-dynamical pseudopotential. Challenges for the detailed electron optical design are identified as future directions for development. While it is concluded that it should be possible to build an atomic resolution quantum electron microscope, we have also identified a number of hurdles to the development of such a microscope and further theoretical investigations that will be required to enable a complete interpretation of the images produced by such a microscope. - Highlights: • Quantum electron microscopy has the potential of reducing radiation damage. • QEM requires a fraction of the electron wave to pass through the sample

FIB/SEM study of AA2024 corrosion under a seawater drop, part II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, Peter C.; Cole, Ivan S.; Corrigan, Penny A.; Hughes, Anthony E.; Muster, Tim H.; Thomas, Sebastian

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Dealloying has a directional nature, exhibits banding. ► Oxidation state of copper in sponge remnants found to be variable. ► Dissolution and breakdown of copper sponge structure observed. ► Crystalline defects imaged in dealloyed S-phase. - Abstract: The dissolution of S-phase clusters in aluminium alloy 2024 (AA2024) exposed to a 0.5 μl seawater droplet is presented. Foils for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were made from local attack sites using a focussed ion beam/scanning electron microscope (FIB/SEM). The sections showed that clusters of S-phase particles underwent dealloying. The resulting copper sponge morphology, banding, preferred orientation and crystal defect structure as a result of plastic deformation have been characterised. With build-up of amorphous corrosion product, physical and electrical isolation of parts of the clusters developed, with the result of copper dissolution from the S-phase remnants.

Science 101: How Does an Electron Microscope Work?

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Bill

2013-01-01

Contrary to popular opinion, electron microscopes are not used to look at electrons. They are used to look for structure in things that are too small to observe with an optical microscope, or to obtain images that are magnified much more than is obtainable with an optical microscope. To understand how electron microscopes work, it will help to go…

Automated three-dimensional X-ray analysis using a dual-beam FIB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaffer, Miroslava; Wagner, Julian; Schaffer, Bernhard; Schmied, Mario; Mulders, Hans

2007-01-01

We present a fully automated method for three-dimensional (3D) elemental analysis demonstrated using a ceramic sample of chemistry (Ca)MgTiO x . The specimen is serially sectioned by a focused ion beam (FIB) microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDXS) is used for elemental analysis of each cross-section created. A 3D elemental model is reconstructed from the stack of two-dimensional (2D) data. This work concentrates on issues arising from process automation, the large sample volume of approximately 17x17x10 μm 3 , and the insulating nature of the specimen. A new routine for post-acquisition data correction of different drift effects is demonstrated. Furthermore, it is shown that EDXS data may be erroneous for specimens containing voids, and that back-scattered electron images have to be used to correct for these errors

Integration of a high-NA light microscope in a scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Zonnevylle, A C; Van Tol, R F C; Liv, N; Narvaez, A C; Effting, A P J; Kruit, P; Hoogenboom, J P

2013-10-01

We present an integrated light-electron microscope in which an inverted high-NA objective lens is positioned inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM objective lens and the light objective lens have a common axis and focal plane, allowing high-resolution optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy on the same area of a sample simultaneously. Components for light illumination and detection can be mounted outside the vacuum, enabling flexibility in the construction of the light microscope. The light objective lens can be positioned underneath the SEM objective lens during operation for sub-10 μm alignment of the fields of view of the light and electron microscopes. We demonstrate in situ epifluorescence microscopy in the SEM with a numerical aperture of 1.4 using vacuum-compatible immersion oil. For a 40-nm-diameter fluorescent polymer nanoparticle, an intensity profile with a FWHM of 380 nm is measured whereas the SEM performance is uncompromised. The integrated instrument may offer new possibilities for correlative light and electron microscopy in the life sciences as well as in physics and chemistry. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

Three dimensional rock microstructures: insights from FIB-SEM tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, Martyn; Pennock, Gill; de Winter, Matthijs

2016-04-01

Most studies of rock microstructures investigate two-dimensional sections or thin slices of three dimensional grain structures. With advances of X-ray and electron tomography methods the 3-D microstructure can be(relatively) routinely investigated on scales from a few microns to cm. 3D studies are needed to investigate the connectivity of microstructures and to test the assumptions we use to calculate 3D properties from 2D sections. We have used FIB-SEM tomography to study the topology of melts in synthetic olivine rocks, 3D crystal growth microstructures, pore networks and subgrain structures. The technique uses a focused ion beam to make serial sections with a spacing of tens to hundreds of nanometers. Each section is then imaged or mapped using the electron beam. The 3D geometry of grains and subgrains can be investigated using orientation contrast or EBSD mapping. FIB-SEM tomography of rocks and minerals can be limited by charging of the uncoated surfaces exposed by the ion beam. The newest generation of FIB-SEMs have much improved low voltage imaging capability allowing high resolution charge free imaging. Low kV FIB-SEM tomography is now widely used to study the connectivity of pore networks. In-situ fluids can also be studied using cryo-FIB-SEM on frozen samples, although special freezing techniques are needed to avoid artifacts produced by ice crystallization. FIB-SEM tomography is complementary, in terms of spatial resolution and sampled volume, to TEM tomography and X-ray tomography, and the combination of these methods can cover a wide range of scales. Our studies on melt topology in synthetic olivine rocks with a high melt content show that many grain boundaries are wetted by nanometre scale melt layers that are too thin to resolve by X-ray tomography. A variety of melt layer geometries occur consistent with several mechanisms of melt layer formation. The nature of melt geometries along triple line junctions and quadruple points can be resolved

Direct observation of dopant distribution in GaAs compound semiconductors using phase-shifting electron holography and Lorentz microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Hirokazu; Otomo, Shinya; Minato, Ryuichiro; Yamamoto, Kazuo; Hirayama, Tsukasa

2014-06-01

Phase-shifting electron holography and Lorentz microscopy were used to map dopant distributions in GaAs compound semiconductors with step-like dopant concentration. Transmission electron microscope specimens were prepared using a triple beam focused ion beam (FIB) system, which combines a Ga ion beam, a scanning electron microscope, and an Ar ion beam to remove the FIB damaged layers. The p-n junctions were clearly observed in both under-focused and over-focused Lorentz microscopy images. A phase image was obtained by using a phase-shifting reconstruction method to simultaneously achieve high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. Differences in dopant concentrations between 1 × 10(19) cm(-3) and 1 × 10(18) cm(-3) regions were clearly observed by using phase-shifting electron holography. We also interpreted phase profiles quantitatively by considering inactive layers induced by ion implantation during the FIB process. The thickness of an inactive layer at different dopant concentration area can be measured from the phase image. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Electron microscope phase enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Jian; Glaeser, Robert M.

2010-06-15

A microfabricated electron phase shift element is used for modifying the phase characteristics of an electron beam passing though its center aperture, while not affecting the more divergent portion of an incident beam to selectively provide a ninety-degree phase shift to the unscattered beam in the back focal plan of the objective lens, in order to realize Zernike-type, in-focus phase contrast in an electron microscope. One application of the element is to increase the contrast of an electron microscope for viewing weakly scattering samples while in focus. Typical weakly scattering samples include biological samples such as macromolecules, or perhaps cells. Preliminary experimental images demonstrate that these devices do apply a ninety degree phase shift as expected. Electrostatic calculations have been used to determine that fringing fields in the region of the scattered electron beams will cause a negligible phase shift as long as the ratio of electrode length to the transverse feature-size aperture is about 5:1. Calculations are underway to determine the feasibility of aspect smaller aspect ratios of about 3:1 and about 2:1.

Scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

The principle underlying the design of the scanning electron microscope (SEM), the design and functioning of SEM are described. Its applications in the areas of microcircuitry and materials science are outlined. The development of SEM in India is reviewed. (M.G.B.)

Recent improvement of a FIB-SEM serial-sectioning method for precise 3D image reconstruction - application of the orthogonally-arranged FIB-SEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Toru

2014-11-01

IntroductionWe installed the first "orthogonally-arranged" FIB-SEM in 2011. The most characteristic point of this instrument is that the FIB and SEM columns are perpendicularly mounted; this is specially designed to obtain a serial-sectioning dataset more accurately and precisely with higher contrast and higher spatial resolution compare to other current FIB-SEMs [1]. Since the installation in 2011, we have developed the hardware and methodology of the serial-sectioning based on this orthogonal FIB-SEM. In order to develop this technique, we have widely opened this instrument to every researcher of all fields. In the presentation, I would like to introduce some of application results that are obtained by users of this instrument. The characteristic points of the orthogonal systemFigure 1 shows a difference between the standard and the orthogonal FIB-SEM systems: In the standard system, shown in Fig.1(a), optical axes of a FIB and a SEM crosses around 60deg., while in the orthogonal system (Fig.1(b)), they are perpendicular to each other. The standard arrangement (a) is certainly suitable for TEM lamellae preparation etc. because the FIB and the SEM can see the same position simultaneously. However, for a serial-sectioning, it is not to say the best arrangement. One of the reasons is that the sliced plane by the FIB is not perpendicular to the electron beam so that the background contrast is not uniform and observed plane is distorted. On the other hand, in case of the orthogonally-arranged system,(b), these problems are resolved. In addition, spatial resolution can keep high enough even in a low accelerating voltage (e.g. 500V) because a working distance is set very small, 2mm. From these special design, we can obtain the serial-sectioning dataset from rather wide area (∼100um) with high spatial resolution (Max. 2×2×2nm). As this system has many kinds of detectors: SE, ET, Backscatter Electron(Energy-selective), EDS, EBSD, STEM(BF&ADF), with Ar+ ion-gun and a

Electron microscope studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crewe, A.V.; Kapp, O.H.

1992-01-01

This is a report covering the research performed in the Crewe laboratory between 1964 and 1992. Because of limitations of space we have provided relatively brief summaries of the major research directions of the facility during these years. A complete bibliography has been included and we have referenced groups of pertinent publications at the beginning of each section. This report summarizes our efforts to develop better electron microscopes and chronicles many of the experimental programs, in materials science and biology, that acted both as a stimulus to better microscope design and also as a testing ground for many instrumental innovations

Electron microscope studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crewe, A.V.; Kapp, O.H.

1992-07-01

This is a report covering the research performed in the Crewe laboratory between 1964 and 1992. Because of limitations of space we have provided relatively brief summaries of the major research directions of the facility during these years. A complete bibliography has been included and we have referenced groups of pertinent publications at the beginning of each section. This report summarizes our efforts to develop better electron microscopes and chronicles many of the experimental programs, in materials science and biology, that acted both as a stimulus to better microscope design and also as a testing ground for many instrumental innovations.

Vibrational spectroscopy in the electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Krivanek, Ondrej L; Lovejoy, Tracy C; Dellby, Niklas; Aoki, Toshihiro; Carpenter, R W; Rez, Peter; Soignard, Emmanuel; Zhu, Jiangtao; Batson, Philip E; Lagos, Maureen J; Egerton, Ray F; Crozier, Peter A

2014-10-09

Vibrational spectroscopies using infrared radiation, Raman scattering, neutrons, low-energy electrons and inelastic electron tunnelling are powerful techniques that can analyse bonding arrangements, identify chemical compounds and probe many other important properties of materials. The spatial resolution of these spectroscopies is typically one micrometre or more, although it can reach a few tens of nanometres or even a few ångströms when enhanced by the presence of a sharp metallic tip. If vibrational spectroscopy could be combined with the spatial resolution and flexibility of the transmission electron microscope, it would open up the study of vibrational modes in many different types of nanostructures. Unfortunately, the energy resolution of electron energy loss spectroscopy performed in the electron microscope has until now been too poor to allow such a combination. Recent developments that have improved the attainable energy resolution of electron energy loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope to around ten millielectronvolts now allow vibrational spectroscopy to be carried out in the electron microscope. Here we describe the innovations responsible for the progress, and present examples of applications in inorganic and organic materials, including the detection of hydrogen. We also demonstrate that the vibrational signal has both high- and low-spatial-resolution components, that the first component can be used to map vibrational features at nanometre-level resolution, and that the second component can be used for analysis carried out with the beam positioned just outside the sample--that is, for 'aloof' spectroscopy that largely avoids radiation damage.

Studying the interface between cyanobacteria and biotite mineral surfaces using FIB and TEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, M B; Brown, A P

2014-01-01

Recent analysis of the bioweathering of minerals has highlighted the challenges for investigating the interface between fungi or bacteria and the surface of the mineral that they live on. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with its ability to gather imaging information and collect elemental data at high spatial resolution is the ideal technique to analyse such interfaces. Further to this, a dual beam scanning electron and focused ion beam (FIB) microscope is an ideal instrument to prepare specimens for TEM because of its ability to simultaneously cut through hard and soft materials from specific sites of interest. There are however precautions that must be taken when analysing such mineral systems. The electron beam sensitive nature of most sheet silicate minerals means that consideration has to be made as to whether the structure and/or chemistry of the material is being altered during (S)TEM analysis. Here, results from a study of cyanobacteria grown on the surface of biotite are discussed. Particular reference is given to the methods used to determine an electron beam intensity threshold, below which STEM-EDX analysis could be performed without detrimental alteration to the mineral

Electron irradiation-induced destruction of carbon nanotubes in electron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molhave, Kristian; Gudnason, Sven Bjarke; Pedersen, Anders Tegtmeier; Clausen, Casper Hyttel; Horsewell, Andy; Boggild, Peter

2007-01-01

Observations of carbon nanotubes under exposure to electron beam irradiation in standard transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) systems show that such treatment in some cases can cause severe damage of the nanotube structure, even at electron energies far below the approximate 100 keV threshold for knock-on damage displacing carbon atoms in the graphene structure. We find that the damage we observe in one TEM can be avoided by use of a cold finger. This and the morphology of the damage imply that water vapour, which is present as a background gas in many vacuum chambers, can damage the nanotube structure through electron beam-induced chemical reactions. Though, the dependence on the background gas makes these observations specific for the presently used systems, the results demonstrate the importance of careful assessment of the level of subtle structural damage that the individual electron microscope system can do to nanostructures during standard use

Microscopic observations of osteoblast growth on micro-arc oxidized β titanium

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsien-Te; Chung, Chi-Jen; Yang, Tsai-Ching; Tang, Chin-Hsin; He, Ju-Liang

2013-02-01

Titanium alloys are widely used in orthopedic and dental implants, owing to their excellent physical properties and biocompatibility. By using the micro-arc oxidation (MAO), we generated anatase-rich (A-TiO2) and rutile-rich (R-TiO2) titanium dioxide coatings, individually on β-Ti alloy, in which the latter achieved an enhanced in vitro and in vivo performance. Thoroughly elucidating how the osteoblasts interact with TiO2 coatings is of worthwhile interest. This study adopts the focused ion beam (FIB) to section off the TiO2 coated samples for further scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation. The detailed crystal structures of the TiO2 coated specimens are also characterized. Experimental results indicate osteoblasts adhered more tenaciously and grew conformably with more lamellipodia extent on the R-TiO2 specimen than on the A-TiO2 and raw β-Ti specimens. FIB/SEM cross-sectional images of the cell/TiO2 interface revealed micro gaps between the cell membrane and contact surface of A-TiO2 specimen, while it was not found on the R-TiO2 specimen. Additionally, the number of adhered and proliferated cells on the R-TiO2 specimen was visually greater than the others. Closely examining EDS line scans and elemental mappings of the FIB/TEM cross-sectional images of the cell/TiO2 interface reveals both the cell body and interior space of the TiO2 coating contain nitrogen and sulfur (the biological elements in cell). This finding supports the assumption that osteoblast can grow into the porous structure of TiO2 coatings and demonstrating that the R-TiO2 coating formed by MAO serves the best for β-Ti alloys as orthopedic and dental implants.

Scanning Auger Electron Microscope

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — A JEOL model 7830F field emission source, scanning Auger microscope.Specifications / Capabilities:Ultra-high vacuum (UHV), electron gun range from 0.1 kV to 25 kV,...

Electron optical characteristics of a concave electrostatic electron mirror for a scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamarat, R.T.; Witzani, J.; Hoerl, E.M.

1984-08-01

Numerical computer calculations are used to explore the design characteristics of a concave electrostatic electron mirror for a mirror attachment for a conventional scanning electron microscope or an instrument designed totally as a scanning electron mirror microscope. The electron paths of a number of set-ups are calculated and drawn graphically in order to find the optimum shape and dimensions of the mirror geometry. This optimum configuration turns out to be the transition configuration between two cases of electron path deflection, towards the optical axis of the system and away from it. (Author)

An electron microscope for the aberration-corrected era

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krivanek, O.L. [Nion Co., 1102 8th Street, Kirkland, WA 98033 (United States)], E-mail: krivanek.ondrej@gmail.com; Corbin, G.J.; Dellby, N.; Elston, B.F.; Keyse, R.J.; Murfitt, M.F.; Own, C.S.; Szilagyi, Z.S.; Woodruff, J.W. [Nion Co., 1102 8th Street, Kirkland, WA 98033 (United States)

2008-02-15

Improved resolution made possible by aberration correction has greatly increased the demands on the performance of all parts of high-end electron microscopes. In order to meet these demands, we have designed and built an entirely new scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The microscope includes a flexible illumination system that allows the properties of its probe to be changed on-the-fly, a third-generation aberration corrector which corrects all geometric aberrations up to fifth order, an ultra-responsive yet stable five-axis sample stage, and a flexible configuration of optimized detectors. The microscope features many innovations, such as a modular column assembled from building blocks that can be stacked in almost any order, in situ storage and cleaning facilities for up to five samples, computer-controlled loading of samples into the column, and self-diagnosing electronics. The microscope construction is described, and examples of its capabilities are shown.

An electron microscope for the aberration-corrected era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krivanek, O.L.; Corbin, G.J.; Dellby, N.; Elston, B.F.; Keyse, R.J.; Murfitt, M.F.; Own, C.S.; Szilagyi, Z.S.; Woodruff, J.W.

2008-01-01

Improved resolution made possible by aberration correction has greatly increased the demands on the performance of all parts of high-end electron microscopes. In order to meet these demands, we have designed and built an entirely new scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The microscope includes a flexible illumination system that allows the properties of its probe to be changed on-the-fly, a third-generation aberration corrector which corrects all geometric aberrations up to fifth order, an ultra-responsive yet stable five-axis sample stage, and a flexible configuration of optimized detectors. The microscope features many innovations, such as a modular column assembled from building blocks that can be stacked in almost any order, in situ storage and cleaning facilities for up to five samples, computer-controlled loading of samples into the column, and self-diagnosing electronics. The microscope construction is described, and examples of its capabilities are shown

Electron microscopic observation at low temperature on superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokota, Yasuhiro; Hashimoto, Hatsujiro; Yoshida, Hiroyuki.

1991-01-01

The authors have observed superconducting materials with a high resolution electron microscope at liquid helium temperature. First, observation was carried out on Nb system intermetallic compounds such as Nb 3 Al and Nb 3 Sn of Al 5 type and Nb 3 Ge of 11 type at extremely low temperature. Next, the observation of high temperature superconductive ceramics in the state of superconductivity was attempted. In this paper, first the development of the liquid helium sample holder for a 400 kV electron microscope to realize the observation is reported. Besides, the sample holder of Gatan Co. and an extremely low temperature, high resolution electron microscope with a superconducting lens are described. The purpose of carrying out the electron microscope observation of superconductors at low temperature is the direct observation of the crystalline lattice image in the state of superconductivity. Also the structural transformation from tetragonal crystals to rhombic crystals in Al 5 type superconductors can be observed. The results of observation are reported. (K.I.)

On the resolution of the electron microscopic radioautography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, Kazuko; Daimon, Tateo; Kawai, Kazuhiro

1981-01-01

The aim of electron microscopic radioautography is to reveal the exact localization of certain substances at the macromolecular level. In order to attain this object the establishment of a fine grain development method is indispensable. Some of latent images are formed at the contact surface between the polyhedral halide silver grain and the section surface, where the impact of #betta# particles come directly from the section involved, and since it is in contact with the section it remains in place even after development and gelatin removal. This latent image finally becomes a developed silver grain in the electron microscope radioautogram. Although the limit of resolution in electron microscopic radioautography is supposed to be the diameter of halide silver grains in emulsion, it may be improved by considering the fact that the contact area between the halide silver grain and the section surface is the minimum unit of resolution. The minimum resolution of electron microscopic radioautography was determined histologically to be about 100A. (author)

Atmospheric scanning electron microscope for correlative microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Ian E G; Dennison, Clare L; Nishiyama, Hidetoshi; Suga, Mitsuo; Sato, Chikara; Yarwood, Andrew; O'Toole, Peter J

2012-01-01

The JEOL ClairScope is the first truly correlative scanning electron and optical microscope. An inverted scanning electron microscope (SEM) column allows electron images of wet samples to be obtained in ambient conditions in a biological culture dish, via a silicon nitride film window in the base. A standard inverted optical microscope positioned above the dish holder can be used to take reflected light and epifluorescence images of the same sample, under atmospheric conditions that permit biochemical modifications. For SEM, the open dish allows successive staining operations to be performed without moving the holder. The standard optical color camera used for fluorescence imaging can be exchanged for a high-sensitivity monochrome camera to detect low-intensity fluorescence signals, and also cathodoluminescence emission from nanophosphor particles. If these particles are applied to the sample at a suitable density, they can greatly assist the task of perfecting the correlation between the optical and electron images. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced FIB-SEM systems for large-volume 3D imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, C Shan; Hayworth, Kenneth J; Lu, Zhiyuan; Grob, Patricia; Hassan, Ahmed M; García-Cerdán, José G; Niyogi, Krishna K; Nogales, Eva; Weinberg, Richard J; Hess, Harald F

2017-01-01

Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) can automatically generate 3D images with superior z-axis resolution, yielding data that needs minimal image registration and related post-processing. Obstacles blocking wider adoption of FIB-SEM include slow imaging speed and lack of long-term system stability, which caps the maximum possible acquisition volume. Here, we present techniques that accelerate image acquisition while greatly improving FIB-SEM reliability, allowing the system to operate for months and generating continuously imaged volumes > 106 µm3. These volumes are large enough for connectomics, where the excellent z resolution can help in tracing of small neuronal processes and accelerate the tedious and time-consuming human proofreading effort. Even higher resolution can be achieved on smaller volumes. We present example data sets from mammalian neural tissue, Drosophila brain, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to illustrate the power of this novel high-resolution technique to address questions in both connectomics and cell biology. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25916.001 PMID:28500755

Forensic Scanning Electron Microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Keeley, R. H.

1983-03-01

The scanning electron microscope equipped with an x-ray spectrometer is a versatile instrument which has many uses in the investigation of crime and preparation of scientific evidence for the courts. Major applications include microscopy and analysis of very small fragments of paint, glass and other materials which may link an individual with a scene of crime, identification of firearms residues and examination of questioned documents. Although simultaneous observation and chemical analysis of the sample is the most important feature of the instrument, other modes of operation such as cathodoluminescence spectrometry, backscattered electron imaging and direct x-ray excitation are also exploited. Marks on two bullets or cartridge cases can be compared directly by sequential scanning with a single beam or electronic linkage of two instruments. Particles of primer residue deposited on the skin and clothing when a gun is fired can be collected on adhesive tape and identified by their morphology and elemental composition. It is also possible to differentiate between the primer residues of different types of ammunition. Bullets may be identified from the small fragments left behind as they pass through the body tissues. In the examination of questioned documents the scanning electron microscope is used to establish the order in which two intersecting ink lines were written and to detect traces of chemical markers added to the security inks on official documents.

Nano-Tomography of Porous Geological Materials Using Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Liu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Tomographic analysis using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM provides three-dimensional information about solid materials with a resolution of a few nanometres and thus bridges the gap between X-ray and transmission electron microscopic tomography techniques. This contribution serves as an introduction and overview of FIB-SEM tomography applied to porous materials. Using two different porous Earth materials, a diatomite specimen, and an experimentally produced amorphous silica layer on olivine, we discuss the experimental setup of FIB-SEM tomography. We then focus on image processing procedures, including image alignment, correction, and segmentation to finally result in a three-dimensional, quantified pore network representation of the two example materials. To each image processing step we consider potential issues, such as imaging the back of pore walls, and the generation of image artefacts through the application of processing algorithms. We conclude that there is no single image processing recipe; processing steps need to be decided on a case-by-case study.

Electron Microscope Center Opens at Berkeley.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Arthur L.

1981-01-01

A 1.5-MeV High Voltage Electron Microscope has been installed at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory which will help materials scientists and biologists study samples in more true-to-life situations. A 1-MeV Atomic Resolution Microscope will be installed at the same location in two years which will allow scientists to distinguish atoms. (DS)

A landmark-based method for the geometrical 3D calibration of scanning microscopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ritter, M.

2007-04-27

This thesis presents a new strategy and a spatial method for the geometric calibration of 3D measurement devices at the micro-range, based on spatial reference structures with nanometersized landmarks (nanomarkers). The new method was successfully applied for the 3D calibration of scanning probe microscopes (SPM) and confocal laser scanning microscopes (CLSM). Moreover, the spatial method was also used for the photogrammetric self-calibration of scanning electron microscopes (SEM). In order to implement the calibration strategy to all scanning microscopes used, the landmark-based principle of reference points often applied at land survey or at close-range applications has been transferred to the nano- and micro-range in the form of nanomarker. In order to function as a support to the nanomarkers, slope-shaped step pyramids have been developed and fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) induced metal deposition. These FIB produced 3D microstructures have been sized to embrace most of the measurement volume of the scanning microscopes. Additionally, their special design allows the homogenous distribution of the nanomarkers. The nanomarkers were applied onto the support and the plateaus of the slope-step pyramids by FIB etching (milling) as landmarks with as little as several hundreds of nanometers in diameter. The nanomarkers are either of point-, or ring-shaped design. They are optimized so that they can be spatially measured by SPM and CLSM, and, imaged and photogrammetrically analyzed on the basis of SEM data. The centre of the each nanomarker serves as reference point in the measurement data or images. By applying image processing routines, the image (2D) or object (3D) coordinates of each nanomarker has been determined with subpixel accuracy. The correlative analysis of the SPM, CLSM and photogrammetric SEM measurement data after 3D calibration resulted in mean residues in the measured coordinates of as little as 13 nm. Without the coupling factors the mean

Development of Scanning Ultrafast Electron Microscope Capability.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, Kimberlee Chiyoko [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Talin, Albert Alec [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Chandler, David W. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Michael, Joseph R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-11-01

Modern semiconductor devices rely on the transport of minority charge carriers. Direct examination of minority carrier lifetimes in real devices with nanometer-scale features requires a measurement method with simultaneously high spatial and temporal resolutions. Achieving nanometer spatial resolutions at sub-nanosecond temporal resolution is possible with pump-probe methods that utilize electrons as probes. Recently, a stroboscopic scanning electron microscope was developed at Caltech, and used to study carrier transport across a Si p-n junction [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] . In this report, we detail our development of a prototype scanning ultrafast electron microscope system at Sandia National Laboratories based on the original Caltech design. This effort represents Sandia's first exploration into ultrafast electron microscopy.

Mapping the Complex Morphology of Cell Interactions with Nanowire Substrates Using FIB-SEM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wierzbicki, Rafal; Købler, Carsten; Jensen, Mikkel Ravn Boye

2013-01-01

Using high resolution focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) we study the details of cell-nanostructure interactions using serial block face imaging. 3T3 Fibroblast cellular monolayers are cultured on flat glass as a control surface and on two types of nanostructured scaffold...... substrates made from silicon black (Nanograss) with low- and high nanowire density. After culturing for 72 hours the cells were fixed, heavy metal stained, embedded in resin, and processed with FIB-SEM block face imaging without removing the substrate. The sample preparation procedure, image acquisition...

Examples of electrostatic electron optics: The Farrand and Elektros microscopes and electron mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawkes, P.W.

2012-01-01

The role of Gertrude Rempfer in the design of the Farrand and Elektros microscopes is evoked. The study of electron mirror optics, aberration correction using mirrors and the development of microscopes employing electron mirrors are recapitulated, accompanied by a full bibliography, of earlier publications in particular.

Three-Dimensional FIB/EBSD Characterization of Irradiated HfAl3-Al Composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hua, Zilong; Guillen, Donna Post; Harris, William; Ban, Heng

2016-09-01

A thermal neutron absorbing material, comprised of 28.4 vol% HfAl3 in an Al matrix, was developed to serve as a conductively cooled thermal neutron filter to enable fast flux materials and fuels testing in a pressurized water reactor. In order to observe the microstructural change of the HfAl3-Al composite due to neutron irradiation, an EBSD-FIB characterization approach is developed and presented in this paper. Using the focused ion beam (FIB), the sample was fabricated to 25µm × 25µm × 20 µm and mounted on the grid. A series of operations were carried out repetitively on the sample top surface to prepare it for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). First, a ~100-nm layer was removed by high voltage FIB milling. Then, several cleaning passes were performed on the newly exposed surface using low voltage FIB milling to improve the SEM image quality. Last, the surface was scanned by Electron Backscattering Diffraction (EBSD) to obtain the two-dimensional image. After 50 to 100 two-dimensional images were collected, the images were stacked to reconstruct a three-dimensional model using DREAM.3D software. Two such reconstructed three-dimensional models were obtained from samples of the original and post-irradiation HfAl3-Al composite respectively, from which the most significant microstructural change caused by neutron irradiation apparently is the size reduction of both HfAl3 and Al grains. The possible reason is the thermal expansion and related thermal strain from the thermal neutron absorption. This technique can be applied to three-dimensional microstructure characterization of irradiated materials.

Electron beam excitation assisted optical microscope with ultra-high resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Inami, Wataru; Nakajima, Kentaro; Miyakawa, Atsuo; Kawata, Yoshimasa

2010-06-07

We propose electron beam excitation assisted optical microscope, and demonstrated its resolution higher than 50 nm. In the microscope, a light source in a few nanometers size is excited by focused electron beam in a luminescent film. The microscope makes it possible to observe dynamic behavior of living biological specimens in various surroundings, such as air or liquids. Scan speed of the nanometric light source is faster than that in conventional near-field scanning optical microscopes. The microscope enables to observe optical constants such as absorption, refractive index, polarization, and their dynamic behavior on a nanometric scale. The microscope opens new microscopy applications in nano-technology and nano-science.

Microscopic Superconductivity and Room Temperature Electronics of High-Tc Cuprates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fusui; Chen Wanfang

2008-01-01

This paper points out that the Landau criterion for macroscopic superfluidity of He II is only a criterion for microscopic superfluidity of 4 He, extends the Landau criterion to microscopic superconductivity in fermions (electron and hole) system and system with Cooper pairs without long-range phase coherence. This paper gives another three non-superconductive systems that are of microscopic superconductivity. This paper demonstrates that one application of microscopic superconductivity is to establish room temperature electronics of the high-T c cuprates

Response function and optimum configuration of semiconductor backscattered-electron detectors for scanning electron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rau, E. I.; Orlikovskiy, N. A.; Ivanova, E. S.

2012-01-01

A new highly efficient design for semiconductor detectors of intermediate-energy electrons (1–50 keV) for application in scanning electron microscopes is proposed. Calculations of the response function of advanced detectors and control experiments show that the efficiency of the developed devices increases on average twofold, which is a significant positive factor in the operation of modern electron microscopes in the mode of low currents and at low primary electron energies.

Digital management of an electron microscope unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elea, N.; Dickson, M.; Munroe, P.

2002-01-01

Full text: Electron microscope units, especially those such as ours, which operate as a central infrastructural facility are increasingly asked to provide more service, over more instruments with decreasing, or limited, financial resources. We believe that staff time is best used performing electron microscopy, assisting users and maintaining instrumentation rather than in the pursuit of red tape. One solution to this problem has been the creation of a control system which performs all routine acts of data management, such as the archiving and accessing of digital data, providing access to bookings, and most importantly in the era of user pays services, logging time and billing users. The system we have created, developed and expanded allows the users themselves to access our server through any web-browser and make their own bookings or access and manipulate their data. Users themselves must log on to a microscope through swipecard readers before it can be used and log-off after use. Their time is logged precisely and an exquisitely fair user pays systems can be operated by transferring logged usage time to spreadsheets to calculate charges. Furthermore, this system acts as a method of user authentication and can be used to bar incompetent or unauthorised users. The system has recently been upgraded to increase its utility to include sensors that monitor the electron microscope operating environment, such as magnetic field, room temperature, water flow etc, so that if these parameters depart significantly from optimum levels electron microscope unit staff may be alerted. In this presentation the structure of our system will be described and the advantages and disadvantages of such a system will be discussed. Copyright (2002) Australian Society for Electron Microscopy Inc

Energy dispersive X-ray analysis in the electron microscope

CERN Document Server

Bell, DC

2003-01-01

This book provides an in-depth description of x-ray microanalysis in the electron microscope. It is sufficiently detailed to ensure that novices will understand the nuances of high-quality EDX analysis. Includes information about hardware design as well as the physics of x-ray generation, absorption and detection, and most post-detection data processing. Details on electron optics and electron probe formation allow the novice to make sensible adjustments to the electron microscope in order to set up a system which optimises analysis. It also helps the reader determine which microanalytical me

Electron sputtering in the analytical electron microscope: Calculations and experimental data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaluzec, N.J.; Mansfield, J.F.

1987-03-01

The environment of the electron microscope is particularly severe when one considers the energy deposited in a specimen during typical experimental conditions. Conventional imaging experiments tend to employ electron current densities ranging from ∼0.1 to 1 A/cm 2 while during microanalysis conditions probe current densities can range from 10 to values as high as 10 5 A/cm 2 . At 100 kV this corresponds to power densities from 100 Kilowatts/cm 2 to 10 4 Megawatts/cm 2 . These energy deposition rates can result in electron irradiation damage which can substantially alter the structure and composition of a specimen through either ionization damage in organics or by displacement damage in inorganics and/or combinations thereof. For the most part materials scientists operating an analytical electron microscope (AEM) in the 100 to 200 kV regime studying metallic and/or ceramic specimens have been spared the need to consider either of these effects as their specimens have tended to be sufficiently resilient. However, the advent of the new medium voltage microscopes operating in the 300 to 400 kV regime with high brightness guns and clean or ultrahigh vacuum systems has necessitated a reevaluation of the effects of higher voltage operation in light of the destructive nature of the electron beam particularly under microanalysis conditions

Conservation of concrete structures according to fib Model Code 2010

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Matthews, S.; Bigaj-Van Vliet, A.; Ueda, T.

2013-01-01

Conservation of concrete structures forms an essential part of the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 (fib Model Code 2010). In particular, Chapter 9 of fib Model Code 2010 addresses issues concerning conservation strategies and tactics, conservation management, condition surveys, condition

Subsurface Examination of a Foliar Biofilm Using Scanning Electron- and Focused-Ion-Beam Microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, Patricia K.; Arey, Bruce W.; Mahaffee, Walt F.

2011-08-01

The dual beam scanning electron microscope, equipped with both a focused ion- and scanning electron- beam (FIB SEM) is a novel tool for the exploration of the subsurface structure of biological tissues. The FIB can remove a predetermined amount of material from a selected site to allow for subsurface exploration and when coupled with SEM or scanning ion- beam microscopy (SIM) could be suitable to examine the subsurface structure of bacterial biofilms on the leaf surface. The suitability of chemical and cryofixation was examined for use with the FIB SEM to examine bacterial biofilms on leaf surfaces. The biological control agent, Burkholderia pyroccinia FP62, that rapidly colonizes the leaf surface and forms biofilms, was inoculated onto geranium leaves and incubated in a greenhouse for 7 or 14 days. Cryofixation was not suitable for examination of leaf biofilms because it created a frozen layer over the leaf surface that cracked when exposed to the electron beam and the protective cap required for FIB milling could not be accurately deposited. With chemically fixed samples, it was possible to precisely FIB mill a single cross section (5 µm) or sequential cross sections from a single site without any damage to the surrounding surface. Biofilms, 7 days post-inoculation (DPI), were composed of 2 to 5 bacterial cell layers while biofilms 14 DPI ranged from 5 to greater than 30 cell layers. Empty spaces between bacteria cells in the subsurface structure were observed in biofilms 7- and 14-DPI. Sequential cross sections inferred that the empty spaces were often continuous between FP62 cells and could possibly make up a network of channels throughout the biofilm. FIB SEM was a useful tool to observe the subsurface composition of a foliar biofilm.

Analysis of shape and spatial interaction of synaptic vesicles using data from focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khanmohammadi, Mahdieh; Waagepetersen, Rasmus Plenge; Sporring, Jon

2015-01-01

deviations from spherical shape and systematic trends in their orientation. We studied three-dimensional representations of synapses obtained by manual annotation of focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) images of male mouse brain. The configurations of synaptic vesicles were regarded...... in excitatory synapses appeared to be of oblate ellipsoid shape and in inhibitory synapses appeared to be of cigar ellipsoid shape, and followed a systematic pattern regarding their orientation towards the active zone. Moreover, there was strong evidence of spatial alignment in the orientations of pairs...

ArF photo resist pattern sample preparation method using FIB without protective coating

Science.gov (United States)

Okushima, Hirohisa; Onozuka, Toshihiko; Kuroda, Yasushi; Yaguchi, Toshie; Umemura, Kaoru; Tamochi, Ryuichiro; Watanabe, Kenji; Hasegawa, Norio; Kawata, Isao; Rijpers, Bart

2006-03-01

This paper presents a novel method of FIB (FIB: focused ion beam) sample preparation to accurately evaluate critical dimensions and profiles of ArF photo resist patterns without the use of a protective coating on the photo resist. In order to accomplish this, the FIB micro-sampling method that is one of effective FIB milling and fabrication method was employed. First a Si cap is picked up from a silicon wafer and fixed to ArF photo resist patterns to protect against ion beam irradiation. Then, a micro-sample, a piece of Si-capped ArF photo resist, was extracted from the bulk ArF photo resist. In this procedure, this silicon cap always protects ArF photo resist patterns against ion beam irradiation. For the next step, the micro-sample is fixed to a needle stub of the FIB-STEM (STEM: scanning transmission electron microscopy) compatible rotation holder. This sample on the needle stub was rotated 180 degrees and milled from the side of Si substrate. Lastly, the sample is milled to the thickness of 2μm. In this process, the ion beam is irradiating from the silicon substrate side to minimize the ion beam irradiation damages on the ArF photo resist patterns. EDX (EDX: Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analysis proved that no gallium ions were detected on the surface of the ArF photo resist patterns. The feasibility of high accelerating voltage observation of STEM to observe line edge roughness of a thick sample like 2μm without shrinkage has been demonstrated.

In situ TEM/SEM electronic/mechanical characterization of nano material with MEMS chip

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yuelin; Li Tie; Zhang Xiao; Zeng Hongjiang; Jin Qinhua

2014-01-01

Our investigation of in situ observations on electronic and mechanical properties of nano materials using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) with the help of traditional micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology has been reviewed. Thanks to the stability, continuity and controllability of the loading force from the electrostatic actuator and the sensitivity of the sensor beam, a MEMS tensile testing chip for accurate tensile testing in the nano scale is obtained. Based on the MEMS chips, the scale effect of Young's modulus in silicon has been studied and confirmed directly in a tensile experiment using a transmission electron microscope. Employing the nanomanipulation technology and FIB technology, Cu and SiC nanowires have been integrated into the tensile testing device and their mechanical, electronic properties under different stress have been achieved, simultaneously. All these will aid in better understanding the nano effects and contribute to the designation and application in nano devices. (invited papers)

FIB and MIP: understanding nanoscale porosity in molecularly imprinted polymers via 3D FIB/SEM tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Neusser, G; Eppler, S; Bowen, J; Allender, C J; Walther, P; Mizaikoff, B; Kranz, C

2017-10-05

We present combined focused ion beam/scanning electron beam (FIB/SEM) tomography as innovative method for differentiating and visualizing the distribution and connectivity of pores within molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and non-imprinted control polymers (NIPs). FIB/SEM tomography is used in cell biology for elucidating three-dimensional structures such as organelles, but has not yet been extensively applied for visualizing the heterogeneity of nanoscopic pore networks, interconnectivity, and tortuosity in polymers. To our best knowledge, the present study is the first application of this strategy for analyzing the nanoscale porosity of MIPs. MIPs imprinted for propranolol - and the corresponding NIPs - were investigated establishing FIB/SEM tomography as a viable future strategy complementing conventional isotherm studies. For visualizing and understanding the properties of pore networks in detail, polymer particles were stained with osmium tetroxide (OsO 4 ) vapor, and embedded in epoxy resin. Staining with OsO 4 provides excellent contrast during high-resolution SEM imaging. After optimizing the threshold to discriminate between the stained polymer matrix, and pores filled with epoxy resin, a 3D model of the sampled volume may be established for deriving not only the pore volume and pore surface area, but also to visualize the interconnectivity and tortuosity of the pores within the sampled polymer volume. Detailed studies using different types of cross-linkers and the effect of hydrolysis on the resulting polymer properties have been investigated. In comparison of MIP and NIP, it could be unambiguously shown that the interconnectivity of the visualized pores in MIPs is significantly higher vs. the non-imprinted polymer, and that the pore volume and pore area is 34% and approx. 35% higher within the MIP matrix. This confirms that the templating process not only induces selective binding sites, but indeed also affects the physical properties of such

Transmission Electron Microscope Measures Lattice Parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Pike, William T.

1996-01-01

Convergent-beam microdiffraction (CBM) in thermionic-emission transmission electron microscope (TEM) is technique for measuring lattice parameters of nanometer-sized specimens of crystalline materials. Lattice parameters determined by use of CBM accurate to within few parts in thousand. Technique developed especially for use in quantifying lattice parameters, and thus strains, in epitaxial mismatched-crystal-lattice multilayer structures in multiple-quantum-well and other advanced semiconductor electronic devices. Ability to determine strains in indivdual layers contributes to understanding of novel electronic behaviors of devices.

Development of superconducting cryo-electron microscope and its applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwatsuki, Masashi

1988-01-01

Recently, a superconducting cryo-electron microscope in which specimens are cooled to the liquid helium temperature (4.2 K) has been developed. The main components and functional features of this new microscope are reported together with application data on polyethylene, poly (4-methyl-1-pentene), valonia cellulose, rock salt, ice crystallites and ceramic superconductor. The resistance to electron radiation damage, of beam-sensitive specimens including polymers has been increased more than ten times. Thus, the microscope has made it possible to take high resolution images and to analyze the crystal-structure of micro-areas. (orig.) [de

Development of the Atomic-Resolution Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gai, Pratibha L.; Boyes, Edward D.; Yoshida, Kenta

2016-01-01

The development of the novel atomic-resolution environmental transmission electron microscope (atomic-resolution ETEM) for directly probing dynamic gas–solid reactions in situ at the atomic level under controlled reaction conditions consisting of gas environment and elevated temperatures is descr......The development of the novel atomic-resolution environmental transmission electron microscope (atomic-resolution ETEM) for directly probing dynamic gas–solid reactions in situ at the atomic level under controlled reaction conditions consisting of gas environment and elevated temperatures...... is used to study steels, graphene, nanowires, etc. In this chapter, the experimental setup of the microscope column and its peripherals are described....

Transmission electron microscope studies of crystalline LiNbO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareja, R.; Gonzalez, R.; Chen, Y.

1984-01-01

Transmission electron microscope investigations in both as-grown and hydrogen-reduced LiNbO 3 reveal that niobium oxide precipitates can be produced by in situ irradiations in the electron microscope. The precipitation process is produced by a combined effect of ionizing electrons and the thermal heating of the specimens during irradiation. It is proposed that the composition of the precipitates is primarily Nb 2 O 5

Electron microscopic radioautography of the cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkisov, D.S.; Pal'tsyn, A.A.; Vtyurin, B.V.

1980-01-01

This monograph is the first one in the world literature that gives th generalised experience in application of the up-to-date method of structural and functional analysis, i.e. of electron-microscopic autography to study the dynamics of intracellular processes under normal conditions as well as under some pathogenic effects. Given herein are the data on synthesis of DNA and RNA in various structures of the nucleus, particularly in nucleoli, the regularities of the synthesis processes in the organellae of the same name are discussed; illustrated are the possibilities of structure analysis of biosynthesis intensity variations in the nucleus and cytoplasma in cells of liver miocardium, granulation tissue at different stages of morphological process; the results of electron-microscopic radioautography application in study of clinical biopsy material are given and the data obtained are discussed in the light of general pathology problems

A simple bedside blood test (Fibrofast; FIB-5) is superior to FIB-4 index for the differentiation between non-significant and significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiha, G; Seif, S; Eldesoky, A; Elbasiony, M; Soliman, R; Metwally, A; Zalata, K; Mikhail, N

2017-05-01

A simple non-invasive score (Fibrofast, FIB-5) was developed using five routine laboratory tests (ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, albumin and platelets count) for the detection of significant hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The FIB-4 index is a non-invasive test for the assessment of liver fibrosis, and a score of ≤1.45 enables the correct identification of patients who have non-significant (F0-1) from significant fibrosis (F2-4), and could avoid liver biopsy. The aim of this study was to compare the performance characteristics of FIB-5 and FIB-4 to differentiate between non-significant and significant fibrosis. A cross-sectional study included 604 chronic HCV patients. All liver biopsies were scored using the METAVIR system. Both FIB-5 and FIB-4 scores were measured and the performance characteristics were calculated using the ROC curve. The performance characteristics of FIB-5 at ≥7.5 and FIB-4 at ≤1.45 for the differentiation between non-significant fibrosis and significant fibrosis were: specificity 94.4%, PPV 85.7%, and specificity 54.9%, PPV 55.7% respectively. FIB-5 score at the new cutoff is superior to FIB-4 index for the differentiation between non-significant and significant fibrosis.

Quantification of silver nanoparticle uptake and distribution within individual human macrophages by FIB/SEM slice and view.

Science.gov (United States)

Guehrs, Erik; Schneider, Michael; Günther, Christian M; Hessing, Piet; Heitz, Karen; Wittke, Doreen; López-Serrano Oliver, Ana; Jakubowski, Norbert; Plendl, Johanna; Eisebitt, Stefan; Haase, Andrea

2017-03-21

Quantification of nanoparticle (NP) uptake in cells or tissues is very important for safety assessment. Often, electron microscopy based approaches are used for this purpose, which allow imaging at very high resolution. However, precise quantification of NP numbers in cells and tissues remains challenging. The aim of this study was to present a novel approach, that combines precise quantification of NPs in individual cells together with high resolution imaging of their intracellular distribution based on focused ion beam/ scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM) slice and view approaches. We quantified cellular uptake of 75 nm diameter citrate stabilized silver NPs (Ag 75 Cit) into an individual human macrophage derived from monocytic THP-1 cells using a FIB/SEM slice and view approach. Cells were treated with 10 μg/ml for 24 h. We investigated a single cell and found in total 3138 ± 722 silver NPs inside this cell. Most of the silver NPs were located in large agglomerates, only a few were found in clusters of fewer than five NPs. Furthermore, we cross-checked our results by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and could confirm the FIB/SEM results. Our approach based on FIB/SEM slice and view is currently the only one that allows the quantification of the absolute dose of silver NPs in individual cells and at the same time to assess their intracellular distribution at high resolution. We therefore propose to use FIB/SEM slice and view to systematically analyse the cellular uptake of various NPs as a function of size, concentration and incubation time.

High-resolution, high-throughput imaging with a multibeam scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Eberle, A L; Mikula, S; Schalek, R; Lichtman, J; Knothe Tate, M L; Zeidler, D

2015-08-01

Electron-electron interactions and detector bandwidth limit the maximal imaging speed of single-beam scanning electron microscopes. We use multiple electron beams in a single column and detect secondary electrons in parallel to increase the imaging speed by close to two orders of magnitude and demonstrate imaging for a variety of samples ranging from biological brain tissue to semiconductor wafers. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

Exploring the environmental transmission electron microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wagner, Jakob B.; Cavalca, Filippo; Damsgaard, Christian D.

2012-01-01

of the opportunities that the environmental TEM (ETEM) offers when combined with other in situ techniques will be explored, directly in the microscope, by combining electron-based and photon-based techniques and phenomena. In addition, application of adjacent setups using sophisticated transfer methods...

Super-resolution for asymmetric resolution of FIB-SEM 3D imaging using AI with deep learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagita, Katsumi; Higuchi, Takeshi; Jinnai, Hiroshi

2018-04-12

Scanning electron microscopy equipped with a focused ion beam (FIB-SEM) is a promising three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique for nano- and meso-scale morphologies. In FIB-SEM, the specimen surface is stripped by an ion beam and imaged by an SEM installed orthogonally to the FIB. The lateral resolution is governed by the SEM, while the depth resolution, i.e., the FIB milling direction, is determined by the thickness of the stripped thin layer. In most cases, the lateral resolution is superior to the depth resolution; hence, asymmetric resolution is generated in the 3D image. Here, we propose a new approach based on an image-processing or deep-learning-based method for super-resolution of 3D images with such asymmetric resolution, so as to restore the depth resolution to achieve symmetric resolution. The deep-learning-based method learns from high-resolution sub-images obtained via SEM and recovers low-resolution sub-images parallel to the FIB milling direction. The 3D morphologies of polymeric nano-composites are used as test images, which are subjected to the deep-learning-based method as well as conventional methods. We find that the former yields superior restoration, particularly as the asymmetric resolution is increased. Our super-resolution approach for images having asymmetric resolution enables observation time reduction.

Large area fabrication of plasmonic nanoparticle grating structure by conventional scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudheer,; Tiwari, P.; Rai, V. N.; Srivastava, A. K.; Mukharjee, C.

2015-01-01

Plasmonic nanoparticle grating (PNG) structure of different periods has been fabricated by electron beam lithography using silver halide based transmission electron microscope film as a substrate. Conventional scanning electron microscope is used as a fabrication tool for electron beam lithography. Optical microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) have been used for its morphological and elemental characterization. Optical characterization is performed by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopic technique

Progress in x-ray microanalysis in the analytical electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.B.

1987-01-01

Analytical electron microscopes (AEM) consisting of x-ray energy dispersive spectrometers (EDS) interfaced to scanning transmission electron microscopes have been available for more than a decade. During that time, progress towards reaching the fundamental limits of the technique has been slow. The progress of x-ray microanalysis in AEM is examined in terms of x-ray detector technology; the EDS/AEM interface; accuracy of microanalysis; and spatial resolution and detectability limits. X-ray microanalysis in the AEM has substantial room for improvement in terms of the interface between the detector and the microscope. Advances in microscope design and software should permit 10nm resolution with detectability limits approaching 0.01wt percent. 16 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Electron-microscopic autoradiography of tritiated testosterone in rat testis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frederik, P.M.; Molen, H.J. van der; Galjaard, H.; Klepper, D.

1977-01-01

The feasibility of a technique for autoradiography of diffusible substances has been further tested by analysing the localization of steroids in rats testes with the light- and electron-microscope. Testes of rats were perfused with tritiated testosterone (3 min) followed by 15-min perfusion with buffer containing a 100-fold excess of unlabelled testosterone. Tissue samples were frozen, freeze dried, fixed in osmium vapour and embedded in Epon. To exclude extraction of steroids, contact with water and other solvents was prevented during cutting of thin sections on an ultracryotome and further treatment for autoradiography. Light- and electron-microscopic observations indicated that the highest concentration of labelled testosterone was present within the basal parts of the Sertoli cell cytoplasm and in lipid inclusions of Sertoli cells within the seminiferous tubules. This is the first account of autoradiography of steroids at the electron-microscope level. (author)

Isotope analysis in the transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Susi, Toma; Hofer, Christoph; Argentero, Giacomo; Leuthner, Gregor T; Pennycook, Timothy J; Mangler, Clemens; Meyer, Jannik C; Kotakoski, Jani

2016-10-10

The Ångström-sized probe of the scanning transmission electron microscope can visualize and collect spectra from single atoms. This can unambiguously resolve the chemical structure of materials, but not their isotopic composition. Here we differentiate between two isotopes of the same element by quantifying how likely the energetic imaging electrons are to eject atoms. First, we measure the displacement probability in graphene grown from either 12 C or 13 C and describe the process using a quantum mechanical model of lattice vibrations coupled with density functional theory simulations. We then test our spatial resolution in a mixed sample by ejecting individual atoms from nanoscale areas spanning an interface region that is far from atomically sharp, mapping the isotope concentration with a precision better than 20%. Although we use a scanning instrument, our method may be applicable to any atomic resolution transmission electron microscope and to other low-dimensional materials.

Historical evolution toward achieving ultrahigh vacuum in JEOL electron microscopes

CERN Document Server

Yoshimura, Nagamitsu

2014-01-01

This book describes the developmental history of the vacuum system of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) at the Japan Electron Optics Laboratory (JEOL) from its inception to its use in today’s high-technology microscopes. The author and his colleagues were engaged in developing vacuum technology for electron microscopes (JEM series) at JEOL for many years. This volume presents a summary and explanation of their work and the technology that makes possible a clean ultrahigh vacuum. The typical users of the TEM are top-level researchers working at the frontiers of new materials or with new biological specimens. They often use the TEM under extremely severe conditions, with problems sometimes occurring in the vacuum system of the microscopes. JEOL engineers then must work as quickly as possible to improve the vacuum evacuation system so as to prevent the recurrence of such problems. Among the wealth of explanatory material in this book are examples of users’ reports of problems in the vacuum system of...

Quantitative methods for the analysis of electron microscope images

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skands, Peter Ulrik Vallø

1996-01-01

The topic of this thesis is an general introduction to quantitative methods for the analysis of digital microscope images. The images presented are primarily been acquired from Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) and interfermeter microscopes (IFM). The topic is approached though several examples...... foundation of the thesis fall in the areas of: 1) Mathematical Morphology; 2) Distance transforms and applications; and 3) Fractal geometry. Image analysis opens in general the possibility of a quantitative and statistical well founded measurement of digital microscope images. Herein lies also the conditions...

A practical approach to test the scope of FIB-SEM 3D reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritter, M; Midgley, P A

2010-01-01

State-of-the-art focused ion beam (FIB) instruments have an ion column for sample modification and an electron column for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 3D reconstruction of a sample volume can be achieved by serial sectioning using the FIB in combination with high-resolution SEM imaging of each cross-section. Usually, the resolution in the direction in which the sections are milled (z-direction) is much lower than in the plane of the cross-section (xy-direction) itself. Increased sampling in the z-direction can only be achieved by decreasing the distance between single sections. For a constant volume this is equivalent to increasing the number of sections, i.e. time and effort. To perform efficient 3D reconstructions the effect of the reduced sampling in the z-direction to the overall accuracy of the 3D reconstruction has to be known. We tested this approach with FIB conical test structures that were slice-and-view processed and subsequently reconstructed. Using a reference data set with a slice thickness (z-resolution) of 22 nm, data with z-resolutions ranging from 44 nm to 440 nm were created and reconstructed with commercial software. The calculated volumes for the simulated z-resolutions and their deviations from the reference volume are shown. Deviations of up to 35% occur and reach about 10% once the z-resolution was one fifth of the upper diameter of the conical structures.

The Titan Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Thomas Willum; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal; Jinschek, Jörg R.

2009-01-01

University of Denmark (DTU) provides a unique combination of techniques for studying materials of interest to the catalytic as well as the electronics and other communities [5]. DTU’s ETEM is based on the FEI Titan platform providing ultrahigh microscope stability pushing the imaging resolution into the sub...

Electron beam dynamics in an ultrafast transmission electron microscope with Wehnelt electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Bücker, K; Picher, M; Crégut, O; LaGrange, T; Reed, B W; Park, S T; Masiel, D J; Banhart, F

2016-12-01

High temporal resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques have shown significant progress in recent years. Using photoelectron pulses induced by ultrashort laser pulses on the cathode, these methods can probe ultrafast materials processes and have revealed numerous dynamic phenomena at the nanoscale. Most recently, the technique has been implemented in standard thermionic electron microscopes that provide a flexible platform for studying material's dynamics over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. In this study, the electron pulses in such an ultrafast transmission electron microscope are characterized in detail. The microscope is based on a thermionic gun with a Wehnelt electrode and is operated in a stroboscopic photoelectron mode. It is shown that the Wehnelt bias has a decisive influence on the temporal and energy spread of the picosecond electron pulses. Depending on the shape of the cathode and the cathode-Wehnelt distance, different emission patterns with different pulse parameters are obtained. The energy spread of the pulses is determined by space charge and Boersch effects, given by the number of electrons in a pulse. However, filtering effects due to the chromatic aberrations of the Wehnelt electrode allow the extraction of pulses with narrow energy spreads. The temporal spread is governed by electron trajectories of different length and in different electrostatic potentials. High temporal resolution is obtained by excluding shank emission from the cathode and aberration-induced halos in the emission pattern. By varying the cathode-Wehnelt gap, the Wehnelt bias, and the number of photoelectrons in a pulse, tradeoffs between energy and temporal resolution as well as beam intensity can be made as needed for experiments. Based on the characterization of the electron pulses, the optimal conditions for the operation of ultrafast TEMs with thermionic gun assembly are elaborated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transmission electron microscope studies of extraterrestrial materials

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Lindsay P.

1995-01-01

Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-Ray spectrometry and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy are used to analyse carbon in interplanetary dust particles. Optical micrographs are shown depicting cross sections of the dust particles embedded in sulphur. Selected-area electron diffraction patterns are shown. Transmission Electron Microscope specimens of lunar soil were prepared using two methods: ion-milling and ultramicrotomy. A combination of high resolution TEM imaging and electron diffraction is used to characterize the opaque assemblages. The opaque assemblages analyzed in this study are dominated by ilmenite with lesser rutile and spinel exsolutions, and traces of Fe metal.

Microstructure of steel X 20 Cr 13 in the electron microscopical picture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gesatzke, W.

1982-01-01

The tempered microstructure of the steel X 20 Cr 13 is described by an electron microscopical overall picture and additional information is gained which would not be possible with the optical microscope. The large transmission area permits one to quantitatively evaluate a microstructure component which due to its small size can only be measured with electron microscope pictures. (orig.) [de

Ultra low-K shrinkage behavior when under electron beam in a scanning electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorut, F.; Imbert, G. [ST Microelectronics, 850 rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles Cedex (France); Roggero, A. [Centre National d' Etudes Spatiales, 18 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse (France)

2013-08-28

In this paper, we investigate the tendency of porous low-K dielectrics (also named Ultra Low-K, ULK) behavior to shrink when exposed to the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope. Various experimental electron beam conditions have been used for irradiating ULK thin films, and the resulting shrinkage has been measured through use of an atomic force microscope tool. We report the shrinkage to be a fast, cumulative, and dose dependent effect. Correlation of the shrinkage with incident electron beam energy loss has also been evidenced. The chemical modification of the ULK films within the interaction volume has been demonstrated, with a densification of the layer and a loss of carbon and hydrogen elements being observed.

Cooled CCDs for recording data from electron microscopes

CERN Document Server

Faruqi, A R

2000-01-01

A cooled-CCD camera based on a low-noise scientific grade device is described in this paper used for recording images in a 120 kV electron microscope. The primary use of the camera is for recording electron diffraction patterns from two-dimensionally ordered arrays of proteins at liquid-nitrogen temperatures leading to structure determination at atomic or near-atomic resolution. The traditional method for recording data in the microscope is with electron sensitive film but electronic detection methods offer the following advantages over film methods: the data is immediately available in a digital format which can be displayed on a monitor screen for visual inspection whereas a film record needs to be developed and digitised, a lengthy process taking at least several hours, prior to inspection; the dynamic range of CCD detectors is about two orders of magnitude greater with better linearity. The accuracy of measurements is also higher for CCDs, particularly for weak signals due to inherent fog levels in film. ...

Neuroanatomy from Mesoscopic to Nanoscopic Scales: An Improved Method for the Observation of Semithin Sections by High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, José-Rodrigo; Turégano-López, Marta; DeFelipe, Javier; Merchán-Pérez, Angel

2018-01-01

Semithin sections are commonly used to examine large areas of tissue with an optical microscope, in order to locate and trim the regions that will later be studied with the electron microscope. Ideally, the observation of semithin sections would be from mesoscopic to nanoscopic scales directly, instead of using light microscopy and then electron microscopy (EM). Here we propose a method that makes it possible to obtain high-resolution scanning EM images of large areas of the brain in the millimeter to nanometer range. Since our method is compatible with light microscopy, it is also feasible to generate hybrid light and electron microscopic maps. Additionally, the same tissue blocks that have been used to obtain semithin sections can later be used, if necessary, for transmission EM, or for focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).

Scanning electron microscope - some aspects of the instrument and its applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thatte, M.R.

1976-01-01

Development of the science of microscopy leading to three different types of microscopes - the optical, the conventional transmission electron microscope (CTEM) and the scanning electron microscope(SEM) has been discussed. Special advantages of the SEM in the solution of problems in industrial laboratories are mentioned. A brief reference to the latest instruments announced by Siemens AG shows the modern trends in the technique. A close similarity in image building between SEM and television is indicated. Operational anatomy of the SEM is reviewed. (author)

Architecture-dependent distribution of Mesopores in steamed Zeolite crystals as visualized by FIB-SEM Tomography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Karwacki, L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304824283; de Winter, D.A.M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304838616; Aramburo, L.R.; Lebbink, M.N.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304834246; Post, J.A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/074120050; Drury, M.R.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304829315; Weckhuysen, B.M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/285484397

2011-01-01

Break on through: Steaming-induced mesopores of individual ZSM-5 crystals were studied by a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tomography (see picture). In this manner, quantitative insight into the width, length, morphology, and distribution of mesopores

Transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with scintillation gaseous detection device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danilatos, Gerasimos; Kollia, Mary; Dracopoulos, Vassileios

2015-01-01

A transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with use of a scintillation gaseous detection device has been implemented. This corresponds to a transmission scanning electron microscope but with addition of a gaseous environment acting both as environmental and detection medium. A commercial type of low vacuum machine has been employed together with appropriate modifications to the detection configuration. This involves controlled screening of various emitted signals in conjunction with a scintillation gaseous detection device already provided with the machine for regular surface imaging. Dark field and bright field imaging has been obtained along with other detection conditions. With a progressive series of modifications and tests, the theory and practice of a novel type of microscopy is briefly shown now ushering further significant improvements and developments in electron microscopy as a whole. - Highlights: • Novel scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) called TESEM. • Use of the gaseous detection device (GDD) in scintillation mode that allows high resolution bright and dark field imaging in the TESEM. • Novel approach towards a unification of both vacuum and environmental conditions in both bulk/surface and transmission mode of electron microscopy

Spectral Interferometry with Electron Microscopes

Science.gov (United States)

Talebi, Nahid

2016-01-01

Interference patterns are not only a defining characteristic of waves, but also have several applications; characterization of coherent processes and holography. Spatial holography with electron waves, has paved the way towards space-resolved characterization of magnetic domains and electrostatic potentials with angstrom spatial resolution. Another impetus in electron microscopy has been introduced by ultrafast electron microscopy which uses pulses of sub-picosecond durations for probing a laser induced excitation of the sample. However, attosecond temporal resolution has not yet been reported, merely due to the statistical distribution of arrival times of electrons at the sample, with respect to the laser time reference. This is however, the very time resolution which will be needed for performing time-frequency analysis. These difficulties are addressed here by proposing a new methodology to improve the synchronization between electron and optical excitations through introducing an efficient electron-driven photon source. We use focused transition radiation of the electron as a pump for the sample. Due to the nature of transition radiation, the process is coherent. This technique allows us to perform spectral interferometry with electron microscopes, with applications in retrieving the phase of electron-induced polarizations and reconstructing dynamics of the induced vector potential. PMID:27649932

Simultaneous specimen and stage cleaning device for analytical electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Zaluzec, Nestor J.

1996-01-01

An improved method and apparatus are provided for cleaning both a specimen stage, a specimen and an interior of an analytical electron microscope (AEM). The apparatus for cleaning a specimen stage and specimen comprising a plasma chamber for containing a gas plasma and an air lock coupled to the plasma chamber for permitting passage of the specimen stage and specimen into the plasma chamber and maintaining an airtight chamber. The specimen stage and specimen are subjected to a reactive plasma gas that is either DC or RF excited. The apparatus can be mounted on the analytical electron microscope (AEM) for cleaning the interior of the microscope.

Ponderomotive phase plate for transmission electron microscopes

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Bryan W [Livermore, CA

2012-07-10

A ponderomotive phase plate system and method for controllably producing highly tunable phase contrast transfer functions in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) for high resolution and biological phase contrast imaging. The system and method includes a laser source and a beam transport system to produce a focused laser crossover as a phase plate, so that a ponderomotive potential of the focused laser crossover produces a scattering-angle-dependent phase shift in the electrons of the post-sample electron beam corresponding to a desired phase contrast transfer function.

Three-dimensional characterization of pigment dispersion in dried paint films using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jui-Ching; Heeschen, William; Reffner, John; Hook, John

2012-04-01

The combination of integrated focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) serial sectioning and imaging techniques with image analysis provided quantitative characterization of three-dimensional (3D) pigment dispersion in dried paint films. The focused ion beam in a FIB-SEM dual beam system enables great control in slicing paints, and the sectioning process can be synchronized with SEM imaging providing high quality serial cross-section images for 3D reconstruction. Application of Euclidean distance map and ultimate eroded points image analysis methods can provide quantitative characterization of 3D particle distribution. It is concluded that 3D measurement of binder distribution in paints is effective to characterize the order of pigment dispersion in dried paint films.

Advances in imaging and electron physics the scanning transmission electron microscope

CERN Document Server

Hawkes, Peter W

2009-01-01

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials--Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. This series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains.  This particular volume presents several timely articles on the scanning transmission electron microscope. Updated with contributions from leading international scholars and industry experts Discusses hot topic areas and presents current and future research trends Provides an invaluable reference and guide for physicists, engineers and mathematicians.

Scanning tunnel microscope with large vision field compatible with a scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volodin, A.P.; Stepanyan, G.A.; Khajkin, M.S.; Ehdel'man, V.S.

1989-01-01

A scanning tunnel microscope (STM) with the 20μm vision field and 1nm resolution, designed to be compatible with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), is described. The sample scanning area is chosen within the 3x10mm limits with a 0.1-1μm step. The STM needle is moved automatically toward the sample surface from the maximum distance of 10mm until the tunneling current appears. Bimorphous elements of the KP-1 piezocorrector are used in the STM design. The device is installed on a table of SEM object holders

Specimen holder for an electron microscope and device and method for mounting a specimen in an electron microscope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zandbergen, H.W.; Latenstein van Voorst, A.; Westra, C.; Hoveling, G.H.

1996-01-01

A specimen holder for an electron microscope, comprising a bar-shaped body provided adjacent one end with means for receiving a specimen, with means being present for screening the specimen from the environment at least temporarily in airtight and moisture-proof manner in a first position, which

Electron beam dynamics in an ultrafast transmission electron microscope with Wehnelt electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bücker, K.; Picher, M.; Crégut, O. [Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg (France); LaGrange, T. [Interdisciplinary Centre for Electron Microscopy, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Reed, B.W.; Park, S.T.; Masiel, D.J. [Integrated Dynamic Electron Solutions, Inc., 5653 Stoneridge Drive 117, Pleasanton, CA 94588 (United States); Banhart, F., E-mail: florian.banhart@ipcms.unistra.fr [Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, UMR 7504 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg (France)

2016-12-15

High temporal resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques have shown significant progress in recent years. Using photoelectron pulses induced by ultrashort laser pulses on the cathode, these methods can probe ultrafast materials processes and have revealed numerous dynamic phenomena at the nanoscale. Most recently, the technique has been implemented in standard thermionic electron microscopes that provide a flexible platform for studying material's dynamics over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. In this study, the electron pulses in such an ultrafast transmission electron microscope are characterized in detail. The microscope is based on a thermionic gun with a Wehnelt electrode and is operated in a stroboscopic photoelectron mode. It is shown that the Wehnelt bias has a decisive influence on the temporal and energy spread of the picosecond electron pulses. Depending on the shape of the cathode and the cathode-Wehnelt distance, different emission patterns with different pulse parameters are obtained. The energy spread of the pulses is determined by space charge and Boersch effects, given by the number of electrons in a pulse. However, filtering effects due to the chromatic aberrations of the Wehnelt electrode allow the extraction of pulses with narrow energy spreads. The temporal spread is governed by electron trajectories of different length and in different electrostatic potentials. High temporal resolution is obtained by excluding shank emission from the cathode and aberration-induced halos in the emission pattern. By varying the cathode-Wehnelt gap, the Wehnelt bias, and the number of photoelectrons in a pulse, tradeoffs between energy and temporal resolution as well as beam intensity can be made as needed for experiments. Based on the characterization of the electron pulses, the optimal conditions for the operation of ultrafast TEMs with thermionic gun assembly are elaborated. - Highlights: • A detailed characterization of electron

Towards native-state imaging in biological context in the electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Weston, Anne E.; Armer, Hannah E. J.

2009-01-01

Modern cell biology is reliant on light and fluorescence microscopy for analysis of cells, tissues and protein localisation. However, these powerful techniques are ultimately limited in resolution by the wavelength of light. Electron microscopes offer much greater resolution due to the shorter effective wavelength of electrons, allowing direct imaging of sub-cellular architecture. The harsh environment of the electron microscope chamber and the properties of the electron beam have led to complex chemical and mechanical preparation techniques, which distance biological samples from their native state and complicate data interpretation. Here we describe recent advances in sample preparation and instrumentation, which push the boundaries of high-resolution imaging. Cryopreparation, cryoelectron microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy strive to image samples in near native state. Advances in correlative microscopy and markers enable high-resolution localisation of proteins. Innovation in microscope design has pushed the boundaries of resolution to atomic scale, whilst automatic acquisition of high-resolution electron microscopy data through large volumes is finally able to place ultrastructure in biological context. PMID:19916039

Compact design of a transmission electron microscope-scanning tunneling microscope holder with three-dimensional coarse motion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svensson, K.; Jompol, Y.; Olin, H.; Olsson, E.

2003-01-01

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with a compact, three-dimensional, inertial slider design is presented. Inertial sliding of the STM tip, in three dimensions, enables coarse motion and scanning using only one piezoelectric tube. Using the same electronics both for scanning and inertial sliding, step lengths of less than 5% of the piezo range were achieved. The compact design, less than 1 cm3 in volume, ensures a low mechanical noise level and enables us to fit the STM into the sample holder of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), while maintaining atomic scale resolution in both STM and TEM imaging

Microscopic Electron Variations Measured Simultaneously By The Cluster Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, A. M.; Carozzi, T. D.; Gough, M. P.; Beloff, N.

Data is used from the Particle Correlator experiments running on each of the four Cluster spacecraft so as to determine common microscopic behaviour in the elec- tron population observed over the macroscopic Cluster separations. The Cluster par- ticle correlator experiments operate by forming on board Auto Correlation Functions (ACFs) generated from short time series of electron counts obtained, as a function of electron energy, from the PEACE HEEA sensor. The information on the microscopic variation of the electron flux covers the frequency range DC up to 41 kHz (encom- passing typical electron plasma frequencies and electron gyro frequencies and their harmonics), the electron energy range is that covered by the PEACE HEEA sensor (within the range 1 eV to 26 keV). Results are presented of coherent electron struc- tures observed simultaneously by the four spacecraft in the differing plasma interac- tion regions and boundaries encountered by Cluster. As an aid to understanding the plasma interactions, use is made of numerical simulations which model both the un- derlying statistical properties of the electrons and also the manner in which particle correlator experiments operate.

FIB/SEM technology and high-throughput 3D reconstruction of dendritic spines and synapses in GFP-labeled adult-generated neurons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carles eBosch

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The fine analysis of synaptic contacts is usually performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM and its combination with neuronal labeling techniques. However, the complex 3D architecture of neuronal samples calls for their reconstruction from serial sections. Here we show that focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM allows efficient, complete, and automatic 3D reconstruction of identified dendrites, including their spines and synapses, from GFP/DAB-labeled neurons, with a resolution comparable to that of TEM. We applied this technology to analyze the synaptogenesis of labeled adult-generated granule cells (GCs in mice. 3D reconstruction of spines in GCs aged 3–4 and 8–9 weeks revealed two different stages of spine development and unexpected features of synapse formation, including vacant and branched spines and presynaptic terminals establishing synapses with up to 10 spines. Given the reliability, efficiency, and high resolution of FIB/SEM technology and the wide use of DAB in conventional EM, we consider FIB/SEM fundamental for the detailed characterization of identified synaptic contacts in neurons in a high-throughput manner.

Electron spin resonance scanning tunneling microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yang; Li Jianmei; Lu Xinghua

2015-01-01

It is highly expected that the future informatics will be based on the spins of individual electrons. The development of elementary information unit will eventually leads to novel single-molecule or single-atom devices based on electron spins; the quantum computer in the future can be constructed with single electron spins as the basic quantum bits. However, it is still a great challenge in detection and manipulation of a single electron spin, as well as its coherence and entanglement. As an ideal experimental tool for such tasks, the development of electron spin resonance scanning tunneling microscope (ESR-STM) has attracted great attention for decades. This paper briefly introduces the basic concept of ESR-STM. The development history of this instrument and recent progresses are reviewed. The underlying mechanism is explored and summarized. The challenges and possible solutions are discussed. Finally, the prospect of future direction and applications are presented. (authors)

Field electron emission spectrometer combined with field ion/electron microscope as a field emission laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shkuratov, S.I.; Ivanov, S.N.; Shilimanov, S.N.

1996-01-01

The facility, combining the field ion microscope, field electron emission microscope and field electron emission spectrometer, is described. Combination of three methodologies makes it possible to carry out the complete cycle of emission studies. Atom-plane and clean surface of the studied samples is prepared by means of field evaporation of the material atom layers without any thermal and radiation impact. This enables the study of atom and electron structure of clean surface of the wide range materials, the study whereof through the field emission methods was previously rather difficult. The temperature of the samples under study changes from 75 up to 2500 K. The energy resolution of the electron analyzer equals 30 MeV. 19 refs., 10 figs

A FIB/TEM study of butterfly crack formation and white etching area (WEA) microstructural changes under rolling contact fatigue in 100Cr6 bearing steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, M.-H.; Walker, J.C.; Ma, C.; Wang, L.; Wood, R.J.K.

2013-01-01

Butterflies are microscopic damage features forming at subsurface material imperfections induced during rolling contact fatigue (RCF) in rolling element bearings. Butterflies can lead to degradation of the load bearing capacity of the material by their associated cracks causing premature spalling failures. Recently, butterfly formation has been cited to be related to a premature failure mode in wind turbine gearbox bearings; white structure flaking (WSF). Butterflies consist of cracks with surrounding microstructural change called ‘white etching area’ (WEA) forming wings that revolve around their initiators. The formation mechanisms of butterflies in bearing steels have been studied over the last 50 years, but are still not fully understood. This paper presents a detailed microstructural analysis of a butterfly that has initiated from a void in standard 100Cr6 bearing steel under rolling contact fatigue on a laboratory two-roller test rig under transient operating conditions. Analysis was conducted using focused ion beam (FIB) tomography, 3D reconstruction and transmission electron microscopy (STEM/TEM) methods. FIB tomography revealed an extensive presence of voids/cavities immediately adjacent to the main crack on the non-WEA side and at the crack tip. This provides evidence for a void/cavity coalescence mechanism for the butterfly cracks formation. Spherical M 3 C carbide deformation and dissolution as part of the microstructural change in WEA were observed in both FIB and STEM/TEM analyses, where TEM analyses also revealed the formation of superfine nano-grains (3–15 nm diameter) intersecting a dissolving spherical M 3 C carbide. This is evidence of the early formation of nano-grains associated with the WEA formation mechanism

A FIB/TEM study of butterfly crack formation and white etching area (WEA) microstructural changes under rolling contact fatigue in 100Cr6 bearing steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, M.-H., E-mail: martin.evans@soton.ac.uk [National Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS), University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Walker, J.C.; Ma, C.; Wang, L.; Wood, R.J.K. [National Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS), University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)

2013-05-15

Butterflies are microscopic damage features forming at subsurface material imperfections induced during rolling contact fatigue (RCF) in rolling element bearings. Butterflies can lead to degradation of the load bearing capacity of the material by their associated cracks causing premature spalling failures. Recently, butterfly formation has been cited to be related to a premature failure mode in wind turbine gearbox bearings; white structure flaking (WSF). Butterflies consist of cracks with surrounding microstructural change called ‘white etching area’ (WEA) forming wings that revolve around their initiators. The formation mechanisms of butterflies in bearing steels have been studied over the last 50 years, but are still not fully understood. This paper presents a detailed microstructural analysis of a butterfly that has initiated from a void in standard 100Cr6 bearing steel under rolling contact fatigue on a laboratory two-roller test rig under transient operating conditions. Analysis was conducted using focused ion beam (FIB) tomography, 3D reconstruction and transmission electron microscopy (STEM/TEM) methods. FIB tomography revealed an extensive presence of voids/cavities immediately adjacent to the main crack on the non-WEA side and at the crack tip. This provides evidence for a void/cavity coalescence mechanism for the butterfly cracks formation. Spherical M{sub 3}C carbide deformation and dissolution as part of the microstructural change in WEA were observed in both FIB and STEM/TEM analyses, where TEM analyses also revealed the formation of superfine nano-grains (3–15 nm diameter) intersecting a dissolving spherical M{sub 3}C carbide. This is evidence of the early formation of nano-grains associated with the WEA formation mechanism.

Oxidation mechanism of nickel particles studied in an environmental transmission electron microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeangros, Q.; Hansen, Thomas Willum; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

2014-01-01

The oxidation of nickel particles was studied in situ in an environmental transmission electron microscope in 3.2 mbar of O2 between ambient temperature and 600°C. Several different transmission electron microscopy imaging techniques, electron diffraction and electron energy-loss spectroscopy were...... diffusion of Ni2+ along NiO grain boundaries, self-diffusion of Ni2+ ions and vacancies, growth of NiO grains and nucleation of voids at Ni/NiO interfaces. We also observed the formation of transverse cracks in a growing NiO film in situ in the electron microscope....

Electron microscope autoradiography of isolated DNA molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delain, Etienne; Bouteille, Michel

1980-01-01

Autoradiographs of 3 H-thymidine-labelled DNA molecules were observed with an electron microscope. After ten months of exposure significant labelling was obtained with tritiated T7 DNA molecules which had a specific activity of 630,000 cpm/μg. Although isolated DNA molecules were not stretched out to such an extent that they could be rigorously compared to straight 'hot lines', the resolution was estimated and found to be similar to that obtained by autoradiography on thin plastic sections. The H.D. value was of the order of 1600A. From the known specific activity of the macromolecules, it was possible to compare the expected number of disintegrations from the samples to the number of grains obtained on the autoradiograms. This enabled us to calculate 1/ The absolute autoradiographic efficiency and 2/ The per cent ratio of thymidine residues labelled with tritium. These results throw some light on the resolution and sensitivity of electron microscope autoradiography of shadowed isolated macromolecules as compared to thin plastic sections

Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of root canal surfaces ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of root canal surfaces prepared with three rotary endodontic systems: Lightspeed, ProTaper and EndoWave. ... fracture with LightSpeed (LS), ProTaper (PT) and EndoWave (Ew) rotary instruments.

Characterization of Li-rich layered oxides by using transmission electron microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu Zhao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Lithium-rich layered oxides (LrLOs deliver extremely high specific capacities and are considered to be promising candidates for electric vehicle and smart grid applications. However, the application of LrLOs needs further understanding of the structural complexity and dynamic evolution of monoclinic and rhombohedral phases, in order to overcome the issues including voltage decay, poor rate capability, initial irreversible capacity loss and etc. The development of aberration correction for the transmission electron microscope and concurrent progress in electron spectroscopy, have fueled rapid progress in the understanding of the mechanism of such issues. New techniques based on the transmission electron microscope are first surveyed, and the applications of these techniques for the study of the structure, migration of transition metal, and the activation of oxygen of LrLOs are then explored in detail, with a particular focus on the mechanism of voltage decay. Keywords: Lithium-ion battery, Transmission electron microscope, Lithium-rich layered oxide, Cathode material

Hartmann characterization of the PEEM-3 aberration-corrected X-ray photoemission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholl, A; Marcus, M A; Doran, A; Nasiatka, J R; Young, A T; MacDowell, A A; Streubel, R; Kent, N; Feng, J; Wan, W; Padmore, H A

2018-05-01

Aberration correction by an electron mirror dramatically improves the spatial resolution and transmission of photoemission electron microscopes. We will review the performance of the recently installed aberration corrector of the X-ray Photoemission Electron Microscope PEEM-3 and show a large improvement in the efficiency of the electron optics. Hartmann testing is introduced as a quantitative method to measure the geometrical aberrations of a cathode lens electron microscope. We find that aberration correction leads to an order of magnitude reduction of the spherical aberrations, suggesting that a spatial resolution of below 100 nm is possible at 100% transmission of the optics when using x-rays. We demonstrate this improved performance by imaging test patterns employing element and magnetic contrast. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Calibration of atomic force microscope cantilevers using standard and inverted static methods assisted by FIB-milled spatial markers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slattery, Ashley D; Blanch, Adam J; Quinton, Jamie S; Gibson, Christopher T

2013-01-01

Static methods to determine the spring constant of AFM cantilevers have been widely used in the scientific community since the importance of such calibration techniques was established nearly 20 years ago. The most commonly used static techniques involve loading a trial cantilever with a known force by pressing it against a pre-calibrated standard or reference cantilever. These reference cantilever methods have a number of sources of uncertainty, which include the uncertainty in the measured spring constant of the standard cantilever, the exact position of the loading point on the reference cantilever and how closely the spring constant of the trial and reference cantilever match. We present a technique that enables users to minimize these uncertainties by creating spatial markers on reference cantilevers using a focused ion beam (FIB). We demonstrate that by combining FIB spatial markers with an inverted reference cantilever method, AFM cantilevers can be accurately calibrated without the tip of the test cantilever contacting a surface. This work also demonstrates that for V-shaped cantilevers it is possible to determine the precise loading position by AFM imaging the section of the cantilever where the two arms join. Removing tip-to-surface contact in both the reference cantilever method and sensitivity calibration is a significant improvement, since this is an important consideration for AFM users that require the imaging tip to remain in pristine condition before commencing measurements. Uncertainties of between 5 and 10% are routinely achievable with these methods. (paper)

Decrease of FIB-induced lateral damage for diamond tool used in nano cutting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Wei [State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Centre of MicroNano Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Xu, Zongwei, E-mail: zongweixu@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Centre of MicroNano Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Fang, Fengzhou, E-mail: fzfang@gmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Centre of MicroNano Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Liu, Bing; Xiao, Yinjing; Chen, Jinping [State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Centre of MicroNano Manufacturing Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Wang, Xibin [School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Liu, Hongzhong [State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China)

2014-07-01

Highlights: • We mainly aim to characterize and decrease the FIB-induced damage on diamond tool. • Raman and XPS methods were used to characterize the nanoscale FIB-induced damage. • Lower energy FIB can effectively lessen the FIB-induced damage on diamond tool. • The diamond tools’ performance was greatly improved after FIB process optimization. • 6 nm chip thickness of copper was achieved by diamond tool with 22 nm edge radius. - Abstract: Diamond cutting tools with nanometric edge radius used in ultra-precision machining can be fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) technology. However, due to the nanoscale effects, the diamond tools performance and the cutting edge lifetime in nano cutting would be degraded because of the FIB-induced nanoscale lateral damage. In this study, the methods of how to effectively characterize and decrease the FIB-induced lateral damage for diamond tool are intensively studied. Based on the performance optimization diamond machining tools, the controllable chip thickness of less than 10 nm was achieved on a single-crystal copper in nano cutting. In addition, the ratio of minimum thickness of chip (MTC) to tool edge radius of around 0.3–0.4 in nano cutting is achieved. Methods for decreasing the FIB-induced damage on diamond tools and adding coolant during the nano cutting are very beneficial in improving the research of nano cutting and MTC. The nano cutting experiments based on the sharp and high performance of diamond tools would validate the nano cutting mechanisms that many molecular dynamic simulation studies have put forward and provide new findings for nano cutting.

X-ray analysis of a single aerosol particle with combination of scanning electron microscope and synchrotron radiation X-ray microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyoda, Masatoshi; Kaibuchi, Kazuki; Nagasono, Mitsuru; Terada, Yasuko; Tanabe, Teruo; Hayakawa, Shinjiro; Kawai, Jun

2004-01-01

We developed a microscope by a combination of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX). SR-XRF is appropriate to detect trace and micro amount of elements and sensitive to heavy elements in an analyte but it cannot observe the real time image. SEM-EDX can observe the secondary electron image of a single particle in real time and is appropriate to detect lighter elements. This combination microscope can ensure the identification of the XRF spectrum to the SEM image without transferring the sample. For aerosol analysis, it is important to analyze each particle. The present method makes feasible to analyze not only the average elemental composition as the total particles but also elemental composition of each particle, which is dependent on the particle shape and size. The microscope was applied to an individual aerosol particle study. The X-ray spectra were different among the particles, but also different between SR-XRF and SEM-EDX for the same particle, due to the difference in fluorescence yields between X-ray excitation and electron excitation

French contributions to electron microscopic radioautography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Droz, B.

1994-01-01

The radio autographic contributions carried out by electron microscopists took a part to improve the methodology and to extend applications to major biological problems. As underlined by CP Leblonc radioautography has clarified the importance of renewing systems; one may truly say that radioautography has introduced the time dimension in histology. The sites of biosynthesis of different substances have been located on the sub cellar scale, and it is now possible to analyse the molecular migrations within cells. The development of in situ hybridization and of receptors binding sites at the ultrastructural level has enlarged the application field of electron microscope radioautography. 64 refs., 2 figs

Analytical electron microscope based on scanning transmission electron microscope with wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy to realize highly sensitive elemental imaging especially for light elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koguchi, Masanari; Tsuneta, Ruriko; Anan, Yoshihiro; Nakamae, Koji

2017-01-01

An analytical electron microscope based on the scanning transmission electron microscope with wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (STEM-WDX) to realize highly sensitive elemental imaging especially for light elements has been developed. In this study, a large-solid-angle multi-capillary x-rays lens with a focal length of 5 mm, long-time data acquisition (e.g. longer than 26 h), and a drift-free system made it possible to visualize boron-dopant images in a Si substrate at a detection limit of 0.2 atomic percent. (paper)

Simulation of electron displacement damage in a high voltage electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Susumu; Kanaya, Koichi

1979-01-01

By applying the fundamental theory of the neutron cooling to the conservation law of energy and momentum, the threshold energies of incident electrons for displacing atoms are calculated and illustrated periodically for the atomic number. And the observable damage due to the secondary action of displaced atoms in the practical use of a high voltage electron microscope is described for several materials and accelerating voltages. The trajectories of incident electrons and displaced atoms in several materials are simulated by a Monte-Carlo method, using rigorous formulas of electron scattering events, i.e. elastic and inelastic scattering cross-sections, ionization loss and plasmon excitation. The simulation results are substantially agreement with experiments. (author)

Nanoscale Energy-Filtered Scanning Confocal Electron Microscopy Using a Double-Aberration-Corrected Transmission Electron Microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Peng; Behan, Gavin; Kirkland, Angus I.; Nellist, Peter D.; Takeguchi, Masaki; Hashimoto, Ayako; Mitsuishi, Kazutaka; Shimojo, Masayuki

2010-01-01

We demonstrate that a transmission electron microscope fitted with two spherical-aberration correctors can be operated as an energy-filtered scanning confocal electron microscope. A method for establishing this mode is described and initial results showing 3D chemical mapping with nanoscale sensitivity to height and thickness changes in a carbon film are presented. Importantly, uncorrected chromatic aberration does not limit the depth resolution of this technique and moreover performs an energy-filtering role, which is explained in terms of a combined depth and energy-loss response function.

Development of a secondary electron energy analyzer for a transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Magara, Hideyuki; Tomita, Takeshi; Kondo, Yukihito; Sato, Takafumi; Akase, Zentaro; Shindo, Daisuke

2018-04-01

A secondary electron (SE) energy analyzer was developed for a transmission electron microscope. The analyzer comprises a microchannel plate (MCP) for detecting electrons, a coil for collecting SEs emitted from the specimen, a tube for reducing the number of backscattered electrons incident on the MCP, and a retarding mesh for selecting the energy of SEs incident on the MCP. The detection of the SEs associated with charging phenomena around a charged specimen was attempted by performing electron holography and SE spectroscopy using the energy analyzer. The results suggest that it is possible to obtain the energy spectra of SEs using the analyzer and the charging states of a specimen by electron holography simultaneously.

The Design and Construction of a Simple Transmission Electron Microscope for Educational Purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hearsey, Paul K.

This document presents a model for a simple transmission electron microscope for educational purposes. This microscope could demonstrate thermonic emission, particle acceleration, electron deflection, and flourescence. It is designed to be used in high school science courses, particularly physics, taking into account the size, weight, complexity…

Zn nanoparticle formation in FIB irradiated single crystal ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Pea, M.; Barucca, G.; Notargiacomo, A.; Di Gaspare, L.; Mussi, V.

2018-03-01

We report on the formation of Zn nanoparticles induced by Ga+ focused ion beam on single crystal ZnO. The irradiated materials have been studied as a function of the ion dose by means of atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, evidencing the presence of Zn nanoparticles with size of the order of 5-30 nm. The nanoparticles are found to be embedded in a shallow amorphous ZnO matrix few tens of nanometers thick. Results reveal that ion beam induced Zn clustering occurs producing crystalline particles with the same hexagonal lattice and orientation of the substrate, and could explain the alteration of optical and electrical properties found for FIB fabricated and processed ZnO based devices.

NEXAFS Study of the Annealing Effect on the Local Structure of FIB-CVD DLC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saikubo, Akihiko; Kato, Yuri; Igaki, Jun-ya; Kanda, Kazuhiro; Matsui, Shinji; Kometani, Reo

2007-01-01

Annealing effect on the local structure of diamond like carbon (DLC) formed by focused ion beam-chemical vapor deposition (FIB-CVD) was investigated by the measurement of near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectra. Carbon K edge absorption NEXAFS spectrum of FIB-CVD DLC was measured in the energy range of 275-320 eV. In order to obtain the information on the location of the gallium in the depth direction, incidence angle dependence of NEXAFS spectrum was measured in the incident angle range from 0 deg. to 60 deg. . The peak intensity corresponding to the resonance transition of 1s→σ* originating from carbon-gallium increased from the FIB-CVD DLC annealed at 200 deg. C to the FIB-CVD DLC annealed at 400 deg. C and decreased from that at 400 deg. C to that at 600 deg. C. Especially, the intensity of this peak remarkably enhanced in the NEXAFS spectrum of the FIB-CVD DLC annealed at 400 deg. C at the incident angle of 60 deg. . On the contrary, the peak intensity corresponding to the resonance transition of 1s→π* originating from carbon double bonding of emission spectrum decreased from the FIB-CVD DLC annealed at 200 deg. C to that at 400 deg. C and increased from that at 400 deg. C to that at 600 deg. C. Gallium concentration in the FIB-CVD DLC decreased from ≅2.2% of the as-deposited FIB-CVD DLC to ≅1.5% of the FIB-CVD DLC annealed at 600 deg. C from the elementary analysis using EDX. Both experimental results indicated that gallium atom departed from FIB-CVD DLC by annealing at the temperature of 600 deg. C

Damage-free vibrational spectroscopy of biological materials in the electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Rez, Peter; Aoki, Toshihiro; March, Katia; Gur, Dvir; Krivanek, Ondrej L; Dellby, Niklas; Lovejoy, Tracy C; Wolf, Sharon G; Cohen, Hagai

2016-03-10

Vibrational spectroscopy in the electron microscope would be transformative in the study of biological samples, provided that radiation damage could be prevented. However, electron beams typically create high-energy excitations that severely accelerate sample degradation. Here this major difficulty is overcome using an 'aloof' electron beam, positioned tens of nanometres away from the sample: high-energy excitations are suppressed, while vibrational modes of energies electron energy loss spectra from biogenic guanine crystals in their native state, resolving their characteristic C-H, N-H and C=O vibrational signatures with no observable radiation damage. The technique opens up the possibility of non-damaging compositional analyses of organic functional groups, including non-crystalline biological materials, at a spatial resolution of ∼10 nm, simultaneously combined with imaging in the electron microscope.

Acute radiation nephritis. Light and electron microscopic observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapur, S.; Chandra, R.; Antonovych, T.

1977-01-01

Light and electron microscopy were used to observe acute radiation nephritis. By light microscopy the changes were of fibrinoid necrosis of the arteries and arterioles with segmental necrosis of the glomerular tufts. By electron microscopy the endocapillary cells reacted by hypertrophy and hyperplasia with increase in cytoplasmic organelles. In addition, disruption of endothelial and epithelial cells from the basement membranes were seen. It is concluded that the electron microscopic changes were unique and may be helpful in differentiating the necrotizing glomerulitis seen in other conditions, especially malignant hypertension

Heat- and radiation-resistant scintillator for electron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosov, A.V.; Petrov, S.A.; Puzyr', A.P.; Chetvergov, N.A.

1987-01-01

The use of a scintillator consisting of a single crystal of bismuth orthogermanate, which has high heat and radiation resistance, in REM-100, REM-200, and REM-100U electron microscopes is described. A study of the heat and radiation stabilities of single crystals of bismuth orthogermanate (Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 ) has shown that they withstood multiple electron-beam heating redness (T ∼ 800 0 C) without changes in their properties

Spherical aberration correction in a scanning transmission electron microscope using a sculpted thin film.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiloh, Roy; Remez, Roei; Lu, Peng-Han; Jin, Lei; Lereah, Yossi; Tavabi, Amir H; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E; Arie, Ady

2018-06-01

Nearly eighty years ago, Scherzer showed that rotationally symmetric, charge-free, static electron lenses are limited by an unavoidable, positive spherical aberration. Following a long struggle, a major breakthrough in the spatial resolution of electron microscopes was reached two decades ago by abandoning the first of these conditions, with the successful development of multipole aberration correctors. Here, we use a refractive silicon nitride thin film to tackle the second of Scherzer's constraints and demonstrate an alternative method for correcting spherical aberration in a scanning transmission electron microscope. We reveal features in Si and Cu samples that cannot be resolved in an uncorrected microscope. Our thin film corrector can be implemented as an immediate low cost upgrade to existing electron microscopes without re-engineering of the electron column or complicated operation protocols and can be extended to the correction of additional aberrations. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of an environmental high-voltage electron microscope for reaction science.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Nobuo; Usukura, Jiro; Kusunoki, Michiko; Saito, Yahachi; Sasaki, Katuhiro; Tanji, Takayoshi; Muto, Shunsuke; Arai, Shigeo

2013-02-01

Environmental transmission electron microscopy and ultra-high resolution electron microscopic observation using aberration correctors have recently emerged as topics of great interest. The former method is an extension of the so-called in situ electron microscopy that has been performed since the 1970s. Current research in this area has been focusing on dynamic observation with atomic resolution under gaseous atmospheres and in liquids. Since 2007, Nagoya University has been developing a new 1-MV high voltage (scanning) transmission electron microscope that can be used to observe nanomaterials under conditions that include the presence of gases, liquids and illuminating lights, and it can be also used to perform mechanical operations to nanometre-sized areas as well as electron tomography and elemental analysis by electron energy loss spectroscopy. The new instrument has been used to image and analyse various types of samples including biological ones.

Optimization of FIB milling for rapid NEMS prototyping

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malm, Bjarke; Petersen, Dirch Hjorth; Lei, Anders

2011-01-01

We demonstrate an optimized milling technique to focused ion beam (FIB) milling in template silicon membranes for fast prototyping of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Using a single-pass milling strategy the highly topology dependent sputtering rate is boosted and shorter milling time...... is achieved. Drift independence is obtained for small critical features using a radial scan strategy, and a back scan routine ensures minimal line width deviation removing redeposited material. Milling a design similar to a nano four-point probe with a pitch down to 400nm we display what optimized FIB milling...

Closed-Loop Autofocus Scheme for Scanning Electron Microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cui Le

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a full scale autofocus approach for scanning electron microscope (SEM. The optimal focus (in-focus position of the microscope is achieved by maximizing the image sharpness using a vision-based closed-loop control scheme. An iterative optimization algorithm has been designed using the sharpness score derived from image gradient information. The proposed method has been implemented and validated using a tungsten gun SEM at various experimental conditions like varying raster scan speed, magnification at real-time. We demonstrate that the proposed autofocus technique is accurate, robust and fast.

Dual ion beam irradiation system for in situ observation with electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukamoto, Tetuo; Hojou, Kiiti; Furuno, Sigemi; Otsu, Hitosi; Izui, Kazuhiko.

1993-01-01

We have developed a new in situ observation system for dynamic processes under dual ion beam irradiation. The system consists of a modified 400 keV analytical electron microscope (JEOL, JEM-4000FX) and two 40 kV ion beam accelerators. This system allows evaluation of microscopic changes of structure and chemical bonding state of materials in the dynamic processes under two kinds of ion beam irradiations, that is required for the simulation test of the first wall of nuclear fusion reactors onto which He + , H + , and H 2 + ions are irradiated simultaneously. These two ion accelerators were equipped symmetrically both sides of the electron microscope and individually controlled. Each ion beam extracted from a duo-plasmatron ion gun is bent downward by an angle of 30deg with a mass-separating magnet, and introduced into specimen chamber of the electron microscope. Inside the specimen chamber the beam is deflected again by an angle of 30deg with an electrostatic prism so as to be incident on the specimen surface. Finally, two ion beams from both side are incident on the specimen surface at an angle of 60deg. The maximum ion current density of helium is more than 250μA/cm 2 at the specimen at an ion energy of 17 keV. Images of the electron microscope during dual ion beam irradiation are observed through a TV camera and recorded with a VTR. (author)

Study of Scanning Tunneling Microscope control electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliva, A.J.; Pancarobo, M.; Denisenko, N.; Aguilar, M.; Rejon, V.; Pena, J.L.

1994-01-01

A theoretical study of Scanning Tunneling Microscope control electronics is made. The knowledge of its behaviour allows us to determine accurately the region where the unstable operation could effect the measurements, and also to set the optimal working parameters. Each feedback circuitry compound is discussed as well as their mutual interaction. Different working conditions analysis and results are presented. (Author) 12 refs

Pulsed Power for a Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

dehope, w j; browning, n; campbell, g; cook, e; king, w; lagrange, t; reed, b; stuart, b; Shuttlesworth, R; Pyke, B

2009-06-25

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has converted a commercial 200kV transmission electron microscope (TEM) into an ultrafast, nanoscale diagnostic tool for material science studies. The resulting Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM) has provided a unique tool for the study of material phase transitions, reaction front analyses, and other studies in the fields of chemistry, materials science, and biology. The TEM's thermionic electron emission source was replaced with a fast photocathode and a laser beam path was provided for ultraviolet surface illumination. The resulting photoelectron beam gives downstream images of 2 and 20 ns exposure times at 100 and 10 nm spatial resolution. A separate laser, used as a pump pulse, is used to heat, ignite, or shock samples while the photocathode electron pulses, carefully time-synchronized with the pump, function as probe in fast transient studies. The device functions in both imaging and diffraction modes. A laser upgrade is underway to make arbitrary cathode pulse trains of variable pulse width of 10-1000 ns. Along with a fast e-beam deflection scheme, a 'movie mode' capability will be added to this unique diagnostic tool. This talk will review conventional electron microscopy and its limitations, discuss the development and capabilities of DTEM, in particularly addressing the prime and pulsed power considerations in the design and fabrication of the DTEM, and conclude with the presentation of a deflector and solid-state pulser design for Movie-Mode DTEM.

Pulsed Power for a Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeHope, W.J.; Browning, N.; Campbell, G.; Cook, E.; King, W.; Lagrange, T.; Reed, B.; Stuart, B.; Shuttlesworth, R.; Pyke, B.

2009-01-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has converted a commercial 200kV transmission electron microscope (TEM) into an ultrafast, nanoscale diagnostic tool for material science studies. The resulting Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM) has provided a unique tool for the study of material phase transitions, reaction front analyses, and other studies in the fields of chemistry, materials science, and biology. The TEM's thermionic electron emission source was replaced with a fast photocathode and a laser beam path was provided for ultraviolet surface illumination. The resulting photoelectron beam gives downstream images of 2 and 20 ns exposure times at 100 and 10 nm spatial resolution. A separate laser, used as a pump pulse, is used to heat, ignite, or shock samples while the photocathode electron pulses, carefully time-synchronized with the pump, function as probe in fast transient studies. The device functions in both imaging and diffraction modes. A laser upgrade is underway to make arbitrary cathode pulse trains of variable pulse width of 10-1000 ns. Along with a fast e-beam deflection scheme, a 'movie mode' capability will be added to this unique diagnostic tool. This talk will review conventional electron microscopy and its limitations, discuss the development and capabilities of DTEM, in particularly addressing the prime and pulsed power considerations in the design and fabrication of the DTEM, and conclude with the presentation of a deflector and solid-state pulser design for Movie-Mode DTEM

Interaction of electrons with light metal hydrides in the transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yongming; Wakasugi, Takenobu; Isobe, Shigehito; Hashimoto, Naoyuki; Ohnuki, Somei

2014-12-01

Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation of light metal hydrides is complicated by the instability of these materials under electron irradiation. In this study, the electron kinetic energy dependences of the interactions of incident electrons with lithium, sodium and magnesium hydrides, as well as the constituting element effect on the interactions, were theoretically discussed, and electron irradiation damage to these hydrides was examined using in situ TEM. The results indicate that high incident electron kinetic energy helps alleviate the irradiation damage resulting from inelastic or elastic scattering of the incident electrons in the TEM. Therefore, observations and characterizations of these materials would benefit from increased, instead decreased, TEM operating voltage. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Path-separated electron interferometry in a scanning transmission electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Yasin, Fehmi S.; Harvey, Tyler R.; Chess, Jordan J.; Pierce, Jordan S.; McMorran, Benjamin J.

2018-05-01

We report a path-separated electron interferometer within a scanning transmission electron microscope. In this setup, we use a nanofabricated grating as an amplitude-division beamsplitter to prepare multiple spatially separated, coherent electron probe beams. We achieve path separations of 30 nm. We pass the  +1 diffraction order probe through amorphous carbon while passing the 0th and  ‑1 orders through vacuum. The probes are then made to interfere via imaging optics, and we observe an interference pattern at the CCD detector with up to 39.7% fringe visibility. We show preliminary experimental results in which the interference pattern was recorded during a 1D scan of the diffracted probes across a test phase object. These results qualitatively agree with a modeled interference predicted by an independent measurement of the specimen thickness. This experimental design can potentially be applied to phase contrast imaging and fundamental physics experiments, such as an exploration of electron wave packet coherence length.

Microscopic Electron Dynamics in Metal Nanoparticles for Photovoltaic Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Kluczyk

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Nanoparticles—regularly patterned or randomly dispersed—are a key ingredient for emerging technologies in photonics. Of particular interest are scattering and field enhancement effects of metal nanoparticles for energy harvesting and converting systems. An often neglected aspect in the modeling of nanoparticles are light interaction effects at the ultimate nanoscale beyond classical electrodynamics. Those arise from microscopic electron dynamics in confined systems, the accelerated motion in the plasmon oscillation and the quantum nature of the free electron gas in metals, such as Coulomb repulsion and electron diffusion. We give a detailed account on free electron phenomena in metal nanoparticles and discuss analytic expressions stemming from microscopic (Random Phase Approximation—RPA and semi-classical (hydrodynamic theories. These can be incorporated into standard computational schemes to produce more reliable results on the optical properties of metal nanoparticles. We combine these solutions into a single framework and study systematically their joint impact on isolated Au, Ag, and Al nanoparticles as well as dimer structures. The spectral position of the plasmon resonance and its broadening as well as local field enhancement show an intriguing dependence on the particle size due to the relevance of additional damping channels.

Transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with scintillation gaseous detection device.

Science.gov (United States)

Danilatos, Gerasimos; Kollia, Mary; Dracopoulos, Vassileios

2015-03-01

A transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with use of a scintillation gaseous detection device has been implemented. This corresponds to a transmission scanning electron microscope but with addition of a gaseous environment acting both as environmental and detection medium. A commercial type of low vacuum machine has been employed together with appropriate modifications to the detection configuration. This involves controlled screening of various emitted signals in conjunction with a scintillation gaseous detection device already provided with the machine for regular surface imaging. Dark field and bright field imaging has been obtained along with other detection conditions. With a progressive series of modifications and tests, the theory and practice of a novel type of microscopy is briefly shown now ushering further significant improvements and developments in electron microscopy as a whole. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric scanning electron microscope observes cells and tissues in open medium through silicon nitride film.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishiyama, Hidetoshi; Suga, Mitsuo; Ogura, Toshihiko; Maruyama, Yuusuke; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Mio, Kazuhiro; Kitamura, Shinichi; Sato, Chikara

2010-03-01

Direct observation of subcellular structures and their characterization is essential for understanding their physiological functions. To observe them in open environment, we have developed an inverted scanning electron microscope with a detachable, open-culture dish, capable of 8 nm resolution, and combined with a fluorescence microscope quasi-simultaneously observing the same area from the top. For scanning electron microscopy from the bottom, a silicon nitride film window in the base of the dish maintains a vacuum between electron gun and open sample dish while allowing electrons to pass through. Electrons are backscattered from the sample and captured by a detector under the dish. Cells cultured on the open dish can be externally manipulated under optical microscopy, fixed, and observed using scanning electron microscopy. Once fine structures have been revealed by scanning electron microscopy, their component proteins may be identified by comparison with separately prepared fluorescence-labeled optical microscopic images of the candidate proteins, with their heavy-metal-labeled or stained ASEM images. Furthermore, cell nuclei in a tissue block stained with platinum-blue were successfully observed without thin-sectioning, which suggests the applicability of this inverted scanning electron microscope to cancer diagnosis. This microscope visualizes mesoscopic-scale structures, and is also applicable to non-bioscience fields including polymer chemistry. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The monomeric, tetrameric, and fibrillar organization of Fib: the dynamic building block of the bacterial linear motor of Spiroplasma melliferum BC3.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen-Krausz, Sara; Cabahug, Pamela C; Trachtenberg, Shlomo

2011-07-08

Spiroplasmas belong to the class Mollicutes, representing the minimal, free-living, and self-replicating forms of life. Spiroplasmas are helical wall-less bacteria and the only ones known to swim by means of a linear motor (rather than the near-universal rotary bacterial motor). The linear motor follows the shortest path along the cell's helical membranal tube. The motor is composed of a flat monolayered ribbon of seven parallel fibrils and is believed to function in controlling cell helicity and motility through dynamic, coordinated, differential length changes in the fibrils. The latter cause local perturbations of helical symmetry, which are essential for net directional displacement in environments with a low Reynolds number. The underlying fibrils' core building block is a circular tetramer of the 59-kDa protein Fib. The fibrils' differential length changes are believed to be driven by molecular switching of Fib, leading consequently to axial ratio and length changes in tetrameric rings. Using cryo electron microscopy, diffractometry, single-particle analysis of isolated ribbons, and sequence analyses of Fib, we determined the overall molecular organization of the Fib monomer, tetramer, fibril, and linear motor of Spiroplasma melliferum BC3 that underlies cell geometry and motility. Fib appears to be a bidomained molecule, of which the N-terminal half is apparently a globular phosphorylase. By a combination of reversible rotation and diagonal shift of Fib monomers, the tetramer adopts either a cross-like nonhanded conformation or a ring-like handed conformation. The sense of Fib rotation may determine the handedness of the linear motor and, eventually, of the cell. A further change in the axial ratio of the ring-like tetramers controls fibril lengths and the consequent helical geometry. Analysis of tetramer quadrants from adjacent fibrils clearly demonstrates local differential fibril lengths. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Instrumentation at the National Center for Electron Microscopy: the Atomic Resolution Microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gronsky, R.; Thomas, G.

1983-01-01

The Atomic Resolution Microscope (ARM) is one of two unique high voltage electron microscopes at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM). The latest results from this new instrument which was manufactured by JEOL, Ltd. to the performance specifications of the NCEM, delivered in January of 1983, and soon to be open to access by the entire microscopy community are given. Details of its history and development are given and its performance specifications are reviewed

Indigenous development of scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambastha, K.P.; Chaudhari, Y.V.; Pal, Suvadip; Tikaria, Amit; Pious, Lizy; Dubey, B.P.; Chadda, V.K.

2009-01-01

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a precision instrument and plays very important role in scientific studies. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has taken up the job of development of SEM indigenously. Standard and commercially available components like computer, high voltage power supply, detectors etc. shall be procured from market. Focusing and scanning coils, vacuum chamber, specimen stage, control hardware and software etc. shall be developed at BARC with the help of Indian industry. Procurement, design and fabrication of various parts of SEM are in progress. (author)

Development of spin-polarized transmission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuwahara, M; Saitoh, K; Tanaka, N; Takeda, Y; Ujihara, T; Asano, H; Nakanishi, T

2011-01-01

In order to study spin related phenomena in nano-size materials, spin-polarized electron source (PES) has been employed for the incident beam in transmission electron microscope (TEM). The PES has been designed and constructed with optimizing for spin-polarized TEM. The illuminating system of TEM is also designed to focus the spin-polarized electron beam emitted from a semiconductor photocathode with a negative electron affinity (NEA) surface. The beam energy is set to below 40 keV which is lower energy type as a TEM, because the spin interaction with condensed matters is very small corresponding with a Coulomb interaction. The polarized electron gun has realized in an extra high vacuum (XHV) condition and high field gradient of 4 MV/m on a surface of photocathode. Furthermore, it demonstrated that 40-keV polarized electron beam was operated with a sub-milli second pulse mode by using the backside excitation type photocathode. This high performance PES will make it possible to observe dynamically a magnetic field images with high contrast and highspeed temporal imaging in TEM.

A developed wedge fixtures assisted high precision TEM samples pre-thinning method: Towards the batch lamella preparation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dandan Wang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Ion milling, wedge cutting or polishing, and focused ion beam (FIB milling are widely-used techniques for the transmission electron microscope (TEM sample preparation. Especially, the FIB milling provides a site-specific analysis, deposition, and ablation of materials in the micrometer and nanometer scale. However, the cost of FIB tools has been always a significant concern. Since it is inevitable to use the FIB technique, the improvement of efficiency is a key point. Traditional TEM sample preparation with FIB was routinely implemented on a single sample each time. Aiming at cost efficiency, a new pre-thinning technique for batch sample preparation was developed in this paper. The present proposal combines the sample preparation techniques with multi-samples thinning, cross-section scanning electron microscopy (SEM, wedge cutting, FIB and other sample pre-thinning techniques. The new pre-thinning technique is to prepare an edge TEM sample on a grinding and polishing fixture with a slant surface. The thickness of the wedges sample can be measured to 1∼2 μm under optical microscope. Therefore, this fixture is superior to the traditional optical method of estimating the membrane thickness. Moreover, by utilizing a multi-sample holding fixture, more samples can be pre-thinned simultaneously, which significantly improved the productivity of TEM sample preparation.

Post Irradiation TEM Investigation of ZrN Coated U(Mo) Particles Prepared with FIB

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Renterghem, W.; Leenaers, A.; Van den Berghe, S.; Miller, B. D.; Gan, J.; Madden, J. W.; Keiser, D. D.; Palancher, H.; Hofman, G. L.; Breitkreuz, H.

2015-10-01

In the framework of the Selenium project, two dispersion fuel plates were fabricated with Si and ZrN coated fuel particles and irradiated in the Br2 reactor of SCK•CEN to high burn-up. The first analysis of the irradiated plate proved the reduced swelling of the fuel plate and interaction layer growth up to 70% burn-up. The question was raised how the structure of the interaction layer had been affected by the irradiation and how the structure of the fuel particles had evolved. Hereto, samples from the ZrN coated UMo particles were prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using focused ion beam milling (FIB) at INL. The FIB technique allowed to precisely select the area of the interaction layer and/or fuel to produce a sample that is TEM transparent over an area of 20 by 20 µm. In this contribution, the first TEM results will be presented from the 66% burn-up sample.

An investigation of the electron irradiation of graphite in a helium atmosphere using a modified electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burden, A.P.; Hutchison, J.L.

1997-01-01

The behaviour of graphite particles immersed in helium gas and irradiated with an electron-beam has been investigated. Because this treatment was performed in a modified high resolution transmission electron microscope, the rapid morphological and microstructural changes that occurred could be directly observed. The results have implications for future controlled environment microscopy of carbonaceous materials and the characterisation of such microscopes. It is also shown that the processes can provide insight into ion-irradiation induced damage of graphite and the mechanism of fullerene generation. (Author)

Microscopic appearance analysis of raw material used for the production of sintered UO2 by scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu feiming

1992-01-01

The paper describes the microscopic appearance of UO 2 , U 3 O 8 , ADU and AUC powders used for the production of sintered UO 2 slug of nuclear fuel component of PWR. The characteristic analysis of the microscopic appearance observed by scanning electron microscope shows that the quality and finished product rate of sintered UO 2 depend on the appearance characteristic of the active Uo 2 powder, such as grade size and its distribution, spherulitized extent, surface condition and heap model etc.. The addition of U 3 O 8 to the UO 2 powder improves significantly the quality and the finished product rate. The mechanism of this effect is discussed on the basis of the microscopic appearance characteristic for two kinds of powder

Real-time observation of FIB-created dots and ripples on GaAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rose, F; Fujita, H; Kawakatsu, H

2008-01-01

We report a phenomenological study of Ga dots and ripples created by a focused ion beam (FIB) on the GaAs(001) surface. Real-time observation of dot diffusion and ripple formation was made possible by recording FIB movies. In the case of FIB irradiation with a 40 nA current of Ga + ions accelerated under 40 kV with an incidence angle of θ = 30 0 , increasing ion dose gives rise to three different regimes. In Regime 1, dots with lateral sizes in the range 50-460 nm are formed. Dots diffuse under continuous sputtering. In Regime 2, dots self-assemble into Bradley and Harper (BH) type ripples with a pseudo-period of λ = 1150 ± 25 nm. In Regime 3, ripples are eroded and the surface topology evolves into microplanes. In the case of normal incidence, FIB sputtering leads only to the formation of dots, without surface rippling

TEM sample preparation by FIB for carbon nanotube interconnects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ke, Xiaoxing; Bals, Sara; Romo Negreira, Ainhoa; Hantschel, Thomas; Bender, Hugo; Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf

2009-01-01

A powerful method to study carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown in patterned substrates for potential interconnects applications is transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, high-quality TEM samples are necessary for such a study. Here, TEM specimen preparation by focused ion beam (FIB) has been used to obtain lamellae of patterned samples containing CNTs grown inside contact holes. A dual-cap Pt protection layer and an extensive 5 kV cleaning procedure are applied in order to preserve the CNTs and avoid deterioration during milling. TEM results show that the inner shell structure of the carbon nanotubes has been preserved, which proves that focused ion beam is a useful technique to prepare TEM samples of CNT interconnects.

TEM sample preparation by FIB for carbon nanotube interconnects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ke, Xiaoxing, E-mail: xiaoxing.ke@ua.ac.be [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Bals, Sara [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Romo Negreira, Ainhoa [IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Department, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, Leuven B-3001 (Belgium); Hantschel, Thomas; Bender, Hugo [IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

2009-10-15

A powerful method to study carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown in patterned substrates for potential interconnects applications is transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, high-quality TEM samples are necessary for such a study. Here, TEM specimen preparation by focused ion beam (FIB) has been used to obtain lamellae of patterned samples containing CNTs grown inside contact holes. A dual-cap Pt protection layer and an extensive 5 kV cleaning procedure are applied in order to preserve the CNTs and avoid deterioration during milling. TEM results show that the inner shell structure of the carbon nanotubes has been preserved, which proves that focused ion beam is a useful technique to prepare TEM samples of CNT interconnects.

Field emission from individual multiwalled carbon nanotubes prepared in an electron microscope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jonge, N.; van Druten, N.J.

2003-01-01

Individual multiwalled carbon nanotube field emitters were prepared in a scanning electron microscope. The angular current density, energy spectra, and the emission stability of the field-emitted electrons were measured. An estimate of the electron source brightness was extracted from the

Spin polarized electron source technology transferred from HE accelerators to electron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakanishi, Tsutomu

2009-01-01

For many years, we have developed a technology of spin-polarized-electron-source (PES) for a future linear collider project (ILC). Various new techniques for achieving high polarization, high quantum efficiency, high current density, sub-nanosecond multi-bunch generation etc. were developed. Two fundamental technologies; reduction of dark current and preparation of extremely high vacuum environment to protect the Negative Electron Affinity (NEA) surface have been also developed. Using these PES technologies and a new transmission type photocathode, we recently succeeded in producing the high brightness and high polarization electron beam for the low energy electron microscope (LEEM). Our Spin-LEEM system enables the world-first dynamic observation of surface magnetic domain formed by evaporation on the metal substrate with ∼ 20 nm space resolutions. (author)

A new clustering algorithm for scanning electron microscope images

Science.gov (United States)

Yousef, Amr; Duraisamy, Prakash; Karim, Mohammad

2016-04-01

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. The electrons interact with the sample atoms, producing various signals that are collected by detectors. The gathered signals contain information about the sample's surface topography and composition. The electron beam is generally scanned in a raster scan pattern, and the beam's position is combined with the detected signal to produce an image. The most common configuration for an SEM produces a single value per pixel, with the results usually rendered as grayscale images. The captured images may be produced with insufficient brightness, anomalous contrast, jagged edges, and poor quality due to low signal-to-noise ratio, grained topography and poor surface details. The segmentation of the SEM images is a tackling problems in the presence of the previously mentioned distortions. In this paper, we are stressing on the clustering of these type of images. In that sense, we evaluate the performance of the well-known unsupervised clustering and classification techniques such as connectivity based clustering (hierarchical clustering), centroid-based clustering, distribution-based clustering and density-based clustering. Furthermore, we propose a new spatial fuzzy clustering technique that works efficiently on this type of images and compare its results against these regular techniques in terms of clustering validation metrics.

Use of a scanning electron microscope for examining radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauffmann, Yves; Prouve, Michel.

1981-05-01

The LAMA laboratory of the Grenoble Nuclear Research Center participates in studies carried out by research teams on fuels. Post-irradiation studies are performed on irradiated pins for research and development and safety programs. A scanning electron microscope was acquired for this purpose. This microscope had to fulfill certain criteria: it had to be sufficiently compact for it to be housed in a lead enclosure; it had to be capable of being adapted to operate with remote handling control. The modifications made to this microscope are briefly described together with the ancillary equipment of the cell. In parallel with these operations, an interconnection was realized enabling materials to be transferred between the various sampling and sample preparation cells and the microscope cell with a small transfer cask. After two years operating experience the microscope performance has been assessed satisfactory. The specific radioactivity of the samples themselves cannot be incriminated as the only cause of loss in resolution at magnifications greater than x 10,000 [fr

Structure Identification in High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopic Images

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Jacob Schack; Kling, Jens; Dahl, Anders Bjorholm

2014-01-01

A connection between microscopic structure and macroscopic properties is expected for almost all material systems. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy is a technique offering insight into the atomic structure, but the analysis of large image series can be time consuming. The present ...

Three-Dimensional Orientation Mapping in the Transmission Electron Microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Haihua; Schmidt, Søren; Poulsen, Henning Friis

2011-01-01

resolution of 200 nanometers (nm). We describe here a nondestructive technique that enables 3D orientation mapping in the transmission electron microscope of mono- and multiphase nanocrystalline materials with a spatial resolution reaching 1 nm. We demonstrate the technique by an experimental study...

Some applications of the high voltage electron microscope in physical metallurgy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regnier, P.; Thomas de Montpreville, C.

1976-01-01

The high voltage electron microscope (HVEM) is a microscope with a much higher penetration than the usual ones, as well as being a remarkable irradiation machine. The possible applications of the HVEM related to its advantages over the conventional microscopes are first discussed. The simultaneous use of the HVEM as an irradiation machine and an observation tool is then discussed, experiments carried in the laboratory being referred to. The last use of the HVEM makes it an irreplaceable tool for continuously following the clustering of irradiation defects [fr

Minimal exposure technique in the Cambridge University 600kV high resolution electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fryer, J.R.; Cleaver, J.R.A.; Smith, D.J.

1980-01-01

Radiation damage due to the incident electron beam imposes a fundamental limitation on the information obtainable by electron microscopy about organic materials; it is desirable therefore that exposure of the specimen to the electron beam should be restricted to the actual period during which the image is being recorded. A description is given of methods employed in the observation of the organic aromatic hydrocarbons quaterrylene, ovalene and coronene with the Cambridge University 600kV high resolution electron microscope (HREM). In particular, the condenser-objective mode of operation of this microscope lends itself to the use of an area-defining aperture below the second condenser lens conjugate with the specimen. Furthermore, operation at the higher accelerating voltage of this instrument could be anticipated to reduce the rate of damage, depending on the dominant beam-specimen interaction, whilst the increased width of the first broad band of the contrast transfer function of this microscope at the optimum defocus may overcome the reported resolution limitation of current 100kV microscopes for the observation of related materials. (author)

Electron microscopic evaluation of a gold glaucoma micro shunt after explantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, Thomas A; Tam, Diamond Y; Werner, Liliana; Mamalis, Nick; Ahmed, Iqbal Ike K

2015-03-01

We present a case of an explanted gold glaucoma micro shunt (GMS Plus) and the subsequent light and electron microscopic analyses. The shunt was implanted in a patient with medically refractive glaucoma. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was stable at 12 mm Hg 6 months postoperatively but spiked to 26 mm Hg 6 months later; membranous growth was visible on the implant gonioscopically. A second gold micro shunt was placed 2 years after the first. The IOP was 7 mm Hg 1 week postoperatively but increased to 23 mm Hg 3 weeks later; similar membranous growth was visible on this implant. One of the shunts was explanted, and light and scanning electron microscopic analyses revealed encapsulation around the shunt exterior and connective tissue invasion of the microstructure. This represents the first electron microscopic analysis of an explanted gold glaucoma micro shunt and the first unequivocal images of the fibrotic pseudo-capsule traversing its microchannels and fenestrations. Dr. Ahmed is a consultant to and has received research grants from Solx, Inc. No other author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fast three-dimensional nanoscale metrology in dual-beam FIB-SEM instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repetto, Luca; Buzio, Renato; Denurchis, Carlo; Firpo, Giuseppe; Piano, Emanuele; Valbusa, Ugo

2009-01-01

A quantitative surface reconstruction technique has been developed for the geometric characterization of three-dimensional structures by using a combined focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) instrument. A regular pattern of lines is milled at normal incidence on the sample to be characterized and an image is acquired at a large tilt angle. By analyzing the pattern under the tilted view, a quantitative estimation of surface heights is obtained. The technique has been applied to a test sample and nanoscale resolution has been achieved. The reported results are validated by a comparison with atomic force microscopy measurements.

A transmission positron microscope and a scanning positron microscope being built at KEK, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyama, M.; Inoue, M.; Kogure, Y.; Kurihara, T.; Yagishita, A.; Shidara, T.; Nakahara, K.; Hayashi, Y.; Yoshiie, T.

2001-01-01

This paper reports the plans of positron microscopes being built at KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization), Tsukuba, Japan improving used electron microscopes. The kinetic energies of positron produced by accelerators or by nuclear decays have not a unique value but show a spread over in a wide range. Positron beam will be guided near electron microscopes, a transmission electron microscope (JEM100S) and a scanning electron microscope (JSM25S). Positrons are slowed down by a tungsten foil, accelerated and focused on a nickel sheet. The monochromatic focused beam will be injected into an electron microscope. The focusing of positrons and electrons is achieved by magnetic system of the electron microscopes. Imaging plates are used to record positron images for the transmission electron microscope. (orig.)

Three-dimensional optical transfer functions in the aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, L; Nellist, P D

2014-05-01

In the scanning transmission electron microscope, hardware aberration correctors can now correct for the positive spherical aberration of round electron lenses. These correctors make use of nonround optics such as hexapoles or octupoles, leading to the limiting aberrations often being of a nonround type. Here we explore the effect of a number of potential limiting aberrations on the imaging performance of the scanning transmission electron microscope through their resulting optical transfer functions. In particular, the response of the optical transfer function to changes in defocus are examined, given that this is the final aberration to be tuned just before image acquisition. The resulting three-dimensional optical transfer functions also allow an assessment of the performance of a system for focal-series experiments or optical sectioning applications. © 2014 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2014 Royal Microscopical Society.

Transmission positron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyama, Masao; Kogure, Yoshiaki; Inoue, Miyoshi; Kurihara, Toshikazu; Yoshiie, Toshimasa; Oshima, Ryuichiro; Matsuya, Miyuki

2006-01-01

Immediate and near-future plans for transmission positron microscopes being built at KEK, Tsukuba, Japan, are described. The characteristic feature of this project is remolding a commercial electron microscope to a positron microscope. A point source of electrons kept at a negative high voltage is changed to a point source of positrons kept at a high positive voltage. Positional resolution of transmission microscopes should be theoretically the same as electron microscopes. Positron microscopes utilizing trapping of positrons have always positional ambiguity due to the diffusion of positrons

Electron Source Brightness and Illumination Semi-Angle Distribution Measurement in a Transmission Electron Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Börrnert, Felix; Renner, Julian; Kaiser, Ute

2018-05-21

The electron source brightness is an important parameter in an electron microscope. Reliable and easy brightness measurement routes are not easily found. A determination method for the illumination semi-angle distribution in transmission electron microscopy is even less well documented. Herein, we report a simple measurement route for both entities and demonstrate it on a state-of-the-art instrument. The reduced axial brightness of the FEI X-FEG with a monochromator was determined to be larger than 108 A/(m2 sr V).

A new approach to nuclear microscopy: The ion-electron emission microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, B.L.; Vizkelethy, G.; Walsh, D.S.; Senftinger, B.; Mellon, M.

1998-01-01

A new multidimensional high lateral resolution ion beam analysis technique, Ion-Electron Emission Microscopy or IEEM is described. Using MeV energy ions, IEEM is shown to be capable of Ion Beam Induced Charge Collection (IBICC) measurements in semiconductors. IEEM should also be capable of microscopically and multidimensionally mapping the surface and bulk composition of solids. As such, IIEM has nearly identical capabilities as traditional nuclear microprobe analysis, with the advantage that the ion beam does not have to be focused. The technique is based on determining the position where an individual ion enters the surface of the sample by projection secondary electron emission microscopy. The x-y origination point of a secondary electron, and hence the impact coordinates of the corresponding incident ion, is recorded with a position sensitive detector connected to a standard photoemission electron microscope (PEEM). These signals are then used to establish coincidence with IBICC, atomic, or nuclear reaction induced ion beam analysis signals simultaneously caused by the incident ion

A design for a subminiature, low energy scanning electron microscope with atomic resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eastham, D. A.; Edmondson, P.; Greene, S.; Donnelly, S.; Olsson, E.; Svensson, K.; Bleloch, A.

2009-01-01

We describe a type of scanning electron microscope that works by directly imaging the electron field-emission sites on a nanotip. Electrons are extracted from the nanotip through a nanoscale aperture, accelerated in a high electric field, and focused to a spot using a microscale Einzel lens. If the whole microscope (accelerating section and lens) and the focal length are both restricted in size to below 10 μm, then computer simulations show that the effects of aberration are extremely small and it is possible to have a system with approximately unit magnification at electron energies as low as 300 eV. Thus a typical emission site of 1 nm diameter will produce an image of the same size, and an atomic emission site will give a resolution of 0.1-0.2 nm (1-2 A). Also, because the beam is not allowed to expand beyond 100 nm in diameter, the depth of field is large and the contribution to the beam spot size from chromatic aberrations is less than 0.02 nm (0.2 A) for 500 eV electrons. Since it is now entirely possible to make stable atomic sized emitters (nanopyramids), it is expected that this instrument will have atomic resolution. Furthermore the brightness of the beam is determined only by the field emission and can be up to 1x10 6 times larger than in a typical (high energy) electron microscope. The advantages of this low energy, bright-beam electron microscope with atomic resolution are described and include the possibility of it being used to rapidly sequence the human genome from a single strand of DNA as well as being able to identify atomic species directly from the elastic scattering of electrons

New Scanning Electron Microscope Used for Cryogenic Tensile Testing

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2013-01-01

At CERN engineering department's installation for cryogenic tensile testing, the new scanning electron microscope (SEM) allows for detailed optical observations to be carried out. Using the SEM, surface coatings and tensile properties of materials can investigated in order to better understand how they behave under different conditions.

Scanning electron microscope facility for examination of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, J.R.; Braski, D.N.

1985-02-01

An AMRAY model 1200B scanning electron microscope was modified to permit remote examination of radioactive specimens. Features of the modification include pneumatic vibration isolation of the column, motorized stage controls, improvements for monitoring vacuum, and a system for changing filaments without entering the hot cell

Soft X-ray imaging with axisymmetry microscope and electronic readout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauneuf, A.; Cavailler, C.; Henry, Ph.; Launspach, J.; Mascureau, J. de; Rostaing, M.

1984-11-01

An axisymmetric microscope with 10 X magnification has been constructed; its resolution has been measured using severals grids, backlighted by an X-ray source and found to be near 25 μm. So it could be used to make images of laser driven plasmas in the soft X-ray region. In order to see rapidly those images we have associated it with a new detector. It is a small image converter tube with a soft X-ray photocathode and a P20 phosphor deposited on an optic fiber plate. The electronic image appearing on the screen is read by a CCD working in the spectral range. An electronic image readout chain, which is identical to those we use with streak cameras, then processes automatically and immediatly the images given by the microscope

Complex composition film condensation in the sluice device of an electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukuev, V.I.; Lesovoj, M.V.; Vlasov, D.A.; Malygin, M.V.; Domashevskaya, Eh.P.; Tomashpol'skij, Yu.Ya.

1994-01-01

Based on the sluice device of an electron microscope a system is developed for material laser evaporation and vapor condensation on a substrate, situated in the microscope specimen holder. Substrate heating by laser radiation to 100 deg C is used. The system is applied for investigating growth of high-temperature superconductor films

The trajectories of secondary electrons in the scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Konvalina, Ivo; Müllerová, Ilona

2006-01-01

Three-dimensional simulations of the trajectories of secondary electrons (SE) in the scanning electron microscope have been performed for plenty of real configurations of the specimen chamber, including all its basic components. The primary purpose was to evaluate the collection efficiency of the Everhart-Thornley detector of SE and to reveal fundamental rules for tailoring the set-ups in which efficient signal acquisition can be expected. Intuitive realizations about the easiness of attracting the SEs towards the biased front grid of the detector have shown themselves likely as false, and all grounded objects in the chamber have been proven to influence the spatial distribution of the signal-extracting field. The role of the magnetic field penetrating from inside the objective lens is shown to play an ambiguous role regarding possible support for the signal collection.

Foucault imaging by using non-dedicated transmission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniguchi, Yoshifumi; Matsumoto, Hiroaki; Harada, Ken

2012-01-01

An electron optical system for observing Foucault images was constructed using a conventional transmission electron microscope without any special equipment for Lorentz microscopy. The objective lens was switched off and an electron beam was converged by a condenser optical system to the crossover on the selected area aperture plane. The selected area aperture was used as an objective aperture to select the deflected beam for Foucault mode, and the successive image-forming lenses were controlled for observation of the specimen images. The irradiation area on the specimen was controlled by selecting the appropriate diameter of the condenser aperture.

Foucault imaging by using non-dedicated transmission electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Yoshifumi; Matsumoto, Hiroaki; Harada, Ken

2012-08-01

An electron optical system for observing Foucault images was constructed using a conventional transmission electron microscope without any special equipment for Lorentz microscopy. The objective lens was switched off and an electron beam was converged by a condenser optical system to the crossover on the selected area aperture plane. The selected area aperture was used as an objective aperture to select the deflected beam for Foucault mode, and the successive image-forming lenses were controlled for observation of the specimen images. The irradiation area on the specimen was controlled by selecting the appropriate diameter of the condenser aperture.

Foucault imaging by using non-dedicated transmission electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taniguchi, Yoshifumi [Science and Medical Systems Business Group, Hitachi High-Technologies Corp., Ichige, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-8504 (Japan); Matsumoto, Hiroaki [Corporate Manufacturing Strategy Group, Hitachi High-Technologies Corp., Ishikawa-cho, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-1991 (Japan); Harada, Ken [Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395 (Japan)

2012-08-27

An electron optical system for observing Foucault images was constructed using a conventional transmission electron microscope without any special equipment for Lorentz microscopy. The objective lens was switched off and an electron beam was converged by a condenser optical system to the crossover on the selected area aperture plane. The selected area aperture was used as an objective aperture to select the deflected beam for Foucault mode, and the successive image-forming lenses were controlled for observation of the specimen images. The irradiation area on the specimen was controlled by selecting the appropriate diameter of the condenser aperture.

Visualization of atomic distances at the 1MV electron microscope: first results obtained on the Grenoble 1MV microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourret, A.

1975-01-01

Practical and theoretical conditions for obtaining high resolution lattice images are presented. The use of a high voltage electron microscope is particularly powerful to visualize distances smaller than 3A. A 2A resolution test on (200) gold planes has been carried out on the Grenoble 1MV microscope. It would be possible at this level to study the crystalline defects such as dislocations or grain boundaries [fr

A Simple Metric for Determining Resolution in Optical, Ion, and Electron Microscope Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtin, Alexandra E; Skinner, Ryan; Sanders, Aric W

2015-06-01

A resolution metric intended for resolution analysis of arbitrary spatially calibrated images is presented. By fitting a simple sigmoidal function to pixel intensities across slices of an image taken perpendicular to light-dark edges, the mean distance over which the light-dark transition occurs can be determined. A fixed multiple of this characteristic distance is then reported as the image resolution. The prefactor is determined by analysis of scanning transmission electron microscope high-angle annular dark field images of Si. This metric has been applied to optical, scanning electron microscope, and helium ion microscope images. This method provides quantitative feedback about image resolution, independent of the tool on which the data were collected. In addition, our analysis provides a nonarbitrary and self-consistent framework that any end user can utilize to evaluate the resolution of multiple microscopes from any vendor using the same metric.

FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS microstructural analysis of metal-ceramic and zirconia-ceramic interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Massimi, F; Merlati, G; Sebastiani, M; Battaini, P; Menghini, P; Bemporad, E

2012-01-10

Recently introduced FIB/SEM analysis in microscopy seems to provide a high-resolution characterization of the samples by 3D (FIB) cross-sectioning and (SEM) high resolution imaging. The aim of this study was to apply the FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS analysis to the interfaces of a metal-ceramic vs. two zirconia-ceramic systems. Plate samples of three different prosthetic systems were prepared in the dental lab following the manufacturers' instructions, where metal-ceramic was the result of a ceramic veneering (porcelain-fused-to-metal) and the two zirconia-ceramic systems were produced by the dedicated CAD-CAM procedures of the zirconia cores (both with final sintering) and then veneered by layered or heat pressed ceramics. In a FIB/SEM equipment (also called DualBeam), a thin layer of platinum (1 μm) was deposited on samples surface crossing the interfaces, in order to protect them during milling. Then, increasingly deeper trenches were milled by a focused ion beam, first using a relatively higher and later using a lower ion current (from 9 nA to 0.28 nA, 30KV). Finally, FEG-SEM (5KV) micrographs (1000-50,000X) were acquired. In a SEM the analysis of the morphology and internal microstructure was performed by 13KV secondary and backscattered electrons signals (in all the samples). The compositional maps were then performed by EDS probe only in the metal-ceramic system (20kV). Despite the presence of many voids in all the ceramic layers, it was possible to identify: (1) the grain structures of the metallic and zirconia substrates, (2) the thin oxide layer at the metal-ceramic interface and its interactions with the first ceramic layer (wash technique), (3) the roughness of the two different zirconia cores and their interactions with the ceramic interface, where the presence of zirconia grains in the ceramic layer was reported in two system possibly due to sandblasting before ceramic firing.

Revealing the nanostructure of calcium phosphate coatings using HRTEM/FIB techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solla, E.L.; Rodríguez-González, B.; Aguiar, H.; Rodríguez-Valencia, C.; Serra, J.; González, P.

2016-01-01

Herein, we report on the micro- and nanostructure of the calcium phosphate coating produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), using focused ion beam (FIB) lamella sample preparation and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as the characterization technique. The initial selected area electron diffraction (SAED) data demonstrated the presence of hydroxyapatite (HA) over any other possible calcium phosphate crystalline structure and the polycrystalline nature of the coating. Moreover, the SAED analyses showed clear textured ring patterns coherent with the presence of a preferred orientation in the HA nano-crystal growth. The SAED data also indicated that the coating appears to be textured in the 〈002〉 crystalline direction. Dark-field images obtained using 002 as the working reflection showed a clear oriented crystal growth in columns, from bottom to top. These columns have a peculiar arrangement of nano-crystals since, in some cases, the preferred orientation appears to start at a certain distance from the substrate. Direct d-spacing measurements on high-resolution TEM images provided further proof of the presence of an HA nano-crystal structure. The reported data may be of interest in the future to adjust the microstructure of the HA coatings. - Highlights: •The FIB lift-out technique allows a very site-specific sample preparation method for HRTEM analysis. •It also permits a fast assessment of the HA coating thickness and elemental composition (EDS). •The coatings exhibit a nano-crystalline nature, with a texturing effect along the 002 planes. •PLD is suitable for the production of crystalline c-axis oriented hydroxyapatite coatings. •The crystalline HA phase in the PLD coating is very similar to the present in bone.

Revealing the nanostructure of calcium phosphate coatings using HRTEM/FIB techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solla, E.L., E-mail: esolla@uvigo.es [Servicio de Microscopía Electrónica, CACTI, University of Vigo, Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310 Vigo (Spain); Rodríguez-González, B. [Servicio de Microscopía Electrónica, CACTI, University of Vigo, Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310 Vigo (Spain); Aguiar, H.; Rodríguez-Valencia, C.; Serra, J.; González, P. [Applied Physics Department, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Vigo, Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310 Vigo (Spain)

2016-12-15

Herein, we report on the micro- and nanostructure of the calcium phosphate coating produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), using focused ion beam (FIB) lamella sample preparation and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as the characterization technique. The initial selected area electron diffraction (SAED) data demonstrated the presence of hydroxyapatite (HA) over any other possible calcium phosphate crystalline structure and the polycrystalline nature of the coating. Moreover, the SAED analyses showed clear textured ring patterns coherent with the presence of a preferred orientation in the HA nano-crystal growth. The SAED data also indicated that the coating appears to be textured in the 〈002〉 crystalline direction. Dark-field images obtained using 002 as the working reflection showed a clear oriented crystal growth in columns, from bottom to top. These columns have a peculiar arrangement of nano-crystals since, in some cases, the preferred orientation appears to start at a certain distance from the substrate. Direct d-spacing measurements on high-resolution TEM images provided further proof of the presence of an HA nano-crystal structure. The reported data may be of interest in the future to adjust the microstructure of the HA coatings. - Highlights: •The FIB lift-out technique allows a very site-specific sample preparation method for HRTEM analysis. •It also permits a fast assessment of the HA coating thickness and elemental composition (EDS). •The coatings exhibit a nano-crystalline nature, with a texturing effect along the 002 planes. •PLD is suitable for the production of crystalline c-axis oriented hydroxyapatite coatings. •The crystalline HA phase in the PLD coating is very similar to the present in bone.

Three-dimensional analysis of somatic mitochondrial dynamics in fission-deficient injured motor neurons using FIB/SEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamada, Hiromi; Kiryu-Seo, Sumiko; Hosokawa, Hiroki; Ohta, Keisuke; Ishihara, Naotada; Nomura, Masatoshi; Mihara, Katsuyoshi; Nakamura, Kei-Ichiro; Kiyama, Hiroshi

2017-08-01

Mitochondria undergo morphological changes through fusion and fission for their quality control, which are vital for neuronal function. In this study, we examined three-dimensional morphologies of mitochondria in motor neurons under normal, nerve injured, and nerve injured plus fission-impaired conditions using the focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM), because the FIB/SEM technology is a powerful tool to demonstrate both 3D images of whole organelle and the intra-organellar structure simultaneously. Crossing of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) gene-floxed mice with neuronal injury-specific Cre driver mice, Atf3:BAC Tg mice, allowed for Drp1 ablation specifically in injured neurons. FIB/SEM analysis demonstrated that somatic mitochondrial morphologies in motor neurons were not altered before or after nerve injury. However, the fission impairment resulted in prominent somatic mitochondrial enlargement, which initially induced complex morphologies with round regions and long tubular processes, subsequently causing a decrease in the number of processes and further enlargement of the round regions, which eventually resulted in big spheroidal mitochondria without processes. The abnormal mitochondria exhibited several degradative morphologies: local or total cristae collapse, vacuolization, and mitophagy. These suggest that mitochondrial fission is crucial for maintaining mitochondrial integrity in injured motor neurons, and multiple forms of mitochondria degradation may accelerate neuronal degradation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In-Situ Microprobe Observations of Dispersed Oil with Low-Temperature Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohsen, H.T.

2010-01-01

A low cost cryostat stage from high heat capacity material is designed and constructed, in attempt to apply size distribution techniques for examination of oil dispersions. Different materials were tested according to their heat capacity to keep the liquid under investigation in frozen state as long as possible during the introduction of the cryostat stage to the low-vacuum scanning electron microscope. Different concentrations of non ionic surfactant were added to artificially contaminated with 10000 ppm Balayeam base oil in 3.5 % saline water, where oil and dispersing liquid have been added and shacked well to be investigated under the microscope as fine frozen droplets. The efficiency of dispersion was examined using low temperature low-vacuum scanning electron microscope. The shape and size distributions of freeze oil droplets were studied by digital imaging processing technique in conjunction with scanning electron microscope counting method. Also elemental concentration of oil droplets was analyzed.

Reprint of: Atmospheric scanning electron microscope observes cells and tissues in open medium through silicon nitride film.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishiyama, Hidetoshi; Suga, Mitsuo; Ogura, Toshihiko; Maruyama, Yuusuke; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Mio, Kazuhiro; Kitamura, Shinichi; Sato, Chikara

2010-11-01

Direct observation of subcellular structures and their characterization is essential for understanding their physiological functions. To observe them in open environment, we have developed an inverted scanning electron microscope with a detachable, open-culture dish, capable of 8 nm resolution, and combined with a fluorescence microscope quasi-simultaneously observing the same area from the top. For scanning electron microscopy from the bottom, a silicon nitride film window in the base of the dish maintains a vacuum between electron gun and open sample dish while allowing electrons to pass through. Electrons are backscattered from the sample and captured by a detector under the dish. Cells cultured on the open dish can be externally manipulated under optical microscopy, fixed, and observed using scanning electron microscopy. Once fine structures have been revealed by scanning electron microscopy, their component proteins may be identified by comparison with separately prepared fluorescence-labeled optical microscopic images of the candidate proteins, with their heavy-metal-labeled or stained ASEM images. Furthermore, cell nuclei in a tissue block stained with platinum-blue were successfully observed without thin-sectioning, which suggests the applicability of this inverted scanning electron microscope to cancer diagnosis. This microscope visualizes mesoscopic-scale structures, and is also applicable to non-bioscience fields including polymer chemistry. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3D imaging and characterisation of strengthening particles in inconel 718 using FIB tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruk, Adam; Gruszczynski, Adam; Czyrska-Filemonowicz, Aleksandra [AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland)

2011-07-01

The Inconel 718 is a commercial nickel-base superalloy, widely used for critical pieces in turbine engines. Its microstructure consists of the {gamma} matrix and strengthening coherent nanoparticles {gamma}' and {gamma}''. In the present work FIB tomography technique was used for imaging and characterisation of strengthening particles. FIB tomography is based on a serial sectioning procedure using a FIB/SEM dual beam workstation. Repeated removal of layers as thin as several nm for some hundred times allows to investigate at total a volume of some {mu}m3 with a voxel size as 2.5 nm x 2.5 nm x 2.5 nm. 3D mapping of nanoparticles with high Z-resolution by serial FIB slicing (in a distance of about 2.5 nm) and SEM imaging was performed. Ga ion beam at 30 kV was used to perform a precise in-situ milling. The SEM images at accelerating voltage 1.5 kV were taken with using ESB detector. The real 3D-data of precipitates obtained by FIB tomography, open a new possibility for microstructure analysis of materials for industrial applications.

Wave Optical Calculation of Probe Size in Low Energy Scanning Electron Microscope

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Radlička, Tomáš

2015-01-01

Roč. 21, S4 (2015), s. 212-217 ISSN 1431-9276 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1212 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : scanning electron microscope * optical calculation Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 1.730, year: 2015

FE-SEM, FIB and TEM Study of Surface Deposits of Apollo 15 Green Glass Volcanic Spherules

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Daniel K.; Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Rahman, Z.; Wentworth, S. J.; McKay, D. S.

2011-01-01

Surface deposits on lunar pyroclastic green (Apollo 15) and orange (Apollo 17) glass spherules have been attributed to condensation from the gas clouds that accompanied fire-fountain eruptions. The fire fountains cast molten lava high above the lunar surface and the silicate melt droplets quenched before landing producing the glass beads. Early investigations showed that these deposits are rich in sulfur and zinc. The deposits are extremely fine-grained and thin, so that it was never possible to determine their chemical compositions cleanly by SEM/EDX or electron probe x-ray analysis because most of the excited volume was in the under-lying silicate glass. We are investigating the surface deposits by TEM, using focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy to extract and thin the surface deposits. Here we report on chemical mapping of a FIB section of surface deposits of an Apollo green glass bead 15401using the ultra-high resolution JEOL 2500 STEM located at NASA Johnson Space Center.

The Physical Characterization of Liposome Salicylic Acid Using Transmission Electron Microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elman Panjaitan

2008-01-01

The physical characterization of liposome, formulated from salicylic acid using thin film hydration methods with cholesterol and soybean lecithin, has been done. The formula was characterized by optical microscopes and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The observation result shows that the salicylic acid can be formulated to liposomes. Soybean lecithin combined with cholesterol (600 mg : 20 mg) was the best formula and the liposome was spherical vesicle like with dimension about 70 nm unit 800 nm. (author)

Spinning Carbon Nanotube Nanothread under a Scanning Electron Microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Schulz

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Nanothread with a diameter as small as one hundred nanometers was manufactured under a scanning electron microscope. Made directly from carbon nanotubes, and inheriting their superior electrical and mechanical properties, nanothread may be the world’s smallest man-made fiber. The smallest thread that can be spun using a bench-top spinning machine is about 5 microns in diameter. Nanothread is a new material building block that can be used at the nanoscale or plied to form yarn for applications at the micro and macro scales. Preliminary electrical and mechanical properties of nanothread were measured. The resistivity of nanothread is less than 10−5 Ω∙m. The strength of nanothread is greater than 0.5 GPa. This strength was obtained from measurements using special glue that cures in an electron microscope. The glue weakened the thread, thus further work is needed to obtain more accurate measurements. Nanothread will have broad applications in enabling electrical components, circuits, sensors, and tiny machines. Yarn can be used for various macroscale applications including lightweight antennas, composites, and cables.

Dynamic Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope Freeze Drying Observation for Fresh Water Algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohsen, H.T.; Ghaly, W.A.; Zahran, N.F.; Helal, A.I.

2010-01-01

A new perpetration method for serving in dynamic examinations of the fresh water algae is developed in connection with the Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope (LV-SEM) freeze drying technique. Specimens are collected from fresh water of Ismailia channel then transferred directly to freeze by liquid nitrogen and dried in the chamber of the scanning electron microscope in the low vacuum mode. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the drying method presented the microstructure of algae. Dehydration in a graded ethanol series is not necessary in the new method. Dried algae specimen is observed in SEM high vacuum mode after conductive coating at higher resolution. Low-vacuum SEM freeze drying technique is a simple, time-saving and reproducible method for scanning electron microscopy that is applicable to various aquatic microorganisms covered with soft tissues.

Visualizing Morphological Changes of Abscission Zone Cells in Arabidopsis by Scanning Electron Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Chun-Lin; Butenko, Melinka A

2018-01-01

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope which produces detailed images of surface structures. It has been widely used in plants and animals to study cellular structures. Here, we describe a detailed protocol to prepare samples of floral abscission zones (AZs) for SEM, as well as further image analysis. We show that it is a powerful tool to detect morphologic changes at the cellular level during the course of abscission in wild-type plants and to establish the details of phenotypic alteration in abscission mutants.

Optical and mechanical design for 1 nm resolution Auger spectroscopy in an electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bleeker, A.J.

1991-01-01

Detailed information about the atomic structure of surfaces and interfaces is vital for the progress in materials science and physics. One widely used surface sensitive technique is Auger spectroscopy (AS). This technique, in which the electron energy spectrum emerging from the sample is evaluated, gives information about the average elemental composition of the surface over a relative large surface area (>30nm). Electron microscopy (EM), on the other hand, is capable of producing surface structural, but no elemental, information with almost atomic resolution. EM and AS techniques have not been combined so far because of the different nature of the instrumentation used in both techniques. In AS instruments the sample is placed in an Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) system with a relatively large open space around the sample. In EM the sample is situated in the tight volume between the magnetic polepieces of the probe forming objective lens. The space around the sample is therefore tight. Furthermore the vacuum in most electron microscopes is not in UHV range. Radical mechanical changes to improve the vacuum are necessary to do AS in an electron microscope. Since the sample is immersed in the strong magnetic field of the objective lens the Auger electrons can not be extracted with conventional electrostatical methods. The only possibility to extract the Auger electrons is through the upper bore of the objective lens. However, this has large implications on the optical system of the microscope and requires a thorough investigation of the extraction of the Auger electrons. In this work it will be discussed how the surface sensitive AS can be combined with the high spatial resolution of the electron microscope in a practical instrument. (author). 102 refs.; 81 figs.; 4 tabs

Analysis of improvement in performance and design parameters for enhancing resolution in an atmospheric scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Yeo Hun; Kim, Seung Jae; Kim, Dong Hwan

2015-12-01

The scanning electron microscope is used in various fields to go beyond diffraction limits of the optical microscope. However, the electron pathway should be conducted in a vacuum so as not to scatter electrons. The pretreatment of the sample is needed for use in the vacuum. To directly observe large and fully hydrophilic samples without pretreatment, the atmospheric scanning electron microscope (ASEM) is needed. We developed an electron filter unit and an electron detector unit for implementation of the ASEM. The key of the electron filter unit is that electrons are transmitted while air molecules remain untransmitted through the unit. The electron detector unit collected the backscattered electrons. We conducted experiments using the selected materials with Havar foil, carbon film and SiN film. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Electron microscope studies on nuclear track filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roell, I.; Siegmon, W.

1982-01-01

Nuclear track filters became more and more important in various fields of application. The filtration process can be described by a set of suitable parameters. For some applications it may be necessary to know the structure of the surface and the pores themselves. In most cases the etching process yields surfaces and pore geometries that are quite different from ideal planes and cylinders. In the presented work the production of different filter types will be described. The resulting surfaces and pore structures have been investigated by means of a scanning electron microscope. (author)

Study of skin of an Egyptian mummy using a scanning electron microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mańkowska-Pliszka Hanna

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The first study of modified human remains using an electron microscope was carried out at the end of the 1950 and in 1979 the first result of the study involving a scanning electron microscope (SEM was published for the first time. The study was mainly focused on the structure of tissues and cells. With the help of this technique cell and tissue elements, viruses and bacterial endospores as well as the structure of epithelium and the collagen contents of dermis were identified and described. In the above-mentioned case the object of the study using a SEM was a free part of the right hand (forearm with the dorsal and palmar parts of hand of unknown origin, with signs of mummification revealed during microscopic analysis. Our study was aimed at finding the answer to the question if the mummification of the studied limb was natural or intentional, and if the study using a SEM could link the anonymous remains with ancient Egypt.

Performance of ultrahigh resolution electron microscope JEM-4000EX and some applications of high Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honda, T.; Ibe, K.; Ishida, Y.; Kersker, M.M.

1989-01-01

The high resolution electron microscope is powerful for modern materials science because of its direct observation capability for the atomic structure of materials. the JEM-4000EX, a 400 kV accelerating voltage electron microscope whose objective lens has a 1 mm spherical aberration coefficient, has a 0.168 nm theoretical resolving power. Using this microscope, atomic structure images of high Tc superconductor such as Y-Ba-Cu-O, Bi-Ca-Sr-Cu-O and Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O are reported

Digital acquisition and processing of electron micrographs using a scanning transmission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engel, A.; Christen, F.; Michel, B.

1981-01-01

A digital acquisition system that collects multichannel information from a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and its application are described. The hardware comprises (i) single electron counting detectors, (ii) a digital scan generator, (iii) a digital multi-channel on-line processor, (iv) an interface to a minicomputer, and (v) a display system. Experimental results characterizing these components are presented, and their performance is discussed. The software includes assembler coded programs for dynamic file maintenance and fast acquisition of image data, a display driver, and FORTRAN coded application programs. The usefulness of digitized STEM is illustrated by a variety of biological applications. (orig.)

Charging suppression in focused-ion beam fabrication of visible subwavelength dielectric grating reflector using electron conducting polymer

KAUST Repository

Alias, Mohd Sharizal; Liao, Hsien-Yu; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.

2015-01-01

Nanoscale periodic patterning on insulating materials using focused-ion beam (FIB) is challenging because of charging effect, which causes pattern distortion and resolution degradation. In this paper, the authors used a charging suppression scheme using electron conducting polymer for the implementation of FIB patterned dielectric subwavelength grating (SWG) reflector. Prior to the FIB patterning, the authors numerically designed the optimal structure and the fabrication tolerance for all grating parameters (period, grating thickness, fill-factor, and low refractive index layer thickness) using the rigorous-coupled wave analysis computation. Then, the authors performed the FIB patterning on the dielectric SWG reflector spin-coated with electron conducting polymer for the anticharging purpose. They also performed similar patterning using thin conductive film anticharging scheme (30 nm Cr coating) for comparison. Their results show that the electron conducting polymer anticharging scheme effectively suppressing the charging effect during the FIB patterning of dielectric SWG reflector. The fabricated grating exhibited nanoscale precision, high uniformity and contrast, constant patterning, and complied with fabrication tolerance for all grating parameters across the entire patterned area. Utilization of electron conducting polymer leads to a simpler anticharging scheme with high precision and uniformity for FIB patterning on insulator materials.

Charging suppression in focused-ion beam fabrication of visible subwavelength dielectric grating reflector using electron conducting polymer

KAUST Repository

Alias, Mohd Sharizal

2015-08-19

Nanoscale periodic patterning on insulating materials using focused-ion beam (FIB) is challenging because of charging effect, which causes pattern distortion and resolution degradation. In this paper, the authors used a charging suppression scheme using electron conducting polymer for the implementation of FIB patterned dielectric subwavelength grating (SWG) reflector. Prior to the FIB patterning, the authors numerically designed the optimal structure and the fabrication tolerance for all grating parameters (period, grating thickness, fill-factor, and low refractive index layer thickness) using the rigorous-coupled wave analysis computation. Then, the authors performed the FIB patterning on the dielectric SWG reflector spin-coated with electron conducting polymer for the anticharging purpose. They also performed similar patterning using thin conductive film anticharging scheme (30 nm Cr coating) for comparison. Their results show that the electron conducting polymer anticharging scheme effectively suppressing the charging effect during the FIB patterning of dielectric SWG reflector. The fabricated grating exhibited nanoscale precision, high uniformity and contrast, constant patterning, and complied with fabrication tolerance for all grating parameters across the entire patterned area. Utilization of electron conducting polymer leads to a simpler anticharging scheme with high precision and uniformity for FIB patterning on insulator materials.

Secondary mineralization in carious lesions of human dentin. Electron-probe, electron microscope, and electron diffraction studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogiwara, H [Tokyo Dental Coll. (Japan)

1975-02-01

Dentinal carious lesions having a remineralized surface layer were studied by means electron-probe microanalysis, electron microscopy, electron diffraction. As the results of electron-probe study, F, Mg, and Na were found to be distributed mainly in the remineralized surface layer and S in the decalcified region where decreases in Ca, P, and Mg concentration were usually observed. The decrease in Mg concentration always started earlier than that of Ca and P concentration. Electron microscope and electron diffraction studies revealed that apatic crystals in the remineralized surface layer were much larger than those in the intact dentin. Although they were less conspicuous, crystals in the decalcified region also were larger than those in the intact region. Dentinal tubules, occluded by many crystals, were frequently seen during the observations. Crystals in the tubules varied in morphology, showing granular, needle, rhomboid, and tabular shapes. By means of electron diffraction, the granular- or needle-shaped crystals were identified as apatite and the rhomboid-shaped crystals as whitlockite. Some of the tabular-shaped crystals appeared to be cotacalcium phosphate.

Progress in element analysis on a high-voltage electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tivol, W.F.; Barnard, D.; Guha, T.

1985-01-01

X-Ray microprobe (XMA) and electron energy-loss (EELS) spectrometers have been installed on the high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM). The probe size has been measured and background reduction is in progress for XMA and EELS as are improvements in electron optics for EELS and sensitivity measurements. XMA is currently useful for qualitative analysis and has been used by several investigators from our laboratory and outside laboratories. However, EELS background levels are still too high for meaningful results to be obtained. Standards suitable for biological specimens are being measured, and a library for quantitative analysis is being compiled

Three-dimensional nanofabrication by electron-beam-induced deposition using 200-keV electrons in scanning transmission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.Q.; Mitsuishi, K.; Furuya, K.

2005-01-01

Attempts were made to fabricate three-dimensional nanostructures on and out of a substrate by electron-beam-induced deposition in a 200-kV scanning transmission electron microscope. Structures with parallel wires over the substrate surface were difficult to fabricate due to the direct deposition of wires on both top and bottom surfaces of the substrate. Within the penetration depth of the incident electron beam, nanotweezers were fabricated by moving the electron beam beyond different substrate layers. Combining the deposition of self-supporting wires and self-standing tips, complicated three-dimensional doll-like, flag-like, and gate-like nanostructures that extend out of the substrate were successfully fabricated with one-step or multi-step scans of the electron beam. Effects of coarsening, nucleation, and distortion during electron-beam-induced deposition are discussed. (orig.)

The sinusoidal lining cells in "normal" human liver. A scanning electron microscopic investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, T; Henriksen, Jens Henrik Sahl; Christoffersen, P

1986-01-01

The scanning electron microscopic was used to study the fenestrations of human liver sinusoids. Thirteen biopsies, where light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed normal sinusoidal architecture, were investigated. The number of fenestrae was calculated in acinar zone 3...

Helium leak testing of scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, Anis; Tripathi, S.K.; Mukherjee, D.

2015-01-01

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is a specialized electron-optical device which is used for imaging of miniscule features on topography of material specimens. Conventional SEMs used finely focused high energy (about 30 KeV) electron beam probes of diameter of about 10nm for imaging of solid conducting specimens. Vacuum of the order of 10"-"5 Torr is prerequisite for conventional Tungsten filament type SEMs. One such SEM was received from one of our laboratory in BARC with a major leak owing to persisting poor vacuum condition despite continuous pumping for several hours. He-Leak Detection of the SEM was carried out at AFD using vacuum spray Technique and various potential leak joints numbering more than fifty were helium leak tested. The major leak was detected in the TMP damper bellow. The part was later replaced and the repeat helium leak testing of the system was carried out using vacuum spray technique. The vacuum in SEM is achieved is better than 10"-"5 torr and system is now working satisfactorily. (author)

Development of a SEM-based low-energy in-line electron holography microscope for individual particle imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Adaniya, Hidehito; Cheung, Martin; Cassidy, Cathal; Yamashita, Masao; Shintake, Tsumoru

2018-05-01

A new SEM-based in-line electron holography microscope has been under development. The microscope utilizes conventional SEM and BF-STEM functionality to allow for rapid searching of the specimen of interest, seamless interchange between SEM, BF-STEM and holographic imaging modes, and makes use of coherent low-energy in-line electron holography to obtain low-dose, high-contrast images of light element materials. We report here an overview of the instrumentation and first experimental results on gold nano-particles and carbon nano-fibers for system performance tests. Reconstructed images obtained from the holographic imaging mode of the new microscope show substantial image contrast and resolution compared to those acquired by SEM and BF-STEM modes, demonstrating the feasibility of high-contrast imaging via low-energy in-line electron holography. The prospect of utilizing the new microscope to image purified biological specimens at the individual particle level is discussed and electron optical issues and challenges to further improve resolution and contrast are considered. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional characterization of ODS ferritic steel using by FIB-SEM serial sectioning method.

Science.gov (United States)

Endo, T; Sugino, Y; Ohono, N; Ukai, S; Miyazaki, N; Wang, Y; Ohnuki, S

2014-11-01

Considerable attention has been paid to the research of the electron tomography due to determine the three-dimensional (3D) structure of materials [1]. One of the electron tomography techniques, focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) imaging has advantages of high resolutions (10 nm), large area observation (μm order) and simultaneous energy dispersive x- ray microanalysis (EDS)/ electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. The purpose of this study, three-dimensional EBSD analysis of ODS ferritic steel which carried out cold work using FIB-SEM equipment was conducted, and it aimed at analyzing the microstructure obtained there. The zone annealing tests were conducted for ferritic steel [2,3], which were produced through mechanical alloying and hot-extrusion. After zone annealing, specimens were mechanically polished with #400∼4000 emery paper, 1 µm diamond paste and alumina colloidal silica. The serial sectioning and the 3D-electron backscattering diffraction (3D-EBSD) analysis were carried out. We made the micro pillar (30 x 30 x 15 µm). The EBSD measurements were carried out in each layer after serial sectioning at a step size and milling depth was 80 nm with 30 slices. After EBSD analysis, the series of cross-sectional images were aligned according to arbitrarily specified areas and then stacked up to form a volume. Consequently, we obtained the 3D-IPF maps for ODS ferritic steel. In this specimen, the {111} and {001} grains are layered by turns. In addition, the volume fraction value of both plane are similar. The aspect ratio increases with specimen depth. The 3D-EBSD mapping is useful to analysis of the bulk material since this method obtain many microstructure information, such a shape, volume and orientation of the crystal, grain boundary. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rapid diagnosis of malaria by fluorescent microscopy with light microscope and interface filter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, I.; Tayyib, M.; Farooq, M.; Ahmed, N.

2008-01-01

The present study is planned to compare acridine orange (A.O) staining with Giemsa staining by using light microscopy with IF and also with fluorescent microscopy for detection of parasites in peripheral blood of patients suffering from clinically suspected cases of malaria. 200 patients with fever and shivering were included. General investigations like Hb, TLC and platelets were done by sysmex K-1000. Thin and thick blood films were made and stained according to protocol given i.e. by Giemsa and AO stains and slides were examined by different microscopes i.e. light microscope, light microscope with IFS and fluorescent microscope. Out of 200 subjects, 170 (85%) patients showed positive parasitaemia and 30 (15%) subjects were negative for malaria parasites. fib, TLC and platelets were reduced when comparing with MP negative cases. IFS microscope with acridine orange staining showed early detection of malaria parasites by counting fewer fields as compared to light microscopy with Giemsa stains. Time consumed for detection of parasites was also significantly reduced in IFS microscope by using AO stains. (author)

Decontamination of digital image sensors and assessment of electron microscope performance in a BSL-3 containment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael B. Sherman

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A unique biological safety level (BSL-3 cryo-electron microscopy facility with a 200 keV high-end cryo-electron microscope has been commissioned at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB to study the structure of viruses and bacteria classified as select agents. We developed a microscope decontamination protocol based on chlorine dioxide gas with a continuous flow system. In this paper we report on testing digital camera sensors (both CCD and CMOS direct detector in a BSL-3 environment, and microscope performance after chlorine dioxide (ClO2 decontamination cycles.

Correlation between mechanical vibrations and resolving power of an electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, J.J.

1975-01-01

The mechanical vibrations of the Grenoble 1MV electron microscope are analyzed. The solutions used to obtain a stability in the order of 3.10 -6 are exposed. A resolution of 1,8A should be achieved [fr

Record number (11 000) of interference fringes obtained by a 1 MV field-emission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akashi, Tetsuya; Harada, Ken; Matsuda, Tsuyoshi; Kasai, Hiroto; Tonomura, Akira; Furutsu, Tadao; Moriya, Noboru; Yoshida, Takaho; Kawasaki, Takeshi; Kitazawa, Koichi; Koinuma, Hideomi

2002-01-01

An electron biprism for a 1 million-volt field-emission electron microscope was developed. This biprism is controlled similarly as a specimen holder so that it can be driven and rotated precisely and is tough against mechanical vibration and stray magnetic field. We recorded the maximum number of interference fringes by using this biprism in order to confirm the overall performance as a holography electron microscope, and obtained a world record of 11,000 interference fringes

Electric field stimulation setup for photoemission electron microscopes.

Science.gov (United States)

Buzzi, M; Vaz, C A F; Raabe, J; Nolting, F

2015-08-01

Manipulating magnetisation by the application of an electric field in magnetoelectric multiferroics represents a timely issue due to the potential applications in low power electronics and the novel physics involved. Thanks to its element sensitivity and high spatial resolution, X-ray photoemission electron microscopy is a uniquely suited technique for the investigation of magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroic materials. In this work, we present a setup that allows for the application of in situ electric and magnetic fields while the sample is analysed in the microscope. As an example of the performances of the setup, we present measurements on Ni/Pb(Mg(0.66)Nb(0.33))O3-PbTiO3 and La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO3/PMN-PT artificial multiferroic nanostructures.

The 2010 fib Model Code for Structural Concrete: A new approach to structural engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walraven, J.C.; Bigaj-Van Vliet, A.

2011-01-01

The fib Model Code is a recommendation for the design of reinforced and prestressed concrete which is intended to be a guiding document for future codes. Model Codes have been published before, in 1978 and 1990. The draft for fib Model Code 2010 was published in May 2010. The most important new

Orientation and phase mapping in the transmission electron microscope using precession-assisted diffraction spot recognition: state-of-the-art results.

Science.gov (United States)

Viladot, D; Véron, M; Gemmi, M; Peiró, F; Portillo, J; Estradé, S; Mendoza, J; Llorca-Isern, N; Nicolopoulos, S

2013-10-01

A recently developed technique based on the transmission electron microscope, which makes use of electron beam precession together with spot diffraction pattern recognition now offers the possibility to acquire reliable orientation/phase maps with a spatial resolution down to 2 nm on a field emission gun transmission electron microscope. The technique may be described as precession-assisted crystal orientation mapping in the transmission electron microscope, precession-assisted crystal orientation mapping technique-transmission electron microscope, also known by its product name, ASTAR, and consists in scanning the precessed electron beam in nanoprobe mode over the specimen area, thus producing a collection of precession electron diffraction spot patterns, to be thereafter indexed automatically through template matching. We present a review on several application examples relative to the characterization of microstructure/microtexture of nanocrystalline metals, ceramics, nanoparticles, minerals and organics. The strengths and limitations of the technique are also discussed using several application examples. ©2013 The Authors. Journal of Microscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Microscopical Society.

Construction of a four tip scanning tunneling microscope/scanning electron microscope combination and conductivity measurements of silicide nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubkov, Evgeniy

2013-01-01

In this work the combination of a four-tip scanning tunneling microscope with a scanning electron microscope is presented. By means of this apparatus it is possible to perform the conductivity measurements on the in-situ prepared nanostructures in ultra-high vacuum. With the aid of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it becomes possible to position the tunneling tips of the four-tip scanning tunneling microscope (STM), so that an arrangement for a four-point probe measurement on nanostructures can be obtained. The STM head was built according to the novel coaxial Beetle concept. This concept allows on the one hand, a very compact arrangement of the components of the STM and on the other hand, the new-built STM head has a good mechanical stability, in order to achieve atomic resolution with all four STM units. The atomic resolution of the STM units was confirmed by scanning a Si(111)-7 x 7 surface. The thermal drift during the STM operation, as well as the resonant frequencies of the mechanical structure of the STM head, were determined. The scanning electron microscope allows the precise and safe navigation of the tunneling tips on the sample surface. Multi tip spectroscopy with up to four STM units can be performed synchronously. To demonstrate the capabilities of the new-built apparatus the conductivity measurements were carried out on metallic yttrium silicide nanowires. The nanowires were prepared by the in-situ deposition of yttrium on a heated Si(110) sample surface. Current-voltage curves were recorded on the nanowires and on the wetting layer in-between. The curves indicate an existence of the Schottky barrier between the yttrium silicide nanowires and the silicon bulk. By means of the two-tip measurements with a gate, the insulating property of the Schottky barrier has been confirmed. Using this Schottky barrier, it is possible to limit the current to the nanowire and to prevent it from flowing through the silicon bulk. A four-tip resistance measurement

Characterization of quantum well structures using a photocathode electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Michael G.; Scott, Craig J.

1989-01-01

Present day integrated circuits pose a challenge to conventional electronic and mechanical test methods. Feature sizes in the submicron and nanometric regime require radical approaches in order to facilitate electrical contact to circuits and devices being tested. In addition, microwave operating frequencies require careful attention to distributed effects when considering the electrical signal paths within and external to the device under test. An alternative testing approach which combines the best of electrical and optical time domain testing is presented, namely photocathode electron microscope quantitative voltage contrast (PEMQVC).

Improved coating and fixation methods for scanning electron microscope autoradiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, R.L.

1984-01-01

A simple apparatus for emulsion coating is described. The apparatus is inexpensive and easily assembled in a standard glass shop. Emulsion coating for scanning electron microscope autoradiography with this apparatus consistently yields uniform layers. When used in conjunction with newly described fixation methods, this new approach produces reliable autoradiographs of undamaged specimens

A video-amplifier device for the transmission-type electron microscope ELMISCOP I of Siemens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groboth, G.; Hoerl, E.M.

1975-01-01

In order to get a visual image of the sample at the final screen of a transmission-type electron microscope and to keep at the same time the sample at low temperature a video-amplifier device has been developed by the authors. Details about its design and the necessary reconstruction of the electron microscope equipment are given. The beam current density at the transparent screen is reduced to 10 -12 -10 -13 A.cm -2 . Moreover the costs of this video-amplifier device are lower than those available. (CR)

Use of high voltage electron microscope to simulate radiation damage by neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, R.M.

1976-01-01

The use of the high voltage electron microscope to simulate radiation damage by neutrons is briefly reviewed. This information is important in explaining how alloying affects void formation during neutron irradiation

Imaging single atoms using secondary electrons with an aberration-corrected electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Y; Inada, H; Nakamura, K; Wall, J

2009-10-01

Aberration correction has embarked on a new frontier in electron microscopy by overcoming the limitations of conventional round lenses, providing sub-angstrom-sized probes. However, improvement of spatial resolution using aberration correction so far has been limited to the use of transmitted electrons both in scanning and stationary mode, with an improvement of 20-40% (refs 3-8). In contrast, advances in the spatial resolution of scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), which are by far the most widely used instrument for surface imaging at the micrometre-nanometre scale, have been stagnant, despite several recent efforts. Here, we report a new SEM, with aberration correction, able to image single atoms by detecting electrons emerging from its surface as a result of interaction with the small probe. The spatial resolution achieved represents a fourfold improvement over the best-reported resolution in any SEM (refs 10-12). Furthermore, we can simultaneously probe the sample through its entire thickness with transmitted electrons. This ability is significant because it permits the selective visualization of bulk atoms and surface ones, beyond a traditional two-dimensional projection in transmission electron microscopy. It has the potential to revolutionize the field of microscopy and imaging, thereby opening the door to a wide range of applications, especially when combined with simultaneous nanoprobe spectroscopy.

Modeling secondary electron emission from nanostructured materials in helium ion microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohya, K.; Yamanaka, T.

2013-01-01

Charging of a SiO 2 layer on a Si substrate during helium (He) beam irradiation is investigated at an energy range relevant to a He ion microscope (HIM). A self-consistent calculation is performed to model the transport of the ions and secondary electrons (SEs), the charge accumulation in the layer, and the electric field below and above the surface. The calculated results are compared with those for gallium (Ga) ions at the same energy and 1 keV electrons corresponding to a low-voltage scanning electron microscope (SEM). The charging of thin layers ( 2 step formed on a Si substrate, a sharp increase in the number of SEs is observed, irrespective of whether a material is charged or not. When the He ions are incident on the bottom of the step, the re-entrance of SEs emitted from the substrate into the sidewall is clearly observed, but it causes the sidewall to be charged negatively. At the positions on the SiO 2 layer away from the step edge, the charging voltage becomes positive with increasing number of Ga ions and electrons. However, He ions do not induce such a voltage due to strong relaxation of positive and negative charges in the Si substrate and their recombination in the SiO 2 layer

In situ laser processing in a scanning electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, Nicholas A.; Magel, Gregory A.; Hartfield, Cheryl D.; Moore, Thomas M.; Fowlkes, Jason D.; Rack, Philip D. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States) and Omniprobe, Inc., an Oxford Instruments Company, 10410 Miller Rd., Dallas, Texas 75238 (United States); Omniprobe, Inc., an Oxford Instruments Company, 10410 Miller Rd., Dallas, Texas 75238 (United States); Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States) and Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States)

2012-07-15

Laser delivery probes using multimode fiber optic delivery and bulk focusing optics have been constructed and used for performing materials processing experiments within scanning electron microscope/focused ion beam instruments. Controlling the current driving a 915-nm semiconductor diode laser module enables continuous or pulsed operation down to sub-microsecond durations, and with spot sizes on the order of 50 {mu}m diameter, achieving irradiances at a sample surface exceeding 1 MW/cm{sup 2}. Localized laser heating has been used to demonstrate laser chemical vapor deposition of Pt, surface melting of silicon, enhanced purity, and resistivity via laser annealing of Au deposits formed by electron beam induced deposition, and in situ secondary electron imaging of laser induced dewetting of Au metal films on SiO{sub x}.

Facilities for in situ ion beam studies in transmission electron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, C.W.; Ohnuki, S.; Takahashi, H.

1993-08-01

Interfacing an ion accelerator to a transmission electron microscope (TEM) allows the analytical functions of TEM imaging and electron diffraction from very small regions to be employed during ion-irradiation effects studies. At present there are ten such installations in Japan, one in France and one in the USA. General specifications of facilities which are operational in 1993 are summarized, and additional facilities which are planned or being proposed are briefly described

Seeing a Mycobacterium-Infected Cell in Nanoscale 3D: Correlative Imaging by Light Microscopy and FIB/SEM Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Beckwith, Marianne Sandvold; Beckwith, Kai Sandvold; Sikorski, Pawel; Skogaker, Nan Tostrup

2015-01-01

Mycobacteria pose a threat to the world health today, with pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria causing tuberculosis and non-tuberculous disease in large parts of the population. Much is still unknown about the interplay between bacteria and host during infection and disease, and more research is needed to meet the challenge of drug resistance and inefficient vaccines. This work establishes a reliable and reproducible method for performing correlative imaging of human macrophages infected with mycobacteria at an ultra-high resolution and in 3D. Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB/SEM) tomography is applied, together with confocal fluorescence microscopy for localization of appropriately infected cells. The method is based on an Aclar poly(chloro-tri-fluoro)ethylene substrate, micropatterned into an advantageous geometry by a simple thermomoulding process. The platform increases the throughput and quality of FIB/SEM tomography analyses, and was successfully applied to detail the intracellular environment of a whole mycobacterium-infected macrophage in 3D. PMID:26406896

Electronic zooming TV readout system for an x-ray microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinoshita, K.; Matsumura, T.; Inagaki, Y.; Hirai, N.; Sugiyama, M.; Kihara, H.; Watanabe, N.; Shimanuki, Y.

1993-01-01

The electronic zooming TV readout system using the X-ray zooming tube has been developed for purposes of real-time readout of very high resolution X-ray image, e.g. the output image from an X-ray microscope. The system limiting resolution is 0.2∼0.3 μm and it is easy to operate in practical applications

Light and scanning electron microscopic examination of hair in Garlic's syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Celik, Hakan H.; Tunali, S.; Tatar, I.; Aldur, Muhammad M.; Tore, H.

2007-01-01

Grisceli syndrome is a rare disease is a rare disease characterized by pigment dilution, partial albinism, variable cellular immunodeficiency and an acute phase of uncontrolled T-lymphocyte macrophage activation. Griscelli et al described this syndrome in 1978. Since then, only approximately, 60 cases have been reported, most from Turkish and Mediterranean population. In microscopic examination, silvery grey hair with large clumped melanosomes on the hair shaft is the diagnostic finding. Here, we present scanning electron microscopic study of hair in 2 cases of Griscelli syndrome where the hair showed normal cuticular pattern but nodular structures were present as an abnormal finding. (author)

Electron microscope studies. Progress report, 1 July 1964--1 June 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crewe, A.V.; Kapp, O.H.

1992-07-01

This is a report covering the research performed in the Crewe laboratory between 1964 and 1992. Because of limitations of space we have provided relatively brief summaries of the major research directions of the facility during these years. A complete bibliography has been included and we have referenced groups of pertinent publications at the beginning of each section. This report summarizes our efforts to develop better electron microscopes and chronicles many of the experimental programs, in materials science and biology, that acted both as a stimulus to better microscope design and also as a testing ground for many instrumental innovations.

Multi-technique application of a double reflection electron emission microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jian-liang, J.; Bao-gui, S.; Guo-jun, Z

2002-01-01

Full text: In this paper the results acquired with the most recently developed double reflection electron emission microscope applied in different imaging modes are presented. The novel illumination system is based on a (100)-oriented single crystalline W wire electron microreflector and an electron gun placed in the back focal plane of the immersion objective. After being elastically reflected from the W tip surface, the primary electrons of energy ranging from 1 to 6 keV are decelerated to the desired impact energy in the range 0 to 200 eV for mirror electron microscopy (MEM), low energy electron emission microscopy (LEEM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) modes or to 5 keV for the secondary electron imaging mode. Photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM), MEM, LEEM, secondary images of Pd/Si(111) and a set of selected area LEED patterns of the W(100) surface taken at energies ranging from 5 to 40 eV are presented for the first time. Copyright (2002) Australian Society for Electron Microscopy Inc

Cathodoluminescence in the scanning transmission electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kociak, M., E-mail: mathieu.kociak@u-psud.fr [Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-SudParis-Sud, CNRS-UMR 8502, Orsay 91405 (France); Zagonel, L.F. [“Gleb Wataghin” Institute of Physics University of Campinas - UNICAMP, 13083-859 Campinas, São Paulo (Brazil)

2017-05-15

Cathodoluminescence (CL) is a powerful tool for the investigation of optical properties of materials. In recent years, its combination with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has demonstrated great success in unveiling new physics in the field of plasmonics and quantum emitters. Most of these results were not imaginable even twenty years ago, due to conceptual and technical limitations. The purpose of this review is to present the recent advances that broke these limitations, and the new possibilities offered by the modern STEM-CL technique. We first introduce the different STEM-CL operating modes and the technical specificities in STEM-CL instrumentation. Two main classes of optical excitations, namely the coherent one (typically plasmons) and the incoherent one (typically light emission from quantum emitters) are investigated with STEM-CL. For these two main classes, we describe both the physics of light production under electron beam irradiation and the physical basis for interpreting STEM-CL experiments. We then compare STEM-CL with its better known sister techniques: scanning electron microscope CL, photoluminescence, and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. We finish by comprehensively reviewing recent STEM-CL applications. - Highlights: • Reviews the field of STEM-CL. • Introduces the technical requirements and challenges for STEM-CL. • Introduces the different types of excitations probed by STEM-CL. • Gives comprehensive overview of the last fifteenth years in the field.

Application value of Serum Hs-CRP, IL-6 and plasma FIB joint detection in COPD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Ji

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To discuss the application value of High sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6 and fibrinogen (FIB joint detection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. Methods: A total of 181 COPD cases were divided to be COPD stable phase group (65 cases and COPD acute exacerbation phase group (116 cases per the course of disease. COPD acute exacerbation phase group was classified into grade I (39 cases, grade II (43 cases and grade III (34 cases based on pulmonary function. Then survival group (87 cases and death group (29 cases were divided based on illness transition. Meanwhile, 80 cases of healthy people at the same phase were set to be healthy group. Differences in levels of Serum hs-CRP, IL-6 and FIB in these groups were analyzed, and according to these indexes, prognostic potency of COPD acute exacerbation phase could be evaluated. Results: Difference in serum hs-CRP, IL-6 and FIB levels in COPD stable phase group, COPD acute exacerbation phase group and healthy group were statistical significant (P<0.05. both for healthy group FIB levels in grade I, II, III of pulmonary function in the COPD acute exacerbation phase group were statistical significant (P<0.05 both for grade 1 < grade 2 < grade 3. Result of person analyzing showed significant positive correlation on grading of pulmonary function and serum hs-CRP, IL-6 and FIB levels, the correlation coefficient was 0.573. Differences of hs-CRP, IL-6 and FIB levels between survival group and death group were statistical significant. Serum hs-CRP, IL-6 and FIB levels were utilized respectively to evaluate area under curve of receiver operating characteristic in prognostic COPD acute exacerbation phase group, namely, 0.836, 0.815, 0.776. Sensitivities of “death”, which was evaluated by the various indexes, respectively showed as: 72.41%, 65.51% and 75

Dose-rate-dependent damage of cerium dioxide in the scanning transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston-Peck, Aaron C; DuChene, Joseph S; Roberts, Alan D; Wei, Wei David; Herzing, Andrew A

2016-11-01

Beam damage caused by energetic electrons in the transmission electron microscope is a fundamental constraint limiting the collection of artifact-free information. Through understanding the influence of the electron beam, experimental routines may be adjusted to improve the data collection process. Investigations of CeO 2 indicate that there is not a critical dose required for the accumulation of electron beam damage. Instead, measurements using annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy demonstrate that the onset of measurable damage occurs when a critical dose rate is exceeded. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is that oxygen vacancies created by exposure to a 300keV electron beam are actively annihilated as the sample re-oxidizes in the microscope environment. As a result, only when the rate of vacancy creation exceeds the recovery rate will beam damage begin to accumulate. This observation suggests that dose-intensive experiments can be accomplished without disrupting the native structure of the sample when executed using dose rates below the appropriate threshold. Furthermore, the presence of an encapsulating carbonaceous layer inhibits processes that cause beam damage, markedly increasing the dose rate threshold for the accumulation of damage. Published by Elsevier B.V.

EBSD and TEM Characterization of High Burn-up Mixed Oxide Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teague, Melissa C; Gorman, Brian P.; Miller, Brandon D; King, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

Understanding and studying the irradiation behavior of high burn-up oxide fuel is critical to licensing of future fast breeder reactors. Advancements in experimental techniques and equipment are allowing for new insights into previously irradiated samples. In this work dual column focused ion beam (FIB)/scanning electron microscope (SEM) was utilized to prepared transmission electron microscope samples from mixed oxide fuel with a burn-up of 6.7% FIMA. Utilizing the FIB/SEM for preparation resulted in samples with a dose rate of <0.5 mRem/h compared to approximately 1.1 R/h for a traditionally prepared TEM sample. The TEM analysis showed that the sample taken from the cooler rim region of the fuel pellet had approximately 2.5x higher dislocation density than that of the sample taken from the mid-radius due to the lower irradiation temperature of the rim. The dual column FIB/SEM was additionally used to prepared and serially slice approximately 25 um cubes. High quality electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) were collected from the face at each step, showing, for the first time, the ability to obtain EBSD data from high activity irradiated fuel

Femtosecond photoelectron point projection microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinonez, Erik; Handali, Jonathan; Barwick, Brett

2013-01-01

By utilizing a nanometer ultrafast electron source in a point projection microscope we demonstrate that images of nanoparticles with spatial resolutions of the order of 100 nanometers can be obtained. The duration of the emission process of the photoemitted electrons used to make images is shown to be of the order of 100 fs using an autocorrelation technique. The compact geometry of this photoelectron point projection microscope does not preclude its use as a simple ultrafast electron microscope, and we use simple analytic models to estimate temporal resolutions that can be expected when using it as a pump-probe ultrafast electron microscope. These models show a significant increase in temporal resolution when comparing to ultrafast electron microscopes based on conventional designs. We also model the microscopes spectroscopic abilities to capture ultrafast phenomena such as the photon induced near field effect

Investigation on the traceability of three dimensional scanning electron microscope measurements based on the stereo-pair technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bariani, Paolo; De Chiffre, Leonardo; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2005-01-01

An investigation was carried out concerning the traceability of dimensional measurements performed with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) using reconstruction of surface topography through stereo-photogrammetry. A theoretical description of the effects that the main instrumental variables...... with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) using reconstruction of surface topography through stereo-photogrammetry. A theoretical description of the effects that the main instrumental variables and measurement parameters have on the reconstruction accuracy of any point on the surface of the object being imaged......-dimensional topography of the type C roughness standards showed good agreement with the nominal profile wavelength values. An investigation was carried out concerning the traceability of dimensional measurements performed with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) using reconstruction of surface topography through...

A simple way to obtain backscattered electron images in a scanning transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuruta, Hiroki; Tanaka, Shigeyasu; Tanji, Takayoshi; Morita, Chiaki

2014-08-01

We have fabricated a simple detector for backscattered electrons (BSEs) and incorporated the detector into a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) sample holder. Our detector was made from a 4-mm(2) Si chip. The fabrication procedure was easy, and similar to a standard transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample thinning process based on ion milling. A TEM grid containing particle objects was fixed to the detector with a silver paste. Observations were carried out using samples of Au and latex particles at 75 and 200 kV. Such a detector provides an easy way to obtain BSE images in an STEM. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Irradiation-related amorphization and crystallization: In situ transmission electron microscope studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, C.W.

1994-01-01

Interfacing an ion accelerator to a transmission electron microscope (TEM) allows the analytical functions of TEM imaging and diffraction to be employed during ion-irradiation effects studies. At present there are twelve such installations in Japan, one in France and one in the US. This paper treats several aspects of in situ studies involving electron and ion beam induced and enhanced phase transformations and presents results of several in situ experiments to illustrate the dynamics of this approach in the materials science of irradiation effects. The paper describes the ion- and electron-induced amorphization of CuTi; the ion-irradiation-enhanced transformation of TiCr 2 ; and the ion- and electron-irradiation-enhanced crystallization of CoSi 2

Note: Electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface with scanning tunneling microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Meng; Xu, Chunkai; Zhang, Panke; Li, Zhean; Chen, Xiangjun

2016-08-01

We report a novel scanning probe electron energy spectrometer (SPEES) which combines a double toroidal analyzer with a scanning tunneling microscope to achieve both topography imaging and electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface in situ. The spatial resolution of spectroscopy mapping is determined to be better than 0.7 ± 0.2 μm at a tip sample distance of 7 μm. Meanwhile, the size of the field emission electron beam spot on the surface is also measured, and is about 3.6 ± 0.8 μm in diameter. This unambiguously demonstrates that the spatial resolution of SPEES technique can be much better than the size of the incident electron beam.

Note: Electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface with scanning tunneling microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Meng; Xu, Chunkai, E-mail: xuck@ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: xjun@ustc.edu.cn; Zhang, Panke; Li, Zhean; Chen, Xiangjun, E-mail: xuck@ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: xjun@ustc.edu.cn [Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at Microscale and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

2016-08-15

We report a novel scanning probe electron energy spectrometer (SPEES) which combines a double toroidal analyzer with a scanning tunneling microscope to achieve both topography imaging and electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface in situ. The spatial resolution of spectroscopy mapping is determined to be better than 0.7 ± 0.2 μm at a tip sample distance of 7 μm. Meanwhile, the size of the field emission electron beam spot on the surface is also measured, and is about 3.6 ± 0.8 μm in diameter. This unambiguously demonstrates that the spatial resolution of SPEES technique can be much better than the size of the incident electron beam.

Note: Electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface with scanning tunneling microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Meng; Xu, Chunkai; Zhang, Panke; Li, Zhean; Chen, Xiangjun

2016-01-01

We report a novel scanning probe electron energy spectrometer (SPEES) which combines a double toroidal analyzer with a scanning tunneling microscope to achieve both topography imaging and electron energy spectroscopy mapping of surface in situ. The spatial resolution of spectroscopy mapping is determined to be better than 0.7 ± 0.2 μm at a tip sample distance of 7 μm. Meanwhile, the size of the field emission electron beam spot on the surface is also measured, and is about 3.6 ± 0.8 μm in diameter. This unambiguously demonstrates that the spatial resolution of SPEES technique can be much better than the size of the incident electron beam.

Scanning Electron Microscope Calibration Using a Multi-Image Non-Linear Minimization Process

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Le; Marchand, Éric

2015-04-01

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) calibrating approach based on non-linear minimization procedure is presented in this article. A part of this article has been published in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2014. . Both the intrinsic parameters and the extrinsic parameters estimations are achieved simultaneously by minimizing the registration error. The proposed approach considers multi-images of a multi-scale calibration pattern view from different positions and orientations. Since the projection geometry of the scanning electron microscope is different from that of a classical optical sensor, the perspective projection model and the parallel projection model are considered and compared with distortion models. Experiments are realized by varying the position and the orientation of a multi-scale chessboard calibration pattern from 300× to 10,000×. The experimental results show the efficiency and the accuracy of this approach.

Electron microscopy investigations of changes in morphology and conductivity of LiFePO4/C electrodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scipioni, Roberto; Jørgensen, Peter S.; Ngo, Duc-The

2016-01-01

In this work we study the structural degradation of a laboratory Li-ion battery LiFePO4/Carbon Black (LFP/CB) cathode by various electron microscopy techniques including low kV Focused Ion Beam (FIB)/Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) 3D tomography. Several changes are observed in FIB/SEM images...

Role of scanning electron microscope )SEM) in metal failure analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaiful Rizam Shamsudin; Hafizal Yazid; Mohd Harun; Siti Selina Abd Hamid; Nadira Kamarudin; Zaiton Selamat; Mohd Shariff Sattar; Muhamad Jalil

2005-01-01

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a scientific instrument that uses a beam of highly energetic electrons to examine the surface and phase distribution of specimens on a micro scale through the live imaging of secondary electrons (SE) and back-scattered electrons (BSE) images. One of the main activities of SEM Laboratory at MINT is for failure analysis on metal part and components. The capability of SEM is excellent for determining the root cause of metal failures such as ductility or brittleness, stress corrosion, fatigue and other types of failures. Most of our customers that request for failure analysis are from local petrochemical plants, manufacturers of automotive components, pipeline maintenance personnel and engineers who involved in the development of metal parts and component. This paper intends to discuss some of the technical concepts in failure analysis associated with SEM. (Author)

Tunneling rates in electron transport through double-barrier molecular junctions in a scanning tunneling microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazin, G V; Wu, S W; Ho, W

2005-06-21

The scanning tunneling microscope enables atomic-scale measurements of electron transport through individual molecules. Copper phthalocyanine and magnesium porphine molecules adsorbed on a thin oxide film grown on the NiAl(110) surface were probed. The single-molecule junctions contained two tunneling barriers, vacuum gap, and oxide film. Differential conductance spectroscopy shows that electron transport occurs via vibronic states of the molecules. The intensity of spectral peaks corresponding to the individual vibronic states depends on the relative electron tunneling rates through the two barriers of the junction, as found by varying the vacuum gap tunneling rate by changing the height of the scanning tunneling microscope tip above the molecule. A simple, sequential tunneling model explains the observed trends.

Scanning electron microscope autoradiography of critical point dried biological samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, R.L.

1980-01-01

A technique has been developed for the localization of isotopes in the scanning electron microscope. Autoradiographic studies have been performed using a model system and a unicellular biflagellate alga. One requirement of this technique is that all manipulations be carried out on samples that are maintained in a liquid state. Observations of a source of radiation ( 125 I-ferritin) show that the nuclear emulsion used to detect radiation is active under these conditions. Efficiency measurement performed using 125 I-ferritin indicate that 125 I-SEM autoradiography is an efficient process that exhibits a 'dose dependent' response. Two types of labeling methods were used with cells, surface labeling with 125 I and internal labeling with 3 H. Silver grains appeared on labeled cells after autoradiography, removal of residual gelatin and critical point drying. The location of grains was examined on a flagellated green alga (Chlamydomonas reinhardi) capable of undergoing cell fusion. Fusion experiments using labeled and unlabeled cells indicate that 1. Labeling is specific for incorporated radioactivity; 2. Cell surface structure is preserved in SEM autoradiographs and 3. The technique appears to produce reliable autoradiographs. Thus scanning electron microscope autoradiography should provide a new and useful experimental approach

FIB patterning of dielectric, metallized and graphene membranes: A comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemamouche, A.; Morin, A.; Bourhis, E.; Madouri, A.; Lafosse, X.; Ulysse, C.; Guilet, S.; Patriarche, G.; Gierak, J.; Toury, B.; Tarnaud, E.; Mathe, J.; Guegan, P.; Auvray, L.; Montel, F.; Wilmart, Q.; Placais, B.; Yates, J.

2014-01-01

Fabrication of nano-pores and nano-masks has recently emerged as an area of considerable interest for research applications ranging from optics, to electronics and to biophysics. In this work we evaluate and compare the fabrication of nano-pores, using a finely focused gallium beam, in free-standing membranes/films made of Si, SiN, and SiO 2 (having thicknesses of a few tens of nanometers) and also in graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) atomically thin suspended sheets. Mechanical resistance, charging effects and patterning performances are evaluated and compared. In spite of the very different properties of the membranes we report that reproducible nano-pore fabrication in the sub-10 nm range can be achieved in both amorphous and atomically thin sheets using Ga + focused ion beams (FIB). (authors)

Nanosecond time-resolved investigations using the in situ of dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaGrange, Thomas; Campbell, Geoffrey H.; Reed, B.W.; Taheri, Mitra; Pesavento, J. Bradley; Kim, Judy S.; Browning, Nigel D.

2008-01-01

Most biological processes, chemical reactions and materials dynamics occur at rates much faster than can be captured with standard video rate acquisition methods in transmission electron microscopes (TEM). Thus, there is a need to increase the temporal resolution in order to capture and understand salient features of these rapid materials processes. This paper details the development of a high-time resolution dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM) that captures dynamics in materials with nanosecond time resolution. The current DTEM performance, having a spatial resolution <10 nm for single-shot imaging using 15 ns electron pulses, will be discussed in the context of experimental investigations in solid state reactions of NiAl reactive multilayer films, the study of martensitic transformations in nanocrystalline Ti and the catalytic growth of Si nanowires. In addition, this paper will address the technical issues involved with high current, electron pulse operation and the near-term improvements to the electron optics, which will greatly improve the signal and spatial resolutions, and to the laser system, which will allow tailored specimen and photocathode drive conditions

Nanosecond time-resolved investigations using the in situ of dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LaGrange, Thomas [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)], E-mail: lagrange@llnl.gov; Campbell, Geoffrey H.; Reed, B.W.; Taheri, Mitra; Pesavento, J. Bradley [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Kim, Judy S.; Browning, Nigel D. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (United States)

2008-10-15

Most biological processes, chemical reactions and materials dynamics occur at rates much faster than can be captured with standard video rate acquisition methods in transmission electron microscopes (TEM). Thus, there is a need to increase the temporal resolution in order to capture and understand salient features of these rapid materials processes. This paper details the development of a high-time resolution dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM) that captures dynamics in materials with nanosecond time resolution. The current DTEM performance, having a spatial resolution <10 nm for single-shot imaging using 15 ns electron pulses, will be discussed in the context of experimental investigations in solid state reactions of NiAl reactive multilayer films, the study of martensitic transformations in nanocrystalline Ti and the catalytic growth of Si nanowires. In addition, this paper will address the technical issues involved with high current, electron pulse operation and the near-term improvements to the electron optics, which will greatly improve the signal and spatial resolutions, and to the laser system, which will allow tailored specimen and photocathode drive conditions.

On the Progress of Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) Imaging in a Scanning Electron Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Cheng; Müller, Erich; Meffert, Matthias; Gerthsen, Dagmar

2018-04-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with low-energy electrons has been recognized as an important addition to the family of electron microscopies as it may avoid knock-on damage and increase the contrast of weakly scattering objects. Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) are well suited for low-energy electron microscopy with maximum electron energies of 30 keV, but they are mainly used for topography imaging of bulk samples. Implementation of a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) detector and a charge-coupled-device camera for the acquisition of on-axis transmission electron diffraction (TED) patterns, in combination with recent resolution improvements, make SEMs highly interesting for structure analysis of some electron-transparent specimens which are traditionally investigated by TEM. A new aspect is correlative SEM, STEM, and TED imaging from the same specimen region in a SEM which leads to a wealth of information. Simultaneous image acquisition gives information on surface topography, inner structure including crystal defects and qualitative material contrast. Lattice-fringe resolution is obtained in bright-field STEM imaging. The benefits of correlative SEM/STEM/TED imaging in a SEM are exemplified by structure analyses from representative sample classes such as nanoparticulates and bulk materials.

Ordered arrays of Au catalysts by FIB assisted heterogeneous dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Benkouider, A; Ronda, A; David, T; Favre, L; Abbarchi, M; Naffouti, M; Osmond, J; Delobbe, A; Sudraud, P; Berbezier, I

2015-12-18

Synthesizing Au0.8Si0.2 nanocatalysts that are homogeneous in size and have controlled position is becoming a challenging and crucial prequisite for the fabrication of ordered semiconductor nanowires. In this study, Au0.8Si0.2 nanocatalysts are synthesized via dewetting of Au layers on Si(111) during thermal annealing in an ultra-high vacuum. In the first part of the paper, the mechanism of homogeneous dewetting is analyzed as a function of the Au-deposited thickness (h Au). We distinguish three different dewetting regimes: (I) for a low thickness ([Formula: see text]), a submonolyer coverage of Au is stabilized and there is no dewetting. (II) For an intermediate thickness ([Formula: see text]), there is both dewetting and Au0.8Si0.2 phase formation. The size and density of the Au0.8Si0.2 clusters are directly related to h Au. When cooling down to room temperature, the clusters decompose and reject the Si at the Au/Si substrate interface. (III) For a large thickness ([Formula: see text]), only dewetting takes place, without forming AuSi clusters. In this regime, the dewetting is kinetically controlled by the self-diffusion of Au (activation energy ∼0.43 eV) without evidence of an Si-alloying effect. As a practical consequence, when relying solely on the homogeneous dewetting of Au/Si(111) to form the Au0.8Si0.2 catalysts (without a supply of Si atoms from vapor), regime II should be used to obtain good size and density control. In the second part of the paper, a process for ordering the catalysts using focused ion beam-(FIB) assisted dewetting (heterogeneous dewetting) is developed. We show that no matter what the FIB milling conditions and the Au nominal thickness are, dewetting is promoted by ion beam irradiation and is accompanied by the formation of Au0.8Si0.2 droplets. The droplets preferentially form on the patterned areas, while in similar annealing conditions, they do not form on the unpatterned areas. This behavior is attributed to the larger Au

Investigations and characterization of the microstructure of special ceramic materials using the high-resolution electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirn, M.

1979-01-01

The possibilities to characterize phases and microstructures by direct lattice imaging are indicated in the following work. Ceramic materials are particularly suitable for this as these exhibit a high mechanical stability in the investigation in the transmission electron microscope. First of all the fundamentals of the high-resolution electron microscopy are introduced and the various resulting possibilities to characterize microstructures are presented. A report then follows on experimental observations on undisturbed crystals of special ceramics on a Si 3 N 4 basis. Furthermore, it is shown that the high-resolution electron microscope provides valuable contributions to the determination of structure, in particular of twin variants. Finally, revealing information on the structure of the interfaces was obtained with the help of high-resolution electron microscopy. (orig./IHOE) [de

Electron holography study of magnetization behavior in the writer pole of a perpendicular magnetic recording head by a 1 MV transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Kei; Ishida, Yoichi; Akashi, Tetsuya; Shindo, Daisuke; Tonomura, Akira

2012-01-01

The magnetic domain structure of the writer poles of perpendicular magnetic recording heads was studied using electron holography. Although the domain structure of a 100-nm-thick writer pole could be observed with a 300 kV transmission electron microscope, that of the 250-nm-thick writer pole could not be analyzed due to the limited transmission capability of the instrument. On the other hand, the detailed domain structure of the 250-nm-thick writer pole was successfully analyzed by a 1 MV electron microscope using its high transmission capability. The thickness and material dependency of the domain structure of a writer pole were discussed.

Structural Fingerprinting of Nanocrystals in the Transmission Electron Microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Rouvimov, Sergei; Plachinda, Pavel; Moeck, Peter

2010-03-01

Three novel strategies for the structurally identification of nanocrystals in a transmission electron microscope are presented. Either a single high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image [1] or a single precession electron diffractogram (PED) [2] may be employed. PEDs from fine-grained crystal powders may also be utilized. Automation of the former two strategies is in progress and shall lead to statistically significant results on ensembles of nanocrystals. Open-access databases such as the Crystallography Open Database which provides more than 81,500 crystal structure data sets [3] or its mainly inorganic and educational subsets [4] may be utilized. [1] http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals 2007/j/of/dissertation.htm [2] P. Moeck and S. Rouvimov, in: {Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Sciences}, Vol. 191, 2009, 270-313 [3] http://cod.ibt.lt, http://www.crystallography.net, http://cod.ensicaen.fr, http://nanocrystallography.org, http://nanocrystallography.net, http://journals.iucr.org/j/issues/2009/04/00/kk5039/kk5039.pdf [4] http://nanocrystallography.research.pdx.edu/CIF-searchable

Extremely thin layer plastification for focused-ion beam scanning electron microscopy: an improved method to study cell surfaces and organelles of cultured cells.

Science.gov (United States)

VAN Donselaar, E G; Dorresteijn, B; Popov-Čeleketić, D; VAN DE Wetering, W J; Verrips, T C; Boekhout, T; Schneijdenberg, C T W M; Xenaki, A T; VAN DER Krift, T P; Müller, W H

2018-03-25

Since the recent boost in the usage of electron microscopy in life-science research, there is a great need for new methods. Recently minimal resin embedding methods have been successfully introduced in the sample preparation for focused-ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). In these methods several possibilities are given to remove as much resin as possible from the surface of cultured cells or multicellular organisms. Here we introduce an alternative way in the minimal resin embedding method to remove excess of resin from two widely different cell types by the use of Mascotte filter paper. Our goal in correlative light and electron microscopic studies of immunogold-labelled breast cancer SKBR3 cells was to visualise gold-labelled HER2 plasma membrane proteins as well as the intracellular structures of flat and round cells. We found a significant difference (p flat cell contained 2.46 ± 1.98 gold particles, and a round cell 5.66 ± 2.92 gold particles. Moreover, there was a clear difference in the subcellular organisation of these two cells. The round SKBR3 cell contained many organelles, such as mitochondria, Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum, when compared with flat SKBR3 cells. Our next goal was to visualise crosswall associated organelles, septal pore caps, of Rhizoctonia solani fungal cells by the combined use of a heavy metal staining and our extremely thin layer plastification (ETLP) method. At low magnifications this resulted into easily finding septa which appeared as bright crosswalls in the back-scattered electron mode in the scanning electron microscope. Then, a septum was selected for FIB-SEM. Cross-sectioned views clearly revealed the perforate septal pore cap of R. solani next to other structures, such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lipid bodies, dolipore septum, and the pore channel. As the ETLP method was applied on two widely different cell types, the use of the ETLP method will be beneficial to correlative studies of other cell

Nanofabrication with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shedd, G.M.; Russell, P.E.

1988-12-01

The Precision Engineering Center has recently begun a research program into applications of STM to Nanotechnology. Few tools permit humans to control events and processes at the manometer level, and of those, the STM is the most well-suited to the task. A versatile new ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) STM is being built to study the use of STM for the manipulation of nanometer-scale particles. Part of the STM`s usefulness will be due to its being positioned directly beneath the focused ion beam (FIB). The interface of the STM with the FIB will allow the STM to take advantage of the FIB for long-range imaging and as a particle source; the FIB can in turn use the STM for in situ, high-resolution imaging of micromachined features.

FIB/FESEM experimental and analytical assessment of R-curve behavior of WC–Co cemented carbides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tarragó, J.M., E-mail: jose.maria.tarrago@upc.edu [CIEFMA, Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); CRnE, Centre de Recerca en Nanoenginyeria, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Jiménez-Piqué, E. [CIEFMA, Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); CRnE, Centre de Recerca en Nanoenginyeria, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Schneider, L. [Sandvik Hyperion, Coventry CV4 0XG (United Kingdom); Casellas, D. [Fundació CTM Centre Tecnològic, 08243 Manresa (Spain); Torres, Y. [Departamento de Ingeniería y Ciencia de los Materiales y del Transporte, ETSI, Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Llanes, L. [CIEFMA, Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); CRnE, Centre de Recerca en Nanoenginyeria, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2015-10-01

Exceptional fracture toughness levels exhibited by WC–Co cemented carbides (hardmetals) are due mainly to toughening derived from plastic stretching of crack-bridging ductile enclaves. This takes place due to the development of a multiligament zone at the wake of cracks growing in a stable manner. As a result, hardmetals exhibit crack growth resistance (R-curve) behavior. In this work, the toughening mechanics and mechanisms of these materials are investigated by combining experimental and analytical approaches. Focused Ion Beam technique (FIB) and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) are implemented to obtain serial sectioning and imaging of crack–microstructure interaction in cracks arrested after stable extension under monotonic loading. The micrographs obtained provide experimental proof of the developing multiligament zone, including failure micromechanisms within individual bridging ligaments. Analytical assessment of the multiligament zone is then conducted on the basis of experimental information attained from FIB/FESEM images, and a model for the description of R-curve behavior of hardmetals is proposed. It was found that, due to the large stresses supported by the highly constrained and strongly bonded bridging ligaments, WC–Co cemented carbides exhibit quite steep but short R-curve behavior. Relevant strength and reliability attributes exhibited by hardmetals may then be rationalized on the basis of such toughening scenario.

Comparison of Electron Imaging Modes for Dimensional Measurements in the Scanning Electron Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Postek, Michael T; Vladár, András E; Villarrubia, John S; Muto, Atsushi

2016-08-01

Dimensional measurements from secondary electron (SE) images were compared with those from backscattered electron (BSE) and low-loss electron (LLE) images. With the commonly used 50% threshold criterion, the lines consistently appeared larger in the SE images. As the images were acquired simultaneously by an instrument with the capability to operate detectors for both signals at the same time, the differences cannot be explained by the assumption that contamination or drift between images affected the SE, BSE, or LLE images differently. Simulations with JMONSEL, an electron microscope simulator, indicate that the nanometer-scale differences observed on this sample can be explained by the different convolution effects of a beam with finite size on signals with different symmetry (the SE signal's characteristic peak versus the BSE or LLE signal's characteristic step). This effect is too small to explain the >100 nm discrepancies that were observed in earlier work on different samples. Additional modeling indicates that those discrepancies can be explained by the much larger sidewall angles of the earlier samples, coupled with the different response of SE versus BSE/LLE profiles to such wall angles.

Atomistic observations and analyses of lattice defects in transmission electron microscopes

CERN Document Server

Abe, H

2003-01-01

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) -accelerators was developed. TEM-Accelerator made possible to observe in situ experiments of ion irradiation and implantation. The main results are the experimental proof of new lattice defects by irradiation, the formation process and synthesized conditions of carbon onion by ion implantation, the microstructure and phase transformation conditions of graphite by ion irradiated phase transformation, the irradiation damage formation process by simultaneous irradiation of electron and ion and behavior of fullerene whisker under irradiation. The microstructural evolution of defect clusters in copper irradiated with 240-keV Cu sup + ions and a high resolution electron micrograph of carbon onions synthesized by ion implantation are explained as the examples of recent researches. (S.Y.)

Pleomorphic (giant cell) carcinoma of the intestine. An immunohistochemical and electron microscopic study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, Martin; Teglbjaerg, P S

1989-01-01

reaction for neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was found in three tumors and a positive reaction for chromogranin was found in one tumor. On electron microscopic study, intracytoplasmic whorls of intermediate filaments were seen in the perinuclear area. Dense core "neurosecretory" granules were rarely seen......Pleomorphic (giant cell) carcinomas have been described in the lungs, thyroid, pancreas, and gallbladder. Two pleomorphic carcinomas of the small bowel and two of the large bowel are presented. On light microscopic study, the carcinomas were solid, without squamous or glandular differentiation...

Scanning tunnel microscopic image of tungsten (100) and (110) real surfaces and nature of conduction electron reflection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pryadkin, S.L.; Tsoj, V.S.

1988-01-01

The electrically polished (100) and (110) surfaces of tungsten are studied with the aid of a scanning tunnel microscope at atmospheric pressure. The (110) surface consists of a large number of atomically plane terraces whereas the (100) surface is faceted. The scanning tunnel microscope data can explain such results of experiments on transverse electron focussing as the strong dependence of the probability for specular reflection of conduction electrons scattered by the (100) surface on the electron de Broglie wavelength and the absence of a dependence of the probability for specular reflection on the wavelength for the (110) surface

Characterization of electron microscopes with binary pseudo-random multilayer test samples

Science.gov (United States)

Yashchuk, Valeriy V.; Conley, Raymond; Anderson, Erik H.; Barber, Samuel K.; Bouet, Nathalie; McKinney, Wayne R.; Takacs, Peter Z.; Voronov, Dmitriy L.

2011-09-01

Verification of the reliability of metrology data from high quality X-ray optics requires that adequate methods for test and calibration of the instruments be developed. For such verification for optical surface profilometers in the spatial frequency domain, a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) gratings and arrays has been suggested [1,2] and proven to be an effective calibration method for a number of interferometric microscopes, a phase shifting Fizeau interferometer, and a scatterometer [5]. Here we describe the details of development of binary pseudo-random multilayer (BPRML) test samples suitable for characterization of scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopes. We discuss the results of TEM measurements with the BPRML test samples fabricated from a WiSi 2/Si multilayer coating with pseudo-randomly distributed layers. In particular, we demonstrate that significant information about the metrological reliability of the TEM measurements can be extracted even when the fundamental frequency of the BPRML sample is smaller than the Nyquist frequency of the measurements. The measurements demonstrate a number of problems related to the interpretation of the SEM and TEM data. Note that similar BPRML test samples can be used to characterize X-ray microscopes. Corresponding work with X-ray microscopes is in progress.

Characterization of electron microscopes with binary pseudo-random multilayer test samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yashchuk, Valeriy V.; Conley, Raymond; Anderson, Erik H.; Barber, Samuel K.; Bouet, Nathalie; McKinney, Wayne R.; Takacs, Peter Z.; Voronov, Dmitriy L.

2011-01-01

Verification of the reliability of metrology data from high quality X-ray optics requires that adequate methods for test and calibration of the instruments be developed. For such verification for optical surface profilometers in the spatial frequency domain, a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) gratings and arrays has been suggested and proven to be an effective calibration method for a number of interferometric microscopes, a phase shifting Fizeau interferometer, and a scatterometer [5]. Here we describe the details of development of binary pseudo-random multilayer (BPRML) test samples suitable for characterization of scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopes. We discuss the results of TEM measurements with the BPRML test samples fabricated from a WiSi 2 /Si multilayer coating with pseudo-randomly distributed layers. In particular, we demonstrate that significant information about the metrological reliability of the TEM measurements can be extracted even when the fundamental frequency of the BPRML sample is smaller than the Nyquist frequency of the measurements. The measurements demonstrate a number of problems related to the interpretation of the SEM and TEM data. Note that similar BPRML test samples can be used to characterize X-ray microscopes. Corresponding work with X-ray microscopes is in progress.

Interference experiment with asymmetric double slit by using 1.2-MV field emission transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, Ken; Akashi, Tetsuya; Niitsu, Kodai; Shimada, Keiko; Ono, Yoshimasa A; Shindo, Daisuke; Shinada, Hiroyuki; Mori, Shigeo

2018-01-17

Advanced electron microscopy technologies have made it possible to perform precise double-slit interference experiments. We used a 1.2-MV field emission electron microscope providing coherent electron waves and a direct detection camera system enabling single-electron detections at a sub-second exposure time. We developed a method to perform the interference experiment by using an asymmetric double-slit fabricated by a focused ion beam instrument and by operating the microscope under a "pre-Fraunhofer" condition, different from the Fraunhofer condition of conventional double-slit experiments. Here, pre-Fraunhofer condition means that each single-slit observation was performed under the Fraunhofer condition, while the double-slit observations were performed under the Fresnel condition. The interference experiments with each single slit and with the asymmetric double slit were carried out under two different electron dose conditions: high-dose for calculation of electron probability distribution and low-dose for each single electron distribution. Finally, we exemplified the distribution of single electrons by color-coding according to the above three types of experiments as a composite image.

The improved stability of an organic crystal in the Hitachi HV-1 high vacuum electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, R.S.; Hartman, R.E.; Alsberg, H.; Nathan, R.

1974-01-01

A specimen of crystalline indanthrene olive T was placed in the HV-1, which was then pumped for 2 hours. The 25 A bright field fringe pattern was then observed on the TV monitor. Deterioration was noted very shortly, and the electron microscope was then pumped for three days, after which another field was subjected to the same level of irradiation by 50 KV electrons. It was found that there was little if any deterioration even after 20 minutes. It was concluded that it is possible to find conditions in a transmission EM where stability far exceeds that predicted by current theories of radiation damage or demonstrated by conventional electron microscopes. (R.L.)

An ion-sputtering gun to clean crystal surfaces in-situ in an ultra-high-vacuum electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Etsuo; Takayanagi, Kunio; Kobayashi, Kunio; Yagi, Katsumichi; Honjo, Goro

1980-01-01

The design and performance of an ion-sputtering gun for cleaning crystal surfaces in-situ in an ultra-high-vacuum electron microscope are reported. The electron microscopic aspects of ion-bombardment damage to ionic magnesium oxide, covalent germanium and silicon, and metallic gold and copper crystals, and the effects of annealing after and during sputtering are described. The growth of various kinds of films deposited in-situ on crystals cleaned by ion-sputtering are described and discussed. (author)

Energy-weighted dynamical scattering simulations of electron diffraction modalities in the scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Pascal, Elena; Singh, Saransh; Callahan, Patrick G; Hourahine, Ben; Trager-Cowan, Carol; Graef, Marc De

2018-04-01

Transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) has been gaining momentum as a high resolution alternative to electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), adding to the existing electron diffraction modalities in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The image simulation of any of these measurement techniques requires an energy dependent diffraction model for which, in turn, knowledge of electron energies and diffraction distances distributions is required. We identify the sample-detector geometry and the effect of inelastic events on the diffracting electron beam as the important factors to be considered when predicting these distributions. However, tractable models taking into account inelastic scattering explicitly are lacking. In this study, we expand the Monte Carlo (MC) energy-weighting dynamical simulations models used for EBSD [1] and ECP [2] to the TKD case. We show that the foil thickness in TKD can be used as a means of energy filtering and compare band sharpness in the different modalities. The current model is shown to correctly predict TKD patterns and, through the dictionary indexing approach, to produce higher quality indexed TKD maps than conventional Hough transform approach, especially close to grain boundaries. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An ultrafast electron microscope gun driven by two-photon photoemission from a nanotip cathode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bormann, Reiner; Strauch, Stefanie; Schäfer, Sascha; Ropers, Claus

2015-01-01

We experimentally and numerically investigate the performance of an advanced ultrafast electron source, based on two-photon photoemission from a tungsten needle cathode incorporated in an electron microscope gun geometry. Emission properties are characterized as a function of the electrostatic gun settings, and operating conditions leading to laser-triggered electron beams of very low emittance (below 20 nm mrad) are identified. The results highlight the excellent suitability of optically driven nano-cathodes for the further development of ultrafast transmission electron microscopy

Solid-state nanopores of controlled geometry fabricated in a transmission electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Hui; Egerton, Ray F.

2017-11-01

Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography were applied to in situ studies of the formation, shape, and diameter of nanopores formed in a silicon nitride membrane in a transmission electron microscope. The nanopore geometry was observed in three dimensions by electron tomography. Drilling conditions, such as probe current, beam convergence angle, and probe position, affect the formation rate and the geometry of the pores. With a beam convergence semi-angle of α = 22 mrad, a conical shaped nanopore is formed but at α = 45 mrad, double-cone (hourglass-shaped) nanopores were produced. Nanopores with an effective diameter between 10 nm and 1.8 nm were fabricated by controlling the drilling time.

Thin-film thickness measurement using x-ray peak ratioing in the scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, N.E.; Anderson, W.E.; Archuleta, T.A.; Stupin, D.M.

1981-01-01

The procedure used to measure laser target film thickness using a scanning electron microscope is summarized. This method is generally applicable to any coating on any substrate as long as the electron energy is sufficient to penetrate the coating and the substrate produces an x-ray signal which can pass back through the coating and be detected

The reactions of loaded carbon nanotubes, studied by novel electron microscope techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawcliffe, A.

1999-01-01

A novel electron microscope technique, controlled environment transmission electron microscopy (CETEM), has been used to investigate the reaction of materials loaded within the internal cavities of carbon nanotubes. CETEM allows the introduction of up to 20 mbar of gas around an electron microscope sample, while maintaining a high resolution imaging capability. The microscope is stable, flexible and reliable under these conditions and high resolution images of encapsulated transmission metal oxide reduction have been recorded at 460 deg. C. Recently discovered carbon nanotubes have in theory many applications, many of which will require controlled reliable loading of the internal cavity. However, at present, there is little experimental evidence to confirm theoretical descriptions of the fundamental mechanisms which govern both the extent of loading and the state in which it is found. Similarly, reaction within the cavity and the effect of encapsulation on the nano-scale particle distribution must also be understood, and CETEM proves to be an ideal technique for the study of these processes. Nanotubes have been loaded from aqueous solution with (NH 4 ) 2 IrCI 6 and with molten MoO 3 or K 2 WO 4 /WO 3 . Bulk samples of the first salt are known to decompose spontaneously in air at 200 deg. C, and the bulk oxides are partially reduced at temperature under hydrogen to give potentially useful conducting phases. Comparing the reaction of these materials it is thus possible to: investigate the effect of loading on their reaction; compare the reaction of these materials in- and out-side the tube cavity; and assess the result of violent loading processes on the tubes themselves. Fortuitously, a spontaneous decomposition, a solid-gas reduction and a phase rearrangement were all recorded, allowing mechanistic implications of encapsulation to be considered for each of these reactions. Perhaps surprisingly, the results can be largely interpreted using the reported bulk

Transmission electron microscope interfaced with ion accelerators and its application to materials science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, Hiroaki; Naramoto, Hiroshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment; Hojou, Kiichi; Furuno, Shigemi; Tsukamoto, Tetsuo

1997-03-01

We have developed the transmission/analytical electron microscope interfaced with two sets of ion accelerators (TEM-Accelerators Facility) at JAERI-Takasaki. The facility is expected to provide quantitative insights into radiation effects, such as damage evolution, irradiation-induced phase transformation and their stability, through in-situ observation and analysis under ion and/or electron irradiation. The TEM-Accelerators Facility and its application to materials research are reviewed. (author)

Theory of life time measurements with the scanning electron microscope: steady state

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berz, F.; Kuiken, H.K.

1976-01-01

A theoretical steady state analysis is given of the scanning electron microscope method of measuring bulk life time in diodes, where the plane of the junction is perpendicular to the surface. The current in the junction is obtained as a function of the beam power, the beam penetration into the

Energy-filtered real- and k-space secondary and energy-loss electron imaging with Dual Emission Electron spectro-Microscope: Cs/Mo(110)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grzelakowski, Krzysztof P., E-mail: k.grzelakowski@opticon-nanotechnology.com

2016-05-15

Since its introduction the importance of complementary k{sub ||}-space (LEED) and real space (LEEM) information in the investigation of surface science phenomena has been widely demonstrated over the last five decades. In this paper we report the application of a novel kind of electron spectromicroscope Dual Emission Electron spectroMicroscope (DEEM) with two independent electron optical channels for reciprocal and real space quasi-simultaneous imaging in investigation of a Cs covered Mo(110) single crystal by using the 800 eV electron beam from an “in-lens” electron gun system developed for the sample illumination. With the DEEM spectromicroscope it is possible to observe dynamic, irreversible processes at surfaces in the energy-filtered real space and in the corresponding energy-filtered k{sub ǁ}-space quasi-simultaneously in two independent imaging columns. The novel concept of the high energy electron beam sample illumination in the cathode lens based microscopes allows chemically selective imaging and analysis under laboratory conditions. - Highlights: • A novel concept of the electron sample illumination with “in-lens” e- gun is realized. • Quasi-simultaneous energy selective observation of the real- and k-space in EELS mode. • Observation of the energy filtered Auger electron diffraction at Cs atoms on Mo(110). • Energy-loss, Auger and secondary electron momentum microscopy is realized.

Electron-beam nanosculpting and materials analysis of exfoliated bismuth selenide

Science.gov (United States)

Friedensen, Sarah; Parkin, William; Mlack, Jerome; Drndic, Marija

We report on nanosculpting Bi2Se3 with a highly-focused electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). Exfoliated Bi2Se3 flakes were transferred onto silicon nitride TEM windows and structures at least 100 nm by 100 nm in size were selected for shaping. Focused ion beam (FIB) cutting was used to carve larger features into the structures and provide preliminary thinning if desired. Then, a STEM probe was used to sculpt more delicate features, including nanowires of approximately 20 nm in width, point contacts, and T-shaped junctions. During STEM cutting, the structures were monitored using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, electron diffraction, and high-resolution imaging, and it was found that the crystal structure remains largely intact. This process opens the way for in-situ determination of the effects of size and structure on electrical and thermal properties of Bi2Se3 and fabrication of nanodevices with more elaborate geometries than can be achieved with growth methods alone.

A comparison of EDS microanalysis in FIB-prepared and electropolished TEM thin foils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutchinson, C.R.; Hackenberg, R.E.; Shiflet, G.J.

2003-01-01

This paper reports the results of a fine-probe EDS microanalytical study of cellular precipitation in a Cu-Ti binary alloy. Compositional profiles across the solute depleted Cu-rich FCC lamellae and the Cu 4 Ti lamellae within isothermally formed cellular colonies were measured in a FEG-TEM from thin-foil specimens prepared by conventional electropolishing and by a technique using a Ga + focused ion-beam (FIB). The Cliff-Lorimer ratio method, with an absorption correction, was employed to quantify the compositions. Two FIB samples were prepared with different orientations of the lamellae with respect to the ion-milling direction. The compositional profiles across the Cu-rich FCC lamellae and the Cu 4 Ti compound lamellae in both the FIB-prepared samples and the electropolished sample were, within experimental error, numerically equivalent. The composition of the Cu 4 Ti compound phase lamellae was very close to the ideal stoichiometric composition of 20 at% Ti. It is concluded that for this system, and for the specimen preparation procedures used in this study, the Ga + ion-milling process has had no detectable effect on the chemistry changes across the interlamellar interface at the scale studied. These results indicate that the possible sources of chemical artifacts which include redeposition, preferential sputtering and ion-induced atomic migration can be minimized if several precautions are taken during milling in the FIB. Consistent with previous investigators, it was also found that the ion-milling process does introduce significant structural artifacts (e.g., dislocations) into the softer FCC Cu-rich phase compared with a specimen produced by conventional electropolishing

[Thirty years of the electron microscope investigation in zoology and parasitology in the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences].

Science.gov (United States)

Shatrov, A B

2003-01-01

The history of the electron microscope investigations in zoology and parasitology in the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and progress in scanning and transmission electron microscope investigations in this field of biology to the moment are briefly accounted.

Resizing metal-coated nanopores using a scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Chansin, Guillaume A T; Hong, Jongin; Dusting, Jonathan; deMello, Andrew J; Albrecht, Tim; Edel, Joshua B

2011-10-04

Electron beam-induced shrinkage provides a convenient way of resizing solid-state nanopores in Si(3) N(4) membranes. Here, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been used to resize a range of different focussed ion beam-milled nanopores in Al-coated Si(3) N(4) membranes. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectra and SEM images acquired during resizing highlight that a time-variant carbon deposition process is the dominant mechanism of pore shrinkage, although granular structures on the membrane surface in the vicinity of the pores suggest that competing processes may occur. Shrinkage is observed on the Al side of the pore as well as on the Si(3) N(4) side, while the shrinkage rate is observed to be dependent on a variety of factors. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Investigation of orientation gradients around a hard Laves particle in a warm-rolled Fe3Al-based alloy using a 3D EBSD-FIB technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konrad, J.; Zaefferer, S.; Raabe, D.

2006-01-01

We present a study of the microstructure around a hard Laves particle in a warm-rolled intermetallic Fe 3 Al-based alloy. The experiments are conducted using a system for three-dimensional orientation microscopy (3D electron backscattering diffraction, EBSD). The approach is realized by a combination of a focused ion beam (FIB) unit for serial sectioning with high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy with EBSD. We observe the formation of steep 3D orientation gradients in the Fe 3 Al matrix around the rigid precipitate which entail in part particle-stimulated nucleation events in the immediate vicinity of the particle. The orientation gradients assume a characteristic pattern around the particle in the transverse plane while revealing an elongated tubular morphology in the rolling direction. However, they do not reveal a characteristic common rotation axis. Recovered areas in the matrix appear both in the transverse and rolling directions around the particle. The work demonstrates that the new 3D EBSD-FIB technique provides a new level of microstructure information that cannot be achieved by conventional 2D-EBSD analysis

Permanent magnet finger-size scanning electron microscope columns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelliyan, K., E-mail: elenk@nus.edu.sg [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Khursheed, A. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2011-07-21

This paper presents permanent magnet scanning electron microscope (SEM) designs for both tungsten and field emission guns. Each column makes use of permanent magnet technology and operates at a fixed primary beam voltage. A prototype column operating at a beam voltage of 15 kV was made and tested inside the specimen chamber of a conventional SEM. A small electrostatic stigmator unit and dedicated scanning coils were integrated into the column. The scan coils were wound directly around the objective lens iron core in order to reduce its size. Preliminary experimental images of a test grid specimen were obtained through the prototype finger-size column, demonstrating that it is in principle feasible.

Permanent magnet finger-size scanning electron microscope columns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelliyan, K.; Khursheed, A.

2011-01-01

This paper presents permanent magnet scanning electron microscope (SEM) designs for both tungsten and field emission guns. Each column makes use of permanent magnet technology and operates at a fixed primary beam voltage. A prototype column operating at a beam voltage of 15 kV was made and tested inside the specimen chamber of a conventional SEM. A small electrostatic stigmator unit and dedicated scanning coils were integrated into the column. The scan coils were wound directly around the objective lens iron core in order to reduce its size. Preliminary experimental images of a test grid specimen were obtained through the prototype finger-size column, demonstrating that it is in principle feasible.

Electron-microscope study of cloud and fog nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogiwara, S; Okita, T

1952-01-01

Droplets of clouds on a mountain and of fog in an urban area were captured and the form, nature and size of their nuclei were studied by means of an electron-microscope and by a chamber of constant humidity. These nuclei have similar form and nature to the hygroscopic particles in haze and to the artificially produced combustion particles. No sea-salt nuclei were found in our observations, therefore, sea-spray appears to be an insignificant source of condensation nuclei. It was found that both the cloud and the fog nuclei originated in combustion products which were the mixture of hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic substances, and that the greater part of the nuclei did not contain pure sulfuric acid.

Transmission electron microscope sample holder with optical features

Science.gov (United States)

Milas, Mirko [Port Jefferson, NY; Zhu, Yimei [Stony Brook, NY; Rameau, Jonathan David [Coram, NY

2012-03-27

A sample holder for holding a sample to be observed for research purposes, particularly in a transmission electron microscope (TEM), generally includes an external alignment part for directing a light beam in a predetermined beam direction, a sample holder body in optical communication with the external alignment part and a sample support member disposed at a distal end of the sample holder body opposite the external alignment part for holding a sample to be analyzed. The sample holder body defines an internal conduit for the light beam and the sample support member includes a light beam positioner for directing the light beam between the sample holder body and the sample held by the sample support member.

Optical depth sectioning in the aberration-corrected scanning transmission and scanning confocal electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behan, G; Nellist, P D

2008-01-01

The use of spherical aberration correctors in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has the effect of reducing the depth of field of the microscope, making three-dimensional imaging of a specimen possible by optical sectioning. Depth resolution can be improved further by placing aberration correctors and lenses pre and post specimen to achieve an imaging mode known as scanning confocal electron microscopy (SCEM). We present the calculated incoherent point spread functions (PSF) and optical transfer functions (OTF) of a STEM and SCEM. The OTF for a STEM is shown to have a missing cone region which results in severe blurring along the optic axis, which can be especially severe for extended objects. We also present strategies for reconstruction of experimental data, such as three-dimensional deconvolution of the point spread function.

Sensitivity Analysis of X-ray Spectra from Scanning Electron Microscopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, Thomas Martin [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Patton, Bruce W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Weber, Charles F. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bekar, Kursat B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2014-10-01

The primary goal of this project is to evaluate x-ray spectra generated within a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to determine elemental composition of small samples. This will be accomplished by performing Monte Carlo simulations of the electron and photon interactions in the sample and in the x-ray detector. The elemental inventories will be determined by an inverse process that progressively reduces the difference between the measured and simulated x-ray spectra by iteratively adjusting composition and geometric variables in the computational model. The intended benefit of this work will be to develop a method to perform quantitative analysis on substandard samples (heterogeneous phases, rough surfaces, small sizes, etc.) without involving standard elemental samples or empirical matrix corrections (i.e., true standardless quantitative analysis).

Characterization of calcium crystals in Abelia using x-ray diffraction and electron microscopes

Science.gov (United States)

Localization, chemical composition, and morphology of calcium crystals in leaves and stems of Abelia mosanensis and A. ×grandiflora were analyzed with a variable pressure scanning electron microscope (VP-SEM) equipped with an X-ray diffraction system, low temperature SEM (LT-SEM) and a transmission ...

Optimization of an analytical electron microscope for x-ray microanalysis: instrumental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bentley, J.; Zaluzec, N.J.; Kenik, E.A.; Carpenter, R.W.

1979-01-01

The addition of an energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer to a modern transmission or scanning transmission electron microscope can provide a powerful tool in the characterization of the materials. Unfortunately this seemingly simple modification can lead to a host of instrumental problems with respect to the accuracy, validity, and quality of the recorded information. This tutorial reviews the complications which can arise in performing x-ray microanalysis in current analytical electron microscopes. The first topic treated in depth is fluorescence by uncollimated radiation. The source, distinguishing characteristics, effects on quantitative analysis and schemes for elimination or minimization as applicable to TEM/STEMs, D-STEMs and HVEMs are discussed. The local specimen environment is considered in the second major section where again detrimental effects on quantitative analysis and remedial procedures, particularly the use of low-background specimen holers, are highlighted. Finally, the detrimental aspects of specimen contamination, insofar as they affect x-ray microanalysis, are discussed. It is concluded that if the described preventive measures are implemented, reliable quantitative analysis is possible

Bright-field scanning confocal electron microscopy using a double aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Peng; Behan, Gavin; Kirkland, Angus I. [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Nellist, Peter D., E-mail: peter.nellist@materials.ox.ac.uk [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Cosgriff, Eireann C.; D' Alfonso, Adrian J.; Morgan, Andrew J.; Allen, Leslie J. [School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Hashimoto, Ayako [Advanced Nano-characterization Center, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Takeguchi, Masaki [Advanced Nano-characterization Center, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); High Voltage Electron Microscopy Station, NIMS, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Mitsuishi, Kazutaka [Advanced Nano-characterization Center, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Quantum Dot Research Center, NIMS, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Shimojo, Masayuki [High Voltage Electron Microscopy Station, NIMS, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Advanced Science Research Laboratory, Saitama Institute of Technology, 1690 Fusaiji, Fukaya 369-0293 (Japan)

2011-06-15

Scanning confocal electron microscopy (SCEM) offers a mechanism for three-dimensional imaging of materials, which makes use of the reduced depth of field in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope. The simplest configuration of SCEM is the bright-field mode. In this paper we present experimental data and simulations showing the form of bright-field SCEM images. We show that the depth dependence of the three-dimensional image can be explained in terms of two-dimensional images formed in the detector plane. For a crystalline sample, this so-called probe image is shown to be similar to a conventional diffraction pattern. Experimental results and simulations show how the diffracted probes in this image are elongated in thicker crystals and the use of this elongation to estimate sample thickness is explored. -- Research Highlights: {yields} The confocal probe image in a scanning confocal electron microscopy image reveals information about the thickness and height of the crystalline layer. {yields} The form of the contrast in a three-dimensional bright-field scanning confocal electron microscopy image can be explained in terms of the confocal probe image. {yields} Despite the complicated form of the contrast in bright-field scanning confocal electron microscopy, we see that depth information is transferred on a 10 nm scale.

Fabrication and electric measurements of nanostructures inside transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qing; Peng, Lian-Mao

2011-06-01

Using manipulation holders specially designed for transmission electron microscope (TEM), nanostructures can be characterized, measured, modified and even fabricated in-situ. In-situ TEM techniques not only enable real-time study of structure-property relationships of materials at atomic scale, but also provide the ability to control and manipulate materials and structures at nanoscale. This review highlights in-situ electric measurements and in-situ fabrication and structure modification using manipulation holder inside TEM. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acquisition parameters optimization of a transmission electron forward scatter diffraction system in a cold-field emission scanning electron microscope for nanomaterials characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodusch, Nicolas; Demers, Hendrix; Trudeau, Michel; Gauvin, Raynald

2013-01-01

Transmission electron forward scatter diffraction (t-EFSD) is a new technique providing crystallographic information with high resolution on thin specimens by using a conventional electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) system in a scanning electron microscope. In this study, the impact of tilt angle, working distance, and detector distance on the Kikuchi pattern quality were investigated in a cold-field emission scanning electron microscope (CFE-SEM). We demonstrated that t-EFSD is applicable for tilt angles ranging from -20° to -40°. Working distance (WD) should be optimized for each material by choosing the WD for which the EBSD camera screen illumination is the highest, as the number of detected electrons on the screen is directly dependent on the scattering angle. To take advantage of the best performances of the CFE-SEM, the EBSD camera should be close to the sample and oriented towards the bottom to increase forward scattered electron collection efficiency. However, specimen chamber cluttering and beam/mechanical drift are important limitations in the CFE-SEM used in this work. Finally, the importance of t-EFSD in materials science characterization was illustrated through three examples of phase identification and orientation mapping. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Scanning electron microscopy and micro-analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brisset, F.; Repoux, L.; Ruste, J.; Grillon, F.; Robaut, F.

2008-01-01

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the related micro-analyses are involved in extremely various domains, from the academic environments to the industrial ones. The overall theoretical bases, the main technical characteristics, and some complements of information about practical usage and maintenance are developed in this book. high-vacuum and controlled-vacuum electron microscopes are thoroughly presented, as well as the last generation of EDS (energy dispersive spectrometer) and WDS (wavelength dispersive spectrometer) micro-analysers. Beside these main topics, other analysis or observation techniques are approached, such as EBSD (electron backscattering diffraction), 3-D imaging, FIB (focussed ion beams), Monte-Carlo simulations, in-situ tests etc.. This book, in French language, is the only one which treats of this subject in such an exhaustive way. It represents the actualized and totally updated version of a previous edition of 1979. It gathers the lectures given in 2006 at the summer school of Saint Martin d'Heres (France). Content: 1 - electron-matter interactions; 2 - characteristic X-radiation, Bremsstrahlung; 3 - electron guns in SEM; 4 - elements of electronic optics; 5 - vacuum techniques; 6 - detectors used in SEM; 7 - image formation and optimization in SEM; 7a - SEM practical instructions for use; 8 - controlled pressure microscopy; 8a - applications; 9 - energy selection X-spectrometers (energy dispersive spectrometers - EDS); 9a - EDS analysis; 9b - X-EDS mapping; 10 - technological aspects of WDS; 11 - processing of EDS and WDS spectra; 12 - X-microanalysis quantifying methods; 12a - quantitative WDS microanalysis of very light elements; 13 - statistics: precision and detection limits in microanalysis; 14 - analysis of stratified samples; 15 - crystallography applied to EBSD; 16 - EBSD: history, principle and applications; 16a - EBSD analysis; 17 - Monte Carlo simulation; 18 - insulating samples in SEM and X-ray microanalysis; 18a - insulating

Use of an axisymmetric microscope with electronic readout for collecting soft X-ray images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavailler, C.; Henry, P.; Launspach, J.; De Mascureau, J.; Millerioux, M.; Rostaing, M.; Sauneuf, R.

1984-08-01

The axisymmetric microscope, first discussed by Wolter, provides high resolution and sensitivity for investigating the soft X-ray emission of laser-driven plasmas. Such a device having a 10 X magnification has been constructed. We present a comparison between the images of laser-driven plasmas given by this microscope and by a 10 X pinhole camera. Until now these images were recorded on X-ray film. We have shown that film could be replaced by C.C.D. in a pinhole camera when the photon energy lies within the 1-10 keV range. Below 1 keV the quantum yield is too low so we have used an image converter tube made by RTC. It is a diode-inverter tube with a soft X-ray photocathode and a P20 phosphor deposited on an optic fiber plate. The electronic image appearing on the screen is read by a C.C.D. working in the visible spectral fields. An electronic image readout chain, which is identical to those associated with streak cameras, then processes automatically and immediately the images given by the microscope [fr

Nitrogen implantation with a scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, S; Raatz, N; Jankuhn, St; John, R; Meijer, J

2018-01-08

Established techniques for ion implantation rely on technically advanced and costly machines like particle accelerators that only few research groups possess. We report here about a new and surprisingly simple ion implantation method that is based upon a widespread laboratory instrument: The scanning electron microscope. We show that it can be utilized to ionize atoms and molecules from the restgas by collisions with electrons of the beam and subsequently accelerate and implant them into an insulating sample by the effect of a potential building up at the sample surface. Our method is demonstrated by the implantation of nitrogen ions into diamond and their subsequent conversion to nitrogen vacancy centres which can be easily measured by fluorescence confocal microscopy. To provide evidence that the observed centres are truly generated in the way we describe, we supplied a 98% isotopically enriched 15 N gas to the chamber, whose natural abundance is very low. By employing the method of optically detected magnetic resonance, we were thus able to verify that the investigated centres are actually created from the 15 N isotopes. We also show that this method is compatible with lithography techniques using e-beam resist, as demonstrated by the implantation of lines using PMMA.

Micro-four-point probes in a UHV scanning electron microscope for in-situ surface-conductivity measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shiraki, I.; Nagao, T.; Hasegawa, S.

2000-01-01

For in-situ measurements of surface conductivity in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), we have installed micro-four-point probes (probe spacings down to 4 mum) in a UHV scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with scanning reflection-high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). With the aid of piezoactuators...

3D-characterization of the veneer-zirconia interface using FIB nano-tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Mainjot, Amélie K; Douillard, Thierry; Gremillard, Laurent; Sadoun, Michaël J; Chevalier, Jérôme

2013-02-01

The phenomena occurring during zirconia frameworks veneering process are not yet fully understood. In particular the study of zirconia behavior at the interface with the veneer remains a challenge. However this interface has been reported to act on residual stress in the veneering ceramic, which plays a significant role in clinical failures such as chipping. The objective of this study was thus to investigate the veneer-zirconia interface using a recent 3D-analysis tool and to confront these observations to residual stress measurements in the veneering ceramic. Two cross-sectioned bilayered disc samples (veneer on zirconia), exhibiting different residual stress profiles in the veneering ceramic, were investigated using 2D and 3D imaging (respectively Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focused Ion Beam nanotomography (FIB-nt), associated with chemical analysis by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The observations did not reveal any structural change in the bulk of zirconia layer of both samples. However the presence of structural alterations and sub-surface microcracks were highlighted in the first micrometer of zirconia surface, exclusively for the sample exhibiting interior tensile stress in the veneering ceramic. No interdiffusion phenomena were observed. FIB nanotomography was proven to be a powerful technique to study the veneer-zirconia interface. The determination of the origin and the nature of zirconia alterations need to be further studied. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that zirconia surface property changes could be involved in the development of tensile stress in the veneering ceramic, increasing the risk of chipping. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Severe Sepsis Manifesting as A-Fib with Rapid Ventricular Rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Nicholson

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Audience: This simulation is designed to educate emergency medicine residents and medical students on the diagnosis and management of an adult patient with sepsis due to a decubitus ulcer manifesting as acute-onset atrial fibrillation (A-fib with rapid ventricular response (RVR. Introduction: Adult patients frequently present critically ill from sepsis. Proper diagnosis and management require a focused but thorough history and physical exam, as well as an appropriate diagnostic workup. Management includes aggressive care with antibiotics and intravenous fluids, and may require vasoactive agents. Objectives: Learners will be able to identify and manage atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. Additionally, learners will be able to identify the concurrent infection and determine the appropriate management in the setting of A-fib with RVR. The case also provides learners with the opportunity to review principles of leadership, teamwork, and effective communication. Method: This session was conducted using high-fidelity simulation, followed by a debriefing session.

Micro/nano analysis of tooth microstructures by Focused Ion Beam (FIB cross-sectioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meltem Sezen

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Since dental structures are hard and fragile, cross-sectioning of these materials using ultramicrotomy and other techniques and following micro and nano analysis cause problems. The use of FIB-SEM dual beam platforms is the most convenient solution for investigating the microstructures, site-specifically and in certain geometries. Dual beam platforms allow for imaging at high magnifications and resolutions and simultaneous elemental analysis. In this study, the micro/nano-structural and chemical differences were revealed in dentin and enamel samples. The investigation of dental tissues having different morphologies and chemical components by ion-cross-sectioning is important for the use of FIB-SEM platforms in dentistry in Turkey.

In-situ straining and time-resolved electron tomography data acquisition in a transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, S; Miyazaki, S; Gondo, T; Kawamoto, K; Horii, N; Sato, K; Furukawa, H; Kudo, H; Miyazaki, H; Murayama, M

2017-04-01

This paper reports the preliminary results of a new in-situ three-dimensional (3D) imaging system for observing plastic deformation behavior in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) as a directly relevant development of the recently reported straining-and-tomography holder [Sato K et al. (2015) Development of a novel straining holder for transmission electron microscopy compatible with single tilt-axis electron tomography. Microsc. 64: 369-375]. We designed an integrated system using the holder and newly developed straining and image-acquisition software and then developed an experimental procedure for in-situ straining and time-resolved electron tomography (ET) data acquisition. The software for image acquisition and 3D visualization was developed based on the commercially available ET software TEMographyTM. We achieved time-resolved 3D visualization of nanometer-scale plastic deformation behavior in a Pb-Sn alloy sample, thus demonstrating the capability of this system for potential applications in materials science. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

In situ transmission electron microscope studies of ion irradiation-induced and irradiation-enhanced phase changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, C.W.

1992-01-01

Motivated at least initially by materials needs for nuclear reactor development, extensive irradiation effects studies employing transmission electron microscopes (TEM) have been performed for several decades, involving irradiation-induced and irradiation-enhanced microstructural changes, including phase transformations such as precipitation, dissolution, crystallization, amorphization, and order-disorder phenomena. From the introduction of commercial high voltage electron microscopes (HVEM) in the mid-1960s, studies of electron irradiation effects have constituted a major aspect of HVEM application in materials science. For irradiation effects studies two additional developments have had particularly significant impact; the development of TEM specimen holder sin which specimen temperature can be controlled in the range 10-2200 K and the interfacing of ion accelerators which allows in situ TEM studies of irradiation effects and the ion beam modification of materials within this broad temperature range. This paper treats several aspects of in situ studies of electron and ion beam-induced and enhanced phase changes and presents two case studies involving in situ experiments performed in an HVEM to illustrate the strategies of such an approach of the materials research of irradiation effects

Bright-field scanning confocal electron microscopy using a double aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Behan, Gavin; Kirkland, Angus I; Nellist, Peter D; Cosgriff, Eireann C; D'Alfonso, Adrian J; Morgan, Andrew J; Allen, Leslie J; Hashimoto, Ayako; Takeguchi, Masaki; Mitsuishi, Kazutaka; Shimojo, Masayuki

2011-06-01

Scanning confocal electron microscopy (SCEM) offers a mechanism for three-dimensional imaging of materials, which makes use of the reduced depth of field in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope. The simplest configuration of SCEM is the bright-field mode. In this paper we present experimental data and simulations showing the form of bright-field SCEM images. We show that the depth dependence of the three-dimensional image can be explained in terms of two-dimensional images formed in the detector plane. For a crystalline sample, this so-called probe image is shown to be similar to a conventional diffraction pattern. Experimental results and simulations show how the diffracted probes in this image are elongated in thicker crystals and the use of this elongation to estimate sample thickness is explored. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scanning tunnelling microscope imaging of nanoscale electron density gradients on the surface of GaAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, B; Jacobs, J; Missous, M

2003-01-01

This paper is concerned with the scanning tunnelling microscope tunnelling conditions needed to produce constant current images dominated either by surface topology or by electronic effects. A model experimental structure was produced by cleaving a GaAs multiδ-doped layer in UHV and so projecting a spatially varying electron gas density onto the (110) surface. This cross sectional electron density varies on a nanometre scale in the [100] growth direction. The electronic structure and tunnelling properties of this system were modelled, and the tunnelling conditions favouring sensitivity to the surface electron gas density determined

Quantitative in-situ TEM nanotensile testing of single crystal Ni facilitated by a new sample preparation approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Samaeeaghmiyoni, Vahid; Idrissi, Hosni; Groten, Jonas; Schwaiger, Ruth; Schryvers, Dominique

2017-03-01

Twin-jet electro-polishing and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) were combined to produce small size Nickel single crystal specimens for quantitative in-situ nanotensile experiments in the transmission electron microscope. The combination of these techniques allows producing samples with nearly defect-free zones in the centre in contrast to conventional FIB-prepared samples. Since TEM investigations can be performed on the electro-polished samples prior to in-situ TEM straining, specimens with desired crystallographic orientation and initial microstructure can be prepared. The present results reveal a dislocation nucleation-controlled plasticity, in which small loops induced by FIB near the edges of the samples play a central role. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light and electron microscopic localization of GABAA-receptors on cultured cerebellar granule cells and astrocytes using immunohistochemical techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Gert Helge; Hösli, E; Belhage, B

1991-01-01

. At the light microscope level specific staining of GABAA-receptors was localized in various types of neurones in explant cultures of rat cerebellum using the indirect peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique, whereas no specific staining was found in astrocytes. At the electron microscope level labeling...

Method and apparatus for a high-resolution three dimensional confocal scanning transmission electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

de Jonge, Niels [Oak Ridge, TN

2010-08-17

A confocal scanning transmission electron microscope which includes an electron illumination device providing an incident electron beam propagating in a direction defining a propagation axis, and a precision specimen scanning stage positioned along the propagation axis and movable in at least one direction transverse to the propagation axis. The precision specimen scanning stage is configured for positioning a specimen relative to the incident electron beam. A projector lens receives a transmitted electron beam transmitted through at least part of the specimen and focuses this transmitted beam onto an image plane, where the transmitted beam results from the specimen being illuminated by the incident electron beam. A detection system is placed approximately in the image plane.

Characterizing deformed ultrafine-grained and nanocrystalline materials using transmission Kikuchi diffraction in a scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trimby, Patrick W.; Cao, Yang; Chen, Zibin; Han, Shuang; Hemker, Kevin J.; Lian, Jianshe; Liao, Xiaozhou; Rottmann, Paul; Samudrala, Saritha; Sun, Jingli; Wang, Jing Tao; Wheeler, John; Cairney, Julie M.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: -- Abstract: The recent development of transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) in a scanning electron microscope enables fast, automated orientation mapping of electron transparent samples using standard electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) hardware. TKD in a scanning electron microscope has significantly better spatial resolution than conventional EBSD, enabling routine characterization of nanocrystalline materials and allowing effective measurement of samples that have undergone severe plastic deformation. Combining TKD with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) provides complementary chemical information, while a standard forescatter detector system below the EBSD detector can be used to generate dark field and oriented dark field images. Here we illustrate the application of this exciting new approach to a range of deformed, ultrafine grained and nanocrystalline samples, including duplex stainless steel, nanocrystalline copper and highly deformed titanium and nickel–cobalt. The results show that TKD combined with EDS is a highly effective and widely accessible tool for measuring key microstructural parameters at resolutions that are inaccessible using conventional EBSD

The measurement and calculation of the X-ray spatial resolution obtained in the analytical electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michael, J.R.; Williams, D.B.

1990-01-01

The X-ray microanalytical spatial resolution is determined experimentally in various analytical electron microscopes by measuring the degradation of an atomically discrete composition profile across an interphase interface in a thin-foil of Ni-Cr-Fe. The experimental spatial resolutions are then compared with calculated values. The calculated spatial resolutions are obtained by the mathematical convolution of the electron probe size with an assumed beam-broadening distribution and the single-scattering model of beam broadening. The probe size is measured directly from an image of the probe in a TEM/SETEM and indirectly from dark-field signal changes resulting from scanning the probe across the edge of an MgO crystal in a dedicated STEM. This study demonstrates the applicability of the convolution technique to the calculation of the microanalytical spatial resolution obtained in the analytical electron microscope. It is demonstrated that, contrary to popular opinion, the electron probe size has a major impact on the measured spatial resolution in foils < 150 nm thick. (author)

Modification of a scanning electron microscope to produce Smith-Purcell radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapp, Oscar H.; Sun, Yin-e; Kim, Kwang-Je; Crewe, Albert V.

2004-01-01

We have modified a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in an attempt to produce a miniature free electron laser that can produce radiation in the far infrared region, which is difficult to obtain otherwise. This device is similar to the instrument studied by the Dartmouth group and functions on the basic principles first described by Smith and Purcell. The electron beam of the SEM is passed over a metal grating and should be capable of producing photons either in the spontaneous emission regime or in the superradiance regime if the electron beam is sufficiently bright. The instrument is capable of being continuously tuned by virtue of the period of the metal grating and the choice of accelerating voltage. The emitted Smith-Purcell photons exit the instrument via a polyethylene window and are detected by an infrared bolometer. Although we have obtained power levels exceeding nanowatts in the spontaneous emission regime, we have thus far not been able to detect a clear example of superradiance

EBSD and FIB/TEM examination of shape memory effect deformation structures in U-14 at.% Nb

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clarke, A.J. [Materials Science and Technology Division, Mail Stop G770, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)], E-mail: aclarke@lanl.gov; Field, R.D.; McCabe, R.J.; Cady, C.M.; Hackenberg, R.E.; Thoma, D.J. [Materials Science and Technology Division, Mail Stop G770, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2008-06-15

Detailed examinations of shape memory effect (SME) deformation structures in martensite of U-14 at.% Nb were performed with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). An accommodation strain analysis, which has been previously used to predict SME deformation structures and texture evolution in polycrystalline material, was also performed. Martensite variants and twin relationships observed with EBSD after compressive or tensile deformation were determined to be consistent with those expected from calculated accommodation strains. Focused ion beam (FIB) was used to select twinned regions identified with EBSD for more detailed TEM analysis to verify the presence of these specific twins. The observed SME twinning systems in the martensite agree with previous TEM observations and the predicted {l_brace}1-bar76{r_brace} twinning system was observed experimentally for the first time in U-14 at.% Nb using these complementary techniques.

Electron Microscopic Changes of Rabbit Retina after Chromovitrectomy Using Combined Dyes (Experimental Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. M. Aznabaev

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to evaluate on experimental model electron-microscopic changes of rabbit retina after staining of the posterior eye segmentwith combined dyes based on Trypan blue and Brilliant blue G for the assessment of their safety. Methods. The study was performed onChinchilla breed rabbits. Combined dyes based on Trypan blue and Brilliant blue were used: MembraneBlue-Dual (DORC, Netherlandsand “Staining solution for ophthalmic surgery” (JCS “Optimedservis”, Russia. Standard three-port vitrectomy technique was used. After vitreous removal dyes were injected in vitreous cavity and exposed for 10 seconds and then removed. The vitreous cavity was filled by a balanced salt solution. An electron-microscopic evaluation was performed on 5, 14 and 30 days after surgery. Eyes were enucleated in 20 minutes after animal was killed by air embolization. Intact eyes were used as a control, all samples were prepared in same сonditions. The damage of the retina architectonics and the presence of intracellular inclusions were evaluated. Results. The staged character of pathomorphological changes was revealed. On the 5th day moderate edema and hydropic dystrophy of neurons were registered. On the 14th day, there was no negative dynamics. On day 30, the signs of edema and dystrophy of neurons practically disappeared, which may indicate a fundamental reversibility of the registered changes. Conclusion. Investigated dyes for staining intraocular structures based on Trypan blue and Brilliant blue did not cause significant histomorphological changes and toxic effects on retinal cell structures. Detected electron microscopic changes were insignificant, had reversible character and could be mostly caused by a surgical injury.

Dark-field imaging based on post-processed electron backscatter diffraction patterns of bulk crystalline materials in a scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodusch, Nicolas; Demers, Hendrix; Gauvin, Raynald

2015-01-01

Dark-field (DF) images were acquired in the scanning electron microscope with an offline procedure based on electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns (EBSPs). These EBSD-DF images were generated by selecting a particular reflection on the electron backscatter diffraction pattern and by reporting the intensity of one or several pixels around this point at each pixel of the EBSD-DF image. Unlike previous studies, the diffraction information of the sample is the basis of the final image contrast with a pixel scale resolution at the EBSP providing DF imaging in the scanning electron microscope. The offline facility of this technique permits the selection of any diffraction condition available in the diffraction pattern and displaying the corresponding image. The high number of diffraction-based images available allows a better monitoring of deformation structures compared to electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) which is generally limited to a few images of the same area. This technique was applied to steel and iron specimens and showed its high capability in describing more rigorously the deformation structures around micro-hardness indents. Due to the offline relation between the reference EBSP and the EBSD-DF images, this new technique will undoubtedly greatly improve our knowledge of deformation mechanism and help to improve our understanding of the ECCI contrast mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Collaborative Research and Development. Delivery Order 0006: Transmission Electron Microscope Image Modeling and Semiconductor Heterointerface Characterization

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mahalingam, Krishnamurthy

2006-01-01

.... Transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization studies were performed on a variety of novel III-V semiconductor heterostructures being developed for advanced optoelectronic device applications...

Photocathode Optimization for a Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellis, P; Flom, Z; Heinselman, K; Nguyen, T; Tung, S; Haskell, R; Reed, B W; LaGrange, T

2011-08-04

The Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM) team at Harvey Mudd College has been sponsored by LLNL to design and build a test setup for optimizing the performance of the DTEM's electron source. Unlike a traditional TEM, the DTEM achieves much faster exposure times by using photoemission from a photocathode to produce electrons for imaging. The DTEM team's work is motivated by the need to improve the coherence and current density of the electron cloud produced by the electron gun in order to increase the image resolution and contrast achievable by DTEM. The photoemission test setup is nearly complete and the team will soon complete baseline tests of electron gun performance. The photoemission laser and high voltage power supply have been repaired; the optics path for relaying the laser to the photocathode has been finalized, assembled, and aligned; the internal setup of the vacuum chamber has been finalized and mostly implemented; and system control, synchronization, and data acquisition has been implemented in LabVIEW. Immediate future work includes determining a consistent alignment procedure to place the laser waist on the photocathode, and taking baseline performance measurements of the tantalum photocathode. Future research will examine the performance of the electron gun as a function of the photoemission laser profile, the photocathode material, and the geometry and voltages of the accelerating and focusing components in the electron gun. This report presents the team's progress and outlines the work that remains.

submitter Light Extraction From Scintillating Crystals Enhanced by Photonic Crystal Structures Patterned by Focused Ion Beam

CERN Document Server

Modrzynski, Pawel; Knapitsch, Arno; Kunicki, Piotr; Lecoq, Paul; Moczala, Magdalena; Papakonstantinou, Ioannis; Auffray, Etiennette

2016-01-01

“Photonic Crystals (PhC)” have been used in a variety of fields as a structure for improving the light extraction efficiency from materials with high index of refraction. In previous work we already showed the light extraction improvement of several PhC covered LYSO crystals in computer simulations and practical measurements. In this work, new samples are made using different materials and techniques which allows further efficiency improvements. For rapid prototyping of PhC patterns on scintillators we tested a new method using “Focused Ion Beam (FIB)” patterning. The FIB machine is a device similar to a “Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)”, but it uses ions (mainly gallium) instead of electrons for the imaging of the samples' surface. The additional feature of FIB devices is the option of surface patterning in nano-scale which was exploited for our samples. Three samples using FIB patterning have been produced. One of them is a direct patterning of the extraction face of a 0.8×0.8×10 $mm^3$ LYS...

Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis System

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — This facility provides the capability to examine surfaces microscopically with high resolution (5 nanometers), perform micro chemical analyses of these surfaces, and...

Examination of mycological samples by means of the scanning electron microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Thibaut

1973-04-01

Full Text Available Three species of Siphomycetes: Rhizopus arhizus, Rhizopus equinus and Rhizopus nigricans, as well as a Septomycete: Emericella nidulans, have been examined by means of a scanning electron microscope. Among the difjerent Rhizopus, this technique showed differences in the appearance of the sporangia. In Emericella nidulans, scanning microscopy enábled one to ascertain that the "Hull cells" were completely hollow and also demonstrated the ornemented aspect of the ascospores.

Development of micro tensile testing method in an FIB system for evaluating grain boundary strength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, Katsuhiko; Fukuya, Koji

2010-01-01

A micro tensile testing method for evaluating grain boundary strength was developed. Specimens of 2 x 2 x 10μm having one grain boundary were made by focused ion beam (FIB) micro-processing and tensioned in an FIB system in situ. The load was measured from the deflection of the silicon cantilever. The method was applied to aged and unaged Fe-Mn-P alloy specimens with different level of grain boundary phosphorus segregation. The load at intergranular fracture decreased with increasing phosphorus segregation. (author)

Effects of focused ion beam milling on electron backscatter diffraction patterns in strontium titanate and stabilized zirconia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saowadee, Nath; Agersted, Karsten; Bowen, Jacob R.

2012-01-01

This study investigates the effect of focused ion beam (FIB) current and accelerating voltage on electron backscatter diffraction pattern quality of yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and Nb‐doped strontium titanate (STN) to optimize data quality and acquisition time for 3D‐EBSD experiments by FIB...

In Situ Room Temperature Electron-Beam Driven Graphene Growth from Hydrocarbon Contamination in a Transmission Electron Microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark H Rummeli

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The excitement of graphene (as well as 2D materials in general has generated numerous procedures for the fabrication of graphene. Here we present a mini-review on a rather less known, but attractive, in situ means to fabricate graphene inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM. This is achieved in a conventional TEM (viz. no sophisticated specimen holders or microscopes are required and takes advantage of inherent hydrocarbon contamination as a carbon source. Both catalyst free and single atom catalyst approaches are reviewed. An advantage of this technique is that not only can the growth process be imaged in situ, but this can also be achieved with atomic resolution. Moreover, in the future, one can anticipate such approaches enabling the growth of nano-materials with atomic precision.

Analytical electron microscope study of the omega phase transformation in a zirconium--niobium alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaluzec, N.J.

1979-06-01

An in-situ study of the as-quenched omega phase transformation in Zr--15% Nb was conducted between the temperatures of 77 and 300/sup 0/K using analytical electron microscopy. The domain size of the omega regions observed in this investigation was on the order of 30 A, consistent with previous observations in this system. No alignment of omega domains along <222> directions of the bcc lattice was observed and in-situ thermal cycling experiments failed to produce a long period structure of alternating ..beta.. and ..omega.. phase regions as predicted by one theory of this transformation. Several techniques of microstructural analysis were developed, refined, and standardized. Grouped under the general classification of Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM) they provide the experimentalist with a unique tool for the microcharacterization of solids, allowing semiquantitative to quantitative analysis of the morphology, crystallography, elemental composition, and electronic structure of regions as small as 20 A in diameter. These techniques have complications, and it was necessary to study the AEM system used in this work so that instrumental artifacts which invalidate the information produced in the microscope environment might be eliminated. Once these factors had been corrected, it was possible to obtain a wealth of information about the microvolume of material under investigation. The microanalytical techniques employed during this research include: energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) using both conventional and scanning transmission electron microscopy (CTEM, STEM), transmission scanning electron diffraction (TSED), the stationary diffraction pattern technique, and electron energy loss spectroscopy (ELS) using a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (DSTEM).

Analytical electron microscope study of the omega phase transformation in a zirconium--niobium alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaluzec, N.J.

1979-06-01

An in-situ study of the as-quenched omega phase transformation in Zr--15% Nb was conducted between the temperatures of 77 and 300 0 K using analytical electron microscopy. The domain size of the omega regions observed in this investigation was on the order of 30 A, consistent with previous observations in this system. No alignment of omega domains along directions of the bcc lattice was observed and in-situ thermal cycling experiments failed to produce a long period structure of alternating β and ω phase regions as predicted by one theory of this transformation. Several techniques of microstructural analysis were developed, refined, and standardized. Grouped under the general classification of Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM) they provide the experimentalist with a unique tool for the microcharacterization of solids, allowing semiquantitative to quantitative analysis of the morphology, crystallography, elemental composition, and electronic structure of regions as small as 20 A in diameter. These techniques have complications, and it was necessary to study the AEM system used in this work so that instrumental artifacts which invalidate the information produced in the microscope environment might be eliminated. Once these factors had been corrected, it was possible to obtain a wealth of information about the microvolume of material under investigation. The microanalytical techniques employed during this research include: energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) using both conventional and scanning transmission electron microscopy (CTEM, STEM), transmission scanning electron diffraction (TSED), the stationary diffraction pattern technique, and electron energy loss spectroscopy (ELS) using a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope

Characteristics of different frequency ranges in scanning electron microscope images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sim, K. S.; Nia, M. E.; Tan, T. L.; Tso, C. P.; Ee, C. S.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate a new approach to characterize the frequency range in general scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. First, pure frequency images are generated from low frequency to high frequency, and then, the magnification of each type of frequency image is implemented. By comparing the edge percentage of the SEM image to the self-generated frequency images, we can define the frequency ranges of the SEM images. Characterization of frequency ranges of SEM images benefits further processing and analysis of those SEM images, such as in noise filtering and contrast enhancement

Characteristics of different frequency ranges in scanning electron microscope images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sim, K. S., E-mail: kssim@mmu.edu.my; Nia, M. E.; Tan, T. L.; Tso, C. P.; Ee, C. S. [Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Multimedia University, 75450 Melaka (Malaysia)

2015-07-22

We demonstrate a new approach to characterize the frequency range in general scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. First, pure frequency images are generated from low frequency to high frequency, and then, the magnification of each type of frequency image is implemented. By comparing the edge percentage of the SEM image to the self-generated frequency images, we can define the frequency ranges of the SEM images. Characterization of frequency ranges of SEM images benefits further processing and analysis of those SEM images, such as in noise filtering and contrast enhancement.

Top-down topography of deeply etched silicon in the scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wells, Oliver C.; Murray, Conal E.; Rullan, Jonathan L.; Gignac, Lynne M.

2004-01-01

It is proposed to measure the cross sections of steep-sided etched lines and similar deep surface topography on partially completed silicon integrated circuit wafers using either the backscattered electron (BSE) or the low-loss electron (LLE) image in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). These images contain regions where the collected signal is zero because there is no direct line of sight between the landing point of the electron beam on the specimen and the BSE or LLE detector. It is proposed to use the boundary of such a region in the SEM image as a geometrical line to measure the surface topography. Or alternatively, a shadow can be seen in the distribution of either BSE or LLE with an image-forming detector system. The use of this shadow position on the detector to measure deep surface topography will be demonstrated

Mesotherapy for facial skin rejuvenation: a clinical, histologic, and electron microscopic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, Snehal P; Phelps, Robert G; Goldberg, David J

2006-12-01

Mesotherapy, as broadly defined, represents a variety of minimally invasive techniques in which medications are directly injected into the skin and underlying tissue in order to improve musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cosmetic conditions. There are few clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of mesotherapy in any form. This study evaluates the histologic and clinical changes associated with one of the simplest formulations of mesotheraphy commonly used for skin rejuvenation. Ten subjects underwent four sessions of mesotherapy involving multiple injections of a multivitamin and hyaluronic acid solution. Treatment was conducted at 4 monthly intervals. All subjects had pre- and post-treatment photographs and skin biopsies. Skin biopsies were evaluated with routine histology, mucin and elastin stains, and electron microscopy. Patient surveys were also evaluated. Evaluation of photographs at 0, 3, and 6 months revealed no significant clinical differences. Light microscopic examination of pre- and posttreatment specimens showed no significant changes. Electron microscopic analysis of collagen fibers measurements did show smaller diameter fibres posttreatment. No significant clinical or histologic changes were observed after multivitamin mesotherapy for skin rejuvenation. Multivitamin and hyaluronic acid solution facial mesotherapy does not appear to provide any significant benefit.

Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) Facility in BTI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cik Rohaida Che Hak; Foo, C.T.; Nor Azillah Fatimah Othman

2015-01-01

Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) provides ultra-high resolution imaging at low accelerating voltages and small working distances. The GeminisSEM 500, a new FESEM imaging facility will be installed soon in MTEC, BTI. It provides resolution of the images is as low as 0.6 nm at 15 kV and 1.2 nm at 1 kV, allowing examination of the top surface of nano powders, nano film and nano fiber in the wide range of applications such as mineralogy, ceramics, polymer, metallurgy, electronic devices, chemistry, physics and life sciences. This system is equipped with several detectors to detect various signals such as secondary electrons (SE) detector for topographic information and back-scattered electrons (BSE) detector for materials composition contrast. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) with detector energy resolution of < 129 eV and detection limit in the range of 1000-3000 ppm coupled with FE-SEM is used to determine the chemical composition of micro-features including boron (B) to uranium (U). Wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (WDS) which has detector resolution of 2-20 eV and detection limit of 30-300 ppm coupled with FE-SEM is used to detect elements that cannot be resolved with EDS. The ultra-high resolution imaging combined with the high sensitivity WDS helps to resolve the thorium and rare earth elemental analysis. (author)

Simulation and Characterization of a Miniaturized Scanning Electron Microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Gaskin, Jessica A.; Jerman, Gregory A.; Medley, Stephanie; Gregory, Don; Abbott, Terry O.; Sampson, Allen R.

2011-01-01

A miniaturized Scanning Electron Microscope (mSEM) for in-situ lunar investigations is being developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center with colleagues from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), Advanced Research Systems (ARS), the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (UTK) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). This effort focuses on the characterization of individual components of the mSEM and simulation of the complete system. SEMs can provide information on the size, shape, morphology and chemical composition of lunar regolith. Understanding these basic properties will allow us to better estimate the challenges associated with In-Situ Resource Utilization and to improve our basic science knowledge of the lunar surface (either precluding the need for sample return or allowing differentiation of unique samples to be returned to Earth.) The main components of the mSEM prototype includes: a cold field emission electron gun (CFEG), focusing lens, deflection/scanning system and backscatter electron detector. Of these, the electron gun development is of particular importance as it dictates much of the design of the remaining components. A CFEG was chosen for use with the lunar mSEM as its emission does not depend on heating of the tungsten emitter (lower power), it offers a long operation lifetime, is orders of magnitude brighter than tungsten hairpin guns, has a small source size and exhibits low beam energy spread.

Quantum coherent optical phase modulation in an ultrafast transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Feist, Armin; Echternkamp, Katharina E; Schauss, Jakob; Yalunin, Sergey V; Schäfer, Sascha; Ropers, Claus

2015-05-14

Coherent manipulation of quantum systems with light is expected to be a cornerstone of future information and communication technology, including quantum computation and cryptography. The transfer of an optical phase onto a quantum wavefunction is a defining aspect of coherent interactions and forms the basis of quantum state preparation, synchronization and metrology. Light-phase-modulated electron states near atoms and molecules are essential for the techniques of attosecond science, including the generation of extreme-ultraviolet pulses and orbital tomography. In contrast, the quantum-coherent phase-modulation of energetic free-electron beams has not been demonstrated, although it promises direct access to ultrafast imaging and spectroscopy with tailored electron pulses on the attosecond scale. Here we demonstrate the coherent quantum state manipulation of free-electron populations in an electron microscope beam. We employ the interaction of ultrashort electron pulses with optical near-fields to induce Rabi oscillations in the populations of electron momentum states, observed as a function of the optical driving field. Excellent agreement with the scaling of an equal-Rabi multilevel quantum ladder is obtained, representing the observation of a light-driven 'quantum walk' coherently reshaping electron density in momentum space. We note that, after the interaction, the optically generated superposition of momentum states evolves into a train of attosecond electron pulses. Our results reveal the potential of quantum control for the precision structuring of electron densities, with possible applications ranging from ultrafast electron spectroscopy and microscopy to accelerator science and free-electron lasers.

Electron microscopic identification of Zinga virus as a strain of Rift Valley fever virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Olaleye, O D; Baigent, C L; Mueller, G; Tomori, O; Schmitz, H

1992-01-01

Electron microscopic examination of a negatively stained suspension of Zinga virus showed particles 90-100 nm in diameter, enveloped with spikes 12-20 nm in length and 5 nm in diameter. Further identification of the virus by immune electron microscopy showed the reactivity of human Rift Valley fever virus-positive serum with Zinga virus. Results of this study are in agreement with earlier reports that Zinga virus is a strain of Rift Valley fever virus.

Design and commissioning of an aberration-corrected ultrafast spin-polarized low energy electron microscope with multiple electron sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Weishi; Yu, Lei; Zhu, Lin; Yang, Xiaodong; Wei, Zheng; Liu, Jefferson Zhe; Feng, Jun; Kunze, Kai; Schaff, Oliver; Tromp, Ruud; Tang, Wen-Xin

2017-03-01

We describe the design and commissioning of a novel aberration-corrected low energy electron microscope (AC-LEEM). A third magnetic prism array (MPA) is added to the standard AC-LEEM with two prism arrays, allowing the incorporation of an ultrafast spin-polarized electron source alongside the standard cold field emission electron source, without degrading spatial resolution. The high degree of symmetries of the AC-LEEM are utilized while we design the electron optics of the ultrafast spin-polarized electron source, so as to minimize the deleterious effect of time broadening, while maintaining full control of electron spin. A spatial resolution of 2nm and temporal resolution of 10ps (ps) are expected in the future time resolved aberration-corrected spin-polarized LEEM (TR-AC-SPLEEM). The commissioning of the three-prism AC-LEEM has been successfully finished with the cold field emission source, with a spatial resolution below 2nm. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative electron microscopical autoradiography of calcium during amelogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagai, Yoshinori; Frank, R.M.

1975-01-01

The migration of 45 Ca through the stratum intermedium and through the secreting ameloblasts towards enamel has been studied by electron microscopical autoradiography in the toothgerms of newborn cats. A quantitative procedure was applied to the study of the 45 Ca migration in amelogenesis and two pathways were demonstrated. The relatively more important direct route passed through the stratum intermedium and the ameloblast intercellular spaces and reached the enamel directly. The second pathway consisted of an intracellular migration through the ameloblast. 45 Ca penetrated the cell through its basal pole. The mitochondrias were the most highly labeled organelles at the different experimental time intervals studied. A total absence of silver grains was noted over the secretory ameloblastic bodies. At 6 hours, the highest labeling was observed over enamel. (auth.)

Reliability in the performance-based concept of fib Model Code 2010

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bigaj-van Vliet, A.; Vrouwenvelder, T.

2013-01-01

The design philosophy of the new fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 represents the state of the art with regard to performance-based approach to the design and assessment of concrete structures. Given the random nature of quantities determining structural behaviour, the assessment of

An aberration corrected photoemission electron microscope at the advanced light source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, J.; MacDowell, A.A.; Duarte, R.; Doran, A.; Forest, E.; Kelez, N.; Marcus, M.; Munson, D.; Padmore, H.; Petermann, K.; Raoux, S.; Robin, D.; Scholl, A.; Schlueter, R.; Schmid, P.; Stohr, J.; Wan, W.; Wei, D.H.; Wu, Y.

2003-01-01

Design of a new aberration corrected Photoemission electron microscope PEEM3 at the Advanced Light Source is outlined. PEEM3 will be installed on an elliptically polarized undulator beamline and will be used for the study of complex materials at high spatial and spectral resolution. The critical components of PEEM3 are the electron mirror aberration corrector and aberration-free magnetic beam separator. The models to calculate the optical properties of the electron mirror are discussed. The goal of the PEEM3 project is to achieve the highest possible transmission of the system at resolutions comparable to our present PEEM2 system (50 nm) and to enable significantly higher resolution, albeit at the sacrifice of intensity. We have left open the possibility to add an energy filter at a later date, if it becomes necessary driven by scientific need to improve the resolution further

FIB-based measurement of local residual stresses on microsystems

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Dietmar; Sabate, Neus; Gollhardt, Astrid; Keller, Juergen; Auersperg, Juergen; Michel, Bernd

2006-03-01

The paper comprises research results obtained for stress determination on micro and nanotechnology components. It meets the concern of controlling stresses introduced to sensors, MEMS and electronics devices during different micromachining processes. The method bases on deformation measurement options made available inside focused ion beam equipment. Removing locally material by ion beam milling existing stresses / residual stresses lead to deformation fields around the milled feature. Digital image correlation techniques are used to extract deformation values from micrographs captured before and after milling. In the paper, two main milling features have been analyzed - through hole and through slit milling. Analytical solutions for stress release fields of in-plane stresses have been derived and compared to respective experimental findings. Their good agreement allows to settle a method for determination of residual stress values, which is demonstrated for thin membranes manufactured by silicon micro technology. Some emphasis is made on the elimination of main error sources for stress determination, like rigid body object displacements and rotations due to drifts of experimental conditions under FIB imaging. In order to illustrate potential application areas of the method residual stress suppression by ion implantation is evaluated by the method and reported here.

Evolutionary developments in x ray and electron energy loss microanalysis instrumentation for the analytical electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Zaluzec, Nester J.

Developments in instrumentation for both X ray Dispersive and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (XEDS/EELS) over the last ten years have given the experimentalist a greatly enhanced set of analytical tools for characterization. Microanalysts have waited for nearly two decades now in the hope of getting a true analytical microscope and the development of 300 to 400 kV instruments should have allowed us to attain this goal. Unfortunately, this has not generally been the case. While there have been some major improvements in the techniques, there has also been some devolution in the modern AEM (Analytical Electron Microscope). In XEDS, the majority of today's instruments are still plagued by the hole count effect, which was first described in detail over fifteen years ago. The magnitude of this problem can still reach the 20 percent level for medium atomic number species in a conventional off-the-shelf intermediate voltage AEM. This is an absurd situation and the manufacturers should be severely criticized. Part of the blame, however, also rests on the AEM community for not having come up with a universally agreed upon standard test procedure. Fortunately, such a test procedure is in the early stages of refinement. The proposed test specimen consists of an evaporated Cr film approx. 500 to 1000A thick supported upon a 3mm diameter Molybdenum 200 micron aperture.

Post-ion beam induced degradation of copper layers in transmission electron microscopy specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Seidel, F.; Richard, O.; Bender, H.; Vandervorst, W.

2015-11-01

Copper containing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens frequently show corrosion after focused ion beam (FIB) preparation. This paper reveals that the corrosion product is a Cu-S phase growing over the specimen surface. The layer is identified by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and lattice spacing indexing of power spectra patterns. The corrosion process is further studied by TEM on cone-shaped specimens, which are intentionally stored after FIB preparation with S flakes for short time. Furthermore, a protective method against corrosion is developed by varying the time in the FIB vacuum and the duration of a subsequent plasma cleaning.

The Scanning Electron Microscope As An Accelerator For The Undergraduate Advanced Physics Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, Randolph S.; Berggren, Karl K.; Mondol, Mark

2011-01-01

Few universities or colleges have an accelerator for use with advanced physics laboratories, but many of these institutions have a scanning electron microscope (SEM) on site, often in the biology department. As an accelerator for the undergraduate, advanced physics laboratory, the SEM is an excellent substitute for an ion accelerator. Although there are no nuclear physics experiments that can be performed with a typical 30 kV SEM, there is an opportunity for experimental work on accelerator physics, atomic physics, electron-solid interactions, and the basics of modern e-beam lithography.

Cathodoluminescence of semiconductors in the scanning electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noriegas, Javier Piqueras de

2008-01-01

Full text: Cathodoluminescence (CL) in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a nondestructive technique, useful for characterization of optical and electronic properties of semiconductors, with spatial resolution. The contrast in the images of CL is related to the presence of crystalline defects, precipitates or impurities and provides information on their spatial distribution. CL spectra allows to study local energy position of localized electronic states. The application of the CL is extended to semiconductor very different characteristics, such as bulk material, heterostructures, nanocrystalline film, porous semiconductor, nanocrystals, nanowires and other nano-and microstructures. In the case of wafers, provides information on the homogeneity of their electronic characteristics, density of dislocations, grain sub frontiers, distribution of impurities and so on. while on the study of heterostructures CL images can determine, for example, the presence of misfit dislocations at the interface between different sheets, below the outer surface of the sample. In the study of other low dimensional structures, such as nanocrystalline films, nanoparticles and nano-and microstructures are observed elongated in some cases quantum confinement effects from the CL spectra. Moreover, larger structures, the order of hundreds of nanometers, with forms of wires, tubes or strips, is that in many semiconductor materials, mainly oxides, the behavior of luminescence is different from bulk material. The microstructures have a different structure of defects and a greater influence of the surface, which in some cases leads to a higher emission efficiency and a different spectral distribution. The presentation describes the principle of the CL technique and examples of its application in the characterization of a wide range of both semiconductor materials of different composition, and of different sizes ranging from nanostructures to bulk samples

Development and application of a window-type environmental cell in high voltage electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakasugi, Takenobu; Isobe, Shigehito; Umeda, Ayaka; Wang, Yongming; Hashimoto, Naoyuki; Ohnuki, Somei

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A window-type environmental cell for a high voltage electron microscope (HVEM) is developed. ► In situ HVEM image of Pd under an H2 gas pressure is obtained. ► The effect of the window materials on the resolution and contamination of the HVEM image is tested. -- Abstract: A close type of an environmental cell was developed for a high voltage electron microscope. Using this cell allowed an in situ observation of hydrogenation in Pd particles under H 2 gas of 0.05 MPa at RT. Two types of window films, Tri-Acetyl-Cellulose (TAC) and Silicon Nitride (SiN), were used for testing the contamination on the sample, as well as the strength for pressure. We confirmed the hydrogenation in diffraction patterns and images, and additionally the image resolution of 0.19 nm was obtained by using a SiN film with a thickness of 17 nm

Electronic structure and microscopic model of CoNb2O6

Science.gov (United States)

Molla, Kaimujjaman; Rahaman, Badiur

2018-05-01

We present the first principle density functional calculations to figure out the underlying spin model of CoNb2O6. The first principles calculations define the main paths of superexchange interaction between Co spins in this compound. We discuss the nature of the exchange paths and provide quantitative estimates of magnetic exchange couplings. A microscopic modeling based on analysis of the electronic structure of this system puts it in the interesting class of weakly couple geometrically frustrated isosceles triangular Ising antiferromagnet.

Annular dark field electron microscope images with better than 2 A resolution at 100 kV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, D.H.; Kirkland, E.J.; Silcox, J.

1989-01-01

High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) images in the annular dark field (ADF) imaging mode approaching the theoretical point-to-point resolution limit are presented. The ADF images were obtained from a high T c superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x thin-film specimen at 100 kV. The 1.9 A resolution lattice image, which is the smallest lattice spacing in the specimen, corresponds to the minimum resolvable spatial frequency with 5% contrast in the contrast transfer function for annular dark field, and is smaller than the resolution limit given by the Rayleigh criterion. This demonstrates that STEM ADF imaging can have a resolution approximately 40% better than that of the bright field conventional transmission electron microscope (CTEM) imaging at Scherzer condition

Scanning electron microscope cathodoluminescence imaging of subgrain boundaries, twins and planar deformation features in quartz

Science.gov (United States)

Hamers, M. F.; Pennock, G. M.; Drury, M. R.

2017-04-01

The study of deformation features has been of great importance to determine deformation mechanisms in quartz. Relevant microstructures in both growth and deformation processes include dislocations, subgrains, subgrain boundaries, Brazil and Dauphiné twins and planar deformation features (PDFs). Dislocations and twin boundaries are most commonly imaged using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), because these cannot directly be observed using light microscopy, in contrast to PDFs. Here, we show that red-filtered cathodoluminescence imaging in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a useful method to visualise subgrain boundaries, Brazil and Dauphiné twin boundaries. Because standard petrographic thin sections can be studied in the SEM, the observed structures can be directly and easily correlated to light microscopy studies. In contrast to TEM preparation methods, SEM techniques are non-destructive to the area of interest on a petrographic thin section.

Accurate virus quantitation using a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) detector in a scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Blancett, Candace D; Fetterer, David P; Koistinen, Keith A; Morazzani, Elaine M; Monninger, Mitchell K; Piper, Ashley E; Kuehl, Kathleen A; Kearney, Brian J; Norris, Sarah L; Rossi, Cynthia A; Glass, Pamela J; Sun, Mei G

2017-10-01

A method for accurate quantitation of virus particles has long been sought, but a perfect method still eludes the scientific community. Electron Microscopy (EM) quantitation is a valuable technique because it provides direct morphology information and counts of all viral particles, whether or not they are infectious. In the past, EM negative stain quantitation methods have been cited as inaccurate, non-reproducible, and with detection limits that were too high to be useful. To improve accuracy and reproducibility, we have developed a method termed Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy - Virus Quantitation (STEM-VQ), which simplifies sample preparation and uses a high throughput STEM detector in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) coupled with commercially available software. In this paper, we demonstrate STEM-VQ with an alphavirus stock preparation to present the method's accuracy and reproducibility, including a comparison of STEM-VQ to viral plaque assay and the ViroCyt Virus Counter. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3D Plant Cell Architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae Using Focused Ion Beam–Scanning Electron Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhawana

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Premise of the study: Focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM combines the ability to sequentially mill the sample surface and obtain SEM images that can be used to create 3D renderings with micron-level resolution. We have applied FIB-SEM to study Arabidopsis cell architecture. The goal was to determine the efficacy of this technique in plant tissue and cellular studies and to demonstrate its usefulness in studying cell and organelle architecture and distribution. Methods: Seed aleurone, leaf mesophyll, stem cortex, root cortex, and petal lamina from Arabidopsis were fixed and embedded for electron microscopy using protocols developed for animal tissues and modified for use with plant cells. Each sample was sectioned using the FIB and imaged with SEM. These serial images were assembled to produce 3D renderings of each cell type. Results: Organelles such as nuclei and chloroplasts were easily identifiable, and other structures such as endoplasmic reticula, lipid bodies, and starch grains were distinguishable in each tissue. Discussion: The application of FIB-SEM produced 3D renderings of five plant cell types and offered unique views of their shapes and internal content. These results demonstrate the usefulness of FIB-SEM for organelle distribution and cell architecture studies.

Ultrastructural alterations in ciliary cells exposed to ionizing radiation. A scanning and transmission electron microscopic study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baldetorp, L; Mecklenburg, C v; Haakansson, C H [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Hospital; Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Zoology)

1977-01-01

Early effects of ionizing radiation were investigated in an experimental in vitro system using the ciliary cells of the tracheal mucous membrane of the rabbit, irradiated at 30/sup 0/C and at more than 90% humidity. The changes in physiological activities of the ciliary cells caused by irradation were continously registered during the irradation. The specimens were examined immediately after irradiation electron microscopically. The morphological changes in irradiated material after 10-70 Gy are compared with normal material. After 40-70 Gy, scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of vesicles on cilia, and club-like protrusions and adhesion of their tips. After 30-70 Gy, a swelling of mitochondrial membranes and cristae was apparent transmission electron microscopically. The membrane alterations caused by irradiation are assumed to disturb the permeability and flow of ATP from the mitochondria, which in turn leads to the recorded changes in the activity of the ciliated cells.

FIB NANOPATTERNING OF METAL FILMS ON PMMA SUBSTRATES: NON-SPUTTERING MODE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tavares, Luciana; Adashkevich, Vadzim; Chiriaev, Serguei

polymer materials, which results in material shrinkage in the irradiated areas [2]. In this work, we demonstrate that this mechanism can be used for nanopatterning thin metal films deposited on PMMA resist spin-coated onto a silicon substrate. For this purpose, the samples were irradiated with He+ FIB...

Tunneling rates in electron transport through double-barrier molecular junctions in a scanning tunneling microscope

OpenAIRE

Nazin, G. V.; Wu, S. W.; Ho, W.

2005-01-01

The scanning tunneling microscope enables atomic-scale measurements of electron transport through individual molecules. Copper phthalocyanine and magnesium porphine molecules adsorbed on a thin oxide film grown on the NiAl(110) surface were probed. The single-molecule junctions contained two tunneling barriers, vacuum gap, and oxide film. Differential conductance spectroscopy shows that electron transport occurs via vibronic states of the molecules. The intensity of spectral peaks correspondi...

Quantitative electron microscopical autoradiography of calcium during dentinogenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagai, Y [Tokyo Dental Coll. (Japan); Frank, R M

1975-03-01

/sup 45/Ca migration from the dental papilla and the odontablasts towards predentin and dentin has been studied through electron microscopical autoradiography in toothgerms of newborn cats. A quantitative procedure was applied to the study of the /sup 45/Ca migration in dentinogenesis. Two pathways of almost identical importance have been demonstrated. The direct pathway followed the intercellular spaces of the dental papilla and of the odontoblasts and reached the dentin via predentin. The second road, after passage through the intercellular spaces of the dental papilla, consisted of an intracellular migration through the odontoblast. The mitochondria and the golgi apparatus were progressively the most labelet at 5 min., 30 min. and 1 h. after intravenous injection. The calcium diffused into the odontablastic process without being associated with the dense granule. At 6 hours, maximum radioactivity was observed in the intertubular dentin.

Extending the detection limit of dopants for focused ion beam prepared semiconductor specimens examined by off-axis electron holography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cooper, David; Rivallin, Pierrette; Hartmann, Jean-Michel

2009-01-01

Silicon specimens containing p-n junctions have been prepared for examination by off-axis electron holography using focused ion beam (FIB) milling. FIB milling modifies the surfaces of the specimens due to gallium implantation and the creation of defects which has the effect of reducing the active...

Magnetic lens apparatus for a low-voltage high-resolution electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Crewe, Albert V.

1996-01-01

A lens apparatus in which a beam of charged particles of low accelerating voltage is brought to a focus by a magnetic field, the lens being situated behind the target position. The lens comprises an electrically-conducting coil arranged around the axis of the beam and a magnetic pole piece extending along the axis of the beam at least within the space surrounded by the coil. The lens apparatus comprises the sole focusing lens for high-resolution imaging in a low-voltage scanning electron microscope.

Serotonergic synaptic input to facial motoneurons: localization by electron-microscopic autoradiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aghajanian, G K; McCall, R B [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (USA). School of Medicine

1980-12-01

Serotonergic nerve terminals in the facial motor nucleus were labelled with (/sup 3/H)5-hydroxytryptamine. When serotonergic nerve terminals were destroyed (by the selective neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine) the labelling was lost. By electron-microscopic autoradiography, labelled serotonergic terminals were found to make axo-dendritic or axo-somatic junctions with facial motor neurons. No axo-axonic junctions were observed. These morphological findings are consistent with physiological studies which indicate that 5-hydroxytryptamine facilitates the excitation of facial motoneurons through a direct postsynaptic action.

Characterization of Yeast Biofilm by Cryo-SEM and FIB-SEM

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hrubanová, Kamila; Nebesářová, Jana; Růžička, F.; Dluhoš, J.; Krzyžánek, Vladislav

2013-01-01

Roč. 19, S2 (2013), s. 226-227 ISSN 1431-9276 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EE.2.3.20.0103; GA TA ČR TE01020118; GA ČR GAP205/11/1687 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 ; RVO:60077344 Keywords : yeast biofilm * cryo-SEM * FIB-SEM Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 1.757, year: 2013

A Transmission Electron Microscope Investigation of Space Weathering Effects in Hayabusa Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Lindsay P.; Berger, Eve L.

2014-01-01

The Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa successfully returned the first direct samples of the regolith from the surface of an asteroid. The Hayabusa samples thus present a special opportunity to directly investigate the evolution of asteroidal surfaces, from the development of the regolith to the study of the more complex effects of space weathering. Here we describe the mineralogy, microstructure and composition of three Hayabusa mission particles using transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques

Microscope and method of use

Science.gov (United States)

Bongianni, Wayne L.

1984-01-01

A method and apparatus for electronically focusing and electronically scanning microscopic specimens are given. In the invention, visual images of even moving, living, opaque specimens can be acoustically obtained and viewed with virtually no time needed for processing (i.e., real time processing is used). And planar samples are not required. The specimens (if planar) need not be moved during scanning, although it will be desirable and possible to move or rotate nonplanar specimens (e.g., laser fusion targets) against the lens of the apparatus. No coupling fluid is needed, so specimens need not be wetted. A phase acoustic microscope is also made from the basic microscope components together with electronic mixers.

The interperiosteo-dural concept applied to the perisellar compartment: a microanatomical and electron microscopic study.

Science.gov (United States)

François, Patrick; Travers, Nadine; Lescanne, Emmanuel; Arbeille, Brigitte; Jan, Michel; Velut, Stéphane

2010-11-01

The dura mater has 2 dural layers: the endosteal layer (outer layer), which is firmly attached to the bone, and the meningeal layer (inner layer), which directly covers the brain. These 2 dural layers join together in the middle temporal fossa or the convexity and separate into the orbital, lateral sellar compartment (LSC), or spinal epidural space to form the extradural neural axis compartment (EDNAC). The aim of this work was to anatomically verify the concept of the EDNAC by using electron microscopy. The authors studied the cadaveric heads obtained from 13 adults. Ten of the specimens (or 20 perisellar areas) were injected with colored latex and fixed in formalin. They carefully removed each brain to allow a superior approach to the perisellar area. The 3 other specimens were studied by microscopic and ultrastructural methods to describe the EDNAC in the perisellar area. Special attention was paid to the dural layers surrounding the perisellar area. The authors studied the anatomy of the meningeal architecture of the LSC, the petroclival venous confluence, the orbit, and the trigeminal cave. After dissection, the authors took photographs of the dural layers with the aid of optical magnification. The 3 remaining heads, obtained from fresh cadavers, were prepared for electron microscopic study. The EDNAC is limited by the endosteal layer and the meningeal layer and contains fat and/or venous blood. The endosteal layer and meningeal layer were not identical on electron microscopy; this finding can be readily related to the histology of the meninges. In this study, the authors demonstrated the existence of the EDNAC concept in the perisellar area by using dissected cadaveric heads and verified the reality of the concept of the meningeal layer with electron microscopy. These findings clearly demonstrated the existence of the EDNAC, a notion that has generally been accepted but never demonstrated microscopically.

The Fresnel mode of Lorentz microscopy using a scanning transmission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, J.N.; Waddell, E.M.; Batson, P.E.; Ferrier, R.P.

1979-01-01

The most widely used method of investigating ferromagnetic films in the transmission electron microscope is the Fresnel or defocus mode of Lorentz microscopy. This may be implemented either in a fixed beam or a scanning instrument. Despite a rather inefficient utilization of electrons, several advantages accrue if the latter is used, and provided it is equipped with a field emission gun, low noise images may be obtained in acceptable recording times. To extract quantitative estimates of domain wall widths from such images it is necessary to measure accurately both instrumental and specimen parameters. Methods for this are discussed and an example of an analysis using a polycrystalline permalloy film is given. (Auth.)

Revealing the 1 nm/s Extensibility of Nanoscale Amorphous Carbon in a Scanning Electron Microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Wei

2013-01-01

In an ultra-high vacuum scanning electron microscope, the edged branches of amorphous carbon film (∼10 nm thickness) can be continuously extended with an eye-identifying speed (on the order of ∼1 nm/s) under electron beam. Such unusual mobility of amorphous carbon may be associated with deformation...... promoted by the electric field, which resulted from an inner secondary electron potential difference from the main trunk of carbon film to the tip end of branches under electron beam. This result demonstrates importance of applying electrical effects to modify properties of carbon materials. It may have...... positive implications to explore some amorphous carbon as electron field emission device. SCANNING 35: 261-264, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc....

Transmission electron microscopic method for gene mapping on polytene chromosomes by in situ hybridization

OpenAIRE

Wu, Madeline; Davidson, Norman

1981-01-01

A transmission electron microscope method for gene mapping by in situ hybridization to Drosophila polytene chromosomes has been developed. As electron-opaque labels, we use colloidal gold spheres having a diameter of 25 nm. The spheres are coated with a layer of protein to which Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA is photochemically crosslinked. Poly(dT) tails are added to the 3' OH ends of these DNA strands, and poly(dA) tails are added to the 3' OH ends of a fragmented cloned Drosophila DN...

Attainment of 40.5 pm spatial resolution using 300 kV scanning transmission electron microscope equipped with fifth-order aberration corrector.

Science.gov (United States)

Morishita, Shigeyuki; Ishikawa, Ryo; Kohno, Yuji; Sawada, Hidetaka; Shibata, Naoya; Ikuhara, Yuichi

2018-02-01

The achievement of a fine electron probe for high-resolution imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy requires technological developments, especially in electron optics. For this purpose, we developed a microscope with a fifth-order aberration corrector that operates at 300 kV. The contrast flat region in an experimental Ronchigram, which indicates the aberration-free angle, was expanded to 70 mrad. By using a probe with convergence angle of 40 mrad in the scanning transmission electron microscope at 300 kV, we attained the spatial resolution of 40.5 pm, which is the projected interatomic distance between Ga-Ga atomic columns of GaN observed along [212] direction.

Electron microscopic study on SrGdMnO4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, Hiromi; Ishizawa, Nobuo; Kamegashira, Naoki; Zulhadjri; Shishido, Toetsu

2006-01-01

Single crystals of SrGdMnO 4 have been synthesized by the floating zone method. The structure was characterized as the K 2 NiF 4 -type, using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Presence of weak reflections breaking the archetypal tetragonal symmetry was observed from the selected area diffraction (SAD). The compound was found to have an orthorhombic unit cell of a ≅ b = 0.532(4) nm, c = 1.271(6) nm, by taking the a and b axes along the diagonal directions on the basal plane of the tetragonal archetype. Structural change occurred around 1018 K. The weak reflections disappeared in the SAD pattern, suggesting that crystal is of the archetype above 1018 K

Follicle and oocyte growth in early postnatal calves: cytochemical, autoradiographical and electron microscopical studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mhawi, A.J.; Kaňka, J.; Motlík, J.

1991-01-01

The initiation of oocyte and follicle growth was studied in 1- and 3-d-old calf ovaries using cytochemical, autoradiographical and electron microscopical approaches. Attention was only paid to unilaminar ovarian follicles that were classified into 3 categories: unilaminar flattened (UF), unilaminar flatto-cuboidal (UFC) and unilaminar cuboidal (UC) ovarian follicles when the oocyte was surrounded by 1 layer of flattened, a mixture of flattened and cuboidal and entirely cuboidal follicle cells, respectively. Our findings suggested that oocytes within each of these follicle categories were in different developmental stages. Furthermore, electron microscopic observations revealed that early after birth, oocyte nuclei characteristic of diplotene configuration (aggregation of the nuclear chromatin into moderately electron-dense small patches and fibrillo-granular texture of the nucleolus) were encountered in 41% of the UF follicles. The rest of the UF as well as all of the UFC and UC follicles were found to contain dictyate oocytes in which the chromatin was highly decondensed and the nucleolus differentiated into fibrillar, fibrillo-granular and granular components. The present results also indicated that the complete transition of the surrounding follicle cells from flattened to cuboidal shape and the morphological changes of the oocyte endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria were 2 complementary events essential for initiation of oocyte growth

Influence of cathode geometry on electron dynamics in an ultrafast electron microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaozheng Ji

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Efforts to understand matter at ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolutions have led to the development of instruments such as the ultrafast transmission electron microscope (UEM that can capture transient processes with combined nanometer and picosecond resolutions. However, analysis by UEM is often associated with extended acquisition times, mainly due to the limitations of the electron gun. Improvements are hampered by tradeoffs in realizing combinations of the conflicting objectives for source size, emittance, and energy and temporal dispersion. Fundamentally, the performance of the gun is a function of the cathode material, the gun and cathode geometry, and the local fields. Especially shank emission from a truncated tip cathode results in severe broadening effects and therefore such electrons must be filtered by applying a Wehnelt bias. Here we study the influence of the cathode geometry and the Wehnelt bias on the performance of a photoelectron gun in a thermionic configuration. We combine experimental analysis with finite element simulations tracing the paths of individual photoelectrons in the relevant 3D geometry. Specifically, we compare the performance of guard ring cathodes with no shank emission to conventional truncated tip geometries. We find that a guard ring cathode allows operation at minimum Wehnelt bias and improve the temporal resolution under realistic operation conditions in an UEM. At low bias, the Wehnelt exhibits stronger focus for guard ring than truncated tip cathodes. The increase in temporal spread with bias is mainly a result from a decrease in the accelerating field near the cathode surface. Furthermore, simulations reveal that the temporal dispersion is also influenced by the intrinsic angular distribution in the photoemission process and the initial energy spread. However, a smaller emission spot on the cathode is not a dominant driver for enhancing time resolution. Space charge induced temporal broadening

Influence of cathode geometry on electron dynamics in an ultrafast electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Shaozheng; Piazza, Luca; Cao, Gaolong; Park, Sang Tae; Reed, Bryan W; Masiel, Daniel J; Weissenrieder, Jonas

2017-09-01

Efforts to understand matter at ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolutions have led to the development of instruments such as the ultrafast transmission electron microscope (UEM) that can capture transient processes with combined nanometer and picosecond resolutions. However, analysis by UEM is often associated with extended acquisition times, mainly due to the limitations of the electron gun. Improvements are hampered by tradeoffs in realizing combinations of the conflicting objectives for source size, emittance, and energy and temporal dispersion. Fundamentally, the performance of the gun is a function of the cathode material, the gun and cathode geometry, and the local fields. Especially shank emission from a truncated tip cathode results in severe broadening effects and therefore such electrons must be filtered by applying a Wehnelt bias. Here we study the influence of the cathode geometry and the Wehnelt bias on the performance of a photoelectron gun in a thermionic configuration. We combine experimental analysis with finite element simulations tracing the paths of individual photoelectrons in the relevant 3D geometry. Specifically, we compare the performance of guard ring cathodes with no shank emission to conventional truncated tip geometries. We find that a guard ring cathode allows operation at minimum Wehnelt bias and improve the temporal resolution under realistic operation conditions in an UEM. At low bias, the Wehnelt exhibits stronger focus for guard ring than truncated tip cathodes. The increase in temporal spread with bias is mainly a result from a decrease in the accelerating field near the cathode surface. Furthermore, simulations reveal that the temporal dispersion is also influenced by the intrinsic angular distribution in the photoemission process and the initial energy spread. However, a smaller emission spot on the cathode is not a dominant driver for enhancing time resolution. Space charge induced temporal broadening shows a close to

Many-beam effects in electron microscope images of lattice defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izui, Kazuhiko; Nishida, Takahiko; Furuno, Shigemi; Otsu, Hitoshi

1974-01-01

Multi-beam effects in electron microscopic images were investigated. A computation program was developed on the basis of a matrix theory of the multi-beam effects. The matrix theory for a perfect crystal and an imperfect crystal is described, and expression for absorption coefficient is presented. The amplitude of electron wave penetrating through lattice defects is expressed by using scattering matrices which correspond to crystal slices. Calculation of extinction distance was performed, and compared with experimental results. In case of systematic reflection, the difference between two beams and from four to eight beams approximation was small, while a large effect was seen in case of accidental reflection. The intensity profile of bend contour was calculated for silicon and copper-aluminum alloy. Distance between submaxima becomes short with increase of thickness. The change in stacking fault fringes with diffraction condition was investigated. Samples were copper-aluminum alloy. Systematic behavior of the fringes was obtained, and the calculated results reproduced experimental ones. (Kato, T.)

A monochromatic, aberration-corrected, dual-beam low energy electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Mankos, Marian; Shadman, Khashayar

2013-07-01

The monochromatic, aberration-corrected, dual-beam low energy electron microscope (MAD-LEEM) is a novel instrument aimed at imaging of nanostructures and surfaces at sub-nanometer resolution that includes a monochromator, aberration corrector and dual beam illumination. The monochromator reduces the energy spread of the illuminating electron beam, which significantly improves spectroscopic and spatial resolution. The aberration corrector utilizes an electron mirror with negative aberrations that can be used to compensate the aberrations of the LEEM objective lens for a range of electron energies. Dual flood illumination eliminates charging generated when a conventional LEEM is used to image insulating specimens. MAD-LEEM is designed for the purpose of imaging biological and insulating specimens, which are difficult to image with conventional LEEM, Low-Voltage SEM, and TEM instruments. The MAD-LEEM instrument can also be used as a general purpose LEEM with significantly improved resolution. The low impact energy of the electrons is critical for avoiding beam damage, as high energy electrons with keV kinetic energies used in SEMs and TEMs cause irreversible change to many specimens, in particular biological materials. A potential application for MAD-LEEM is in DNA sequencing, which demands imaging techniques that enable DNA sequencing at high resolution and speed, and at low cost. The key advantages of the MAD-LEEM approach for this application are the low electron impact energies, the long read lengths, and the absence of heavy-atom DNA labeling. Image contrast simulations of the detectability of individual nucleotides in a DNA strand have been developed in order to refine the optics blur and DNA base contrast requirements for this application. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced thermal stability of a polymer solar cell blend induced by electron beam irradiation in the transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Bäcke, Olof; Lindqvist, Camilla; de Zerio Mendaza, Amaia Diaz; Gustafsson, Stefan; Wang, Ergang; Andersson, Mats R; Müller, Christian; Kristiansen, Per Magnus; Olsson, Eva

2017-05-01

We show by in situ microscopy that the effects of electron beam irradiation during transmission electron microscopy can be used to lock microstructural features and enhance the structural thermal stability of a nanostructured polymer:fullerene blend. Polymer:fullerene bulk-heterojunction thin films show great promise for use as active layers in organic solar cells but their low thermal stability is a hindrance. Lack of thermal stability complicates manufacturing and influences the lifetime of devices. To investigate how electron irradiation affects the thermal stability of polymer:fullerene films, a model bulk-heterojunction film based on a thiophene-quinoxaline copolymer and a fullerene derivative was heat-treated in-situ in a transmission electron microscope. In areas of the film that exposed to the electron beam the nanostructure of the film remained stable, while the nanostructure in areas not exposed to the electron beam underwent large phase separation and nucleation of fullerene crystals. UV-vis spectroscopy shows that the polymer:fullerene films are stable for electron doses up to 2000kGy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ion beam nanopatterning and micro-Raman spectroscopy analysis on HOPG for testing FIB performances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Archanjo, B.S.; Maciel, I.O.; Martins Ferreira, E.H.; Peripolli, S.B.; Damasceno, J.C.; Achete, C.A.; Jorio, A.

2011-01-01

This work reports Ga + focused ion beam nanopatterning to create amorphous defects with periodic square arrays in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and the use of Raman spectroscopy as a new protocol to test and compare progresses in ion beam optics, for low fluence bombardment or fast writing speed. This can be ultimately used as a metrological tool for comparing different FIB machines and can contribute to Focused Ion Beam (FIB) development in general for tailoring nanostructures with higher precision. In order to do that, the amount of ion at each spot was varied from about 10 6 down to roughly 1 ion per dot. These defects were also analyzed by using high resolution scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The sensitivities of these techniques were compared and a geometrical model is proposed for micro-Raman spectroscopy in which the intensity of the defect induced D band, for a fixed ion dose, is associated with the diameter of the ion beam. In addition, the lateral increase in the bombarded spot due to the cascade effect of the ions on graphite surface was extracted from this model. A semi-quantitative analysis of the distribution of ions at low doses per dot or high writing speed for soft modification of materials is discussed. -- Highlights: → Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface is bombarded using a focused ion beam. → Raman spectroscopy is used to propose a new protocol to test focused ion beam optics. → Scattering diameter of the ions on HOPG surface is experimentally obtained. → Optical limitations of the ion column in fast writing speed are discussed. → Small level of modifications is considered for changing graphene conductive properties.

In situ measurement of the kinetic friction of ZnO nanowires inside a scanning electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polyakov, Boris, E-mail: boriss.polakovs@ut.ee [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia st. 142, Tartu (Estonia); Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga st. 8, Riga (Latvia); Dorogin, Leonid M; Lohmus, Ants [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia st. 142, Tartu (Estonia); Romanov, Alexey E [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia st. 142, Tartu (Estonia); Ioffe Physical Technical Institute, RAS, Politehnicheskaja st. 26, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Lohmus, Rynno [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia st. 142, Tartu (Estonia)

2012-01-15

A novel method for measuring the kinetic friction force in situ was developed for zinc oxide nanowires on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and oxidised silicon wafers. The experiments were performed inside a scanning electron microscope and used a nanomanipulation device as an actuator, which also had an atomic force microscope tip attached to it as a probe. A simple model based on the Timoshenko elastic beam theory was applied to interpret the elastic deformation of a sliding nanowire (NW) and to determine the distributed kinetic friction force.

The objective lens of the electron microscope with correction of spherical and axial chromatic aberrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bimurzaev, S B; Aldiyarov, N U; Yakushev, E M

2017-10-01

The paper describes the principle of operation of a relatively simple aberration corrector for the transmission electron microscope objective lens. The electron-optical system of the aberration corrector consists of the two main elements: an electrostatic mirror with rotational symmetry and a magnetic deflector formed by the round-shaped magnetic poles. The corrector operation is demonstrated by calculations on the example of correction of basic aberrations of the well-known objective lens with a bell-shaped distribution of the axial magnetic field. Two of the simplest versions of the corrector are considered: a corrector with a two-electrode electrostatic mirror and a corrector with a three-electrode electrostatic mirror. It is shown that using the two-electrode mirror one can eliminate either spherical or chromatic aberration of the objective lens, without changing the value of its linear magnification. Using a three-electrode mirror, it is possible to eliminate spherical and chromatic aberrations of the objective lens simultaneously, which is especially important in designing electron microscopes with extremely high resolution. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Transmission electron-microscopic studies of structural changes in polycrystalline graphite after high temperature irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Platonov, P.A.; Gurovich, B.A.; Shtrombakh, Ya.I.; Karpukhin, V.I.

1985-01-01

Transmission electron-microscopic investigation of polycrystalline graphite before and after irradiation is carried out. The direct use of graphite samples after ion thinning, as an inquiry subject is the basic peculiarity of the work. Main structural components of MPG-6 graphite before and after irradiation are revealed, the structural mechanism of the reactor graphite destruction under irradiation is demonstrated. The mean values of L αm and L cm crystallite dimensions are determined. Radiation defects, occuring in some crystallites after irradiation are revealed by the dark-field electron microscopy method

Design of Pixellated CMOS Photon Detector for Secondary Electron Detection in the Scanning Electron Microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joon Huang Chuah

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel method of detecting secondary electrons generated in the scanning electron microscope (SEM. The method suggests that the photomultiplier tube (PMT, traditionally used in the Everhart-Thornley (ET detector, is to be replaced with a configurable multipixel solid-state photon detector offering the advantages of smaller dimension, lower supply voltage and power requirements, and potentially cheaper product cost. The design of the proposed detector has been implemented using a standard 0.35 μm CMOS technology with optical enhancement. This microchip comprises main circuit constituents of an array of photodiodes connecting to respective noise-optimised transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs, a selector-combiner (SC circuit, and a postamplifier (PA. The design possesses the capability of detecting photons with low input optical power in the range of 1 nW with 100 μm × 100 μm sized photodiodes and achieves a total amplification of 180 dBΩ at the output.

Electron microscopic study of the spilt irradiation effects on the rat parotid ductal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Soo; Lee, Sang Rae

1988-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the effects of split irradiation on the salivary ductal cells, especially on the intercalated cells of the rat parotid glands. For this study, 24 Sprague-Dawley strain rats were irradiated on the head and neck region with two equal split doses of 9 Gy for a 4 hours interval by Co-60 teletherapy unit, Picker's mode l 4M 60. The conditions of irradiation were that field size, dose rate, SSD and depth were 12 X 5 cm, 222 cGy/min, 50 cm and 1 cm, respectively. The experimental animals were sacrificed 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, hours and 1, 3, 7, days after the irradiation and the changes of the irradiated intercalated cells of the parotid glands were examined under light and electron microscope. The results were as follows: 1. By the split irradiation, the degenerative changes of intercalated cells of the parotid glands appeared at 3 hours after irradiation and the most severe cellular degeneration observed at 6 hours after irradiation. The repair processes began from 12 hours after irradiation and have matured progressively. 2. Under electron microscope, loss of nuclear membrane, microvilli and secretory granules, derangement of chromosomes, degeneration of cytoplasm, atrophy or reduction of intracytoplasmic organelles were observed in the intercalated ductal cells after split irradiation. 3. Under light microscope, derangement of ductal cells, widening of cytoplasms and nuclei, hyperchromatism and proliferation of ductal cells were observed in intercalated ducts after split irradiation.

Bottlenecks in bog pine multiplication by somatic embryogenesis and their visualization with the environmental scanning electron microscope

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vlašínová, H.; Neděla, Vilém; Dordevic, B.; Havel, J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 254, č. 4 (2017), s. 1487-1497 ISSN 0033-183X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-22777S Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : somatic embryogenesis * pinus uncinata subsp uliginosa * abnormalities * environmental scanning electron microscope Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 2.870, year: 2016

Identification of dorsal root synaptic terminals on monkey ventral horn cells by electron microscopic autoradiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ralston, H.J.; Ralston, D.D.

1979-01-01

The projection of dorsal root fibres to the motor nucleus of the macaque monkey spinal cord has been examined utilizing light and electron microscopic autoradiography. Light microscopy demonstrates a very sparse labelling of primary afferent fibres in the ventral horn. Silver grains overlying radioactive sources are frequently clustered into small groups, often adjacent to dendritic profiles. Under the electron microscope, myelinated axons and a few large synaptic profiles containing rounded synaptic vesicles were overlain by numerous silver grains. These labelled profiles made synaptic contact with dendrites 1 - 3 micrometers in diameter. The labelled profiles did not contact cell bodies or large proximal dendrites of ventral horn neutrons. Frequently, small synaptic profiles containing flattened vesicles were presynaptic to the large labelled terminals and it is suggested that these axoaxonal synapses may mediate presynaptic inhibition of the primary afferent fibres. The relationship of the present findings to previously published physiological and anatomical studies is discussed. (author)

Imaging nanoscale spatial modulation of a relativistic electron beam with a MeV ultrafast electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chao; Jiang, Tao; Liu, Shengguang; Wang, Rui; Zhao, Lingrong; Zhu, Pengfei; Liu, Yaqi; Xu, Jun; Yu, Dapeng; Wan, Weishi; Zhu, Yimei; Xiang, Dao; Zhang, Jie

2018-03-01

An accelerator-based MeV ultrafast electron microscope (MUEM) has been proposed as a promising tool to the study structural dynamics at the nanometer spatial scale and the picosecond temporal scale. Here, we report experimental tests of a prototype MUEM where high quality images with nanoscale fine structures were recorded with a pulsed ˜3 MeV picosecond electron beam. The temporal and spatial resolutions of the MUEM operating in the single-shot mode are about 4 ps (FWHM) and 100 nm (FWHM), corresponding to a temporal-spatial resolution of 4 × 10-19 s m, about 2 orders of magnitude higher than that achieved with state-of-the-art single-shot keV UEM. Using this instrument, we offer the demonstration of visualizing the nanoscale periodic spatial modulation of an electron beam, which may be converted into longitudinal density modulation through emittance exchange to enable production of high-power coherent radiation at short wavelengths. Our results mark a great step towards single-shot nanometer-resolution MUEMs and compact intense x-ray sources that may have widespread applications in many areas of science.

Atomic imaging using secondary electrons in a scanning transmission electron microscope: experimental observations and possible mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Inada, H; Su, D; Egerton, R F; Konno, M; Wu, L; Ciston, J; Wall, J; Zhu, Y

2011-06-01

We report detailed investigation of high-resolution imaging using secondary electrons (SE) with a sub-nanometer probe in an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, Hitachi HD2700C. This instrument also allows us to acquire the corresponding annular dark-field (ADF) images both simultaneously and separately. We demonstrate that atomic SE imaging is achievable for a wide range of elements, from uranium to carbon. Using the ADF images as a reference, we studied the SE image intensity and contrast as functions of applied bias, atomic number, crystal tilt, and thickness to shed light on the origin of the unexpected ultrahigh resolution in SE imaging. We have also demonstrated that the SE signal is sensitive to the terminating species at a crystal surface. A possible mechanism for atomic-scale SE imaging is proposed. The ability to image both the surface and bulk of a sample at atomic-scale is unprecedented, and can have important applications in the field of electron microscopy and materials characterization. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accumulation of enriched uranium UO2F2 in ultrastructure as studied by electron microscopic autoradiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shoupeng; Wang Yuanchang

1992-01-01

A study was made on the retention of soluble enriched uranium UO 2 F 2 in ultrastructure by electron microscopic autoradiography. The early dynamic accumulation of radioactivity in the body showed that enriched uranium UO 2 F 2 was mainly localized in kidneys, especially accumulated in epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules leading to degeneration and necrosis of the tubules. In liver cells, enriched uranium UO 2 F 2 at first deposited in nuclei of the cells and in soluble proteins of the plasma, and later accumulated selectively in mitochondria and lysosomes. On electron microscopic autoradiographic study it was shown that the dynamic retention of radioactivity of enriched uranium UO 2 F 2 in skeleton increased steadily through the time period of exposure. Enriched uranium UO 2 F 2 chiefly deposited in nuclei and mitochondria of osteoblasts as well as of osteoclasts

Practical application of HgI2 detectors to a space-flight scanning electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, J. G.; Conley, J. M.; Albee, A. L.; Iwanczyk, J. S.; Dabrowski, A. J.

1989-01-01

Mercuric iodide X-ray detectors have been undergoing tests in a prototype scanning electron microscope system being developed for unmanned space flight. The detector program addresses the issues of geometric configuration in the SEM, compact packaging that includes separate thermoelectric coolers for the detector and FET, X-ray transparent hermetic encapsulation and electrical contacts, and a clean vacuum environment.

Can transient elastography, Fib-4, Forns Index, and Lok Score predict esophageal varices in HCV-related cirrhotic patients?

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Eman M; Omran, Dalia A; El Beshlawey, Mohamad L; Abdo, Mahmoud; El Askary, Ahmad

2014-02-01

Gastroesophageal varices are present in approximately 50% of patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate liver stiffness measurement (LSM), Fib-4, Forns Index and Lok Score as noninvasive predictors of esophageal varices (EV). This prospective study included 65 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis. All patients underwent routine laboratory tests, transient elastograhy (TE) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. FIB-4, Forns Index and Lok Score were calculated. The diagnostic performances of these methods were assessed using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and receiver operating characteristic curves. All predictors (LSM, FIB-4, Forns Index and Lok Score) demonstrated statistically significant correlation with the presence and the grade of EV. TE could diagnose EV at a cutoff value of 18.2kPa. Fib-4, Forns Index, and Lok Score could diagnose EV at cutoff values of 2.8, 6.61 and 0.63, respectively. For prediction of large varices (grade 2, 3), LSM showed the highest accuracy (80%) with a cutoff of 22.4kPa and AUROC of 0.801. Its sensitivity was 84%, specificity 72%, PPV 84% and NPV 72%. The diagnostic accuracies of FIB-4, Forns Index and Lok Score were 70%, 70% and76%, respectively, at cutoffs of 3.3, 6.9 and 0.7, respectively. For diagnosis of large esophageal varices, adding TE to each of the other diagnostic indices (serum fibrosis scores) increased their sensitivities with little decrease in their specificities. Moreover, this combination decreased the LR- in all tests. Noninvasive predictors can restrict endoscopic screening. This is very important as non invasiveness is now a major goal in hepatology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.

SEM analysis of ionizing radiation effects in linear integrated circuits. [Scanning Electron Microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, A. G.; Gauthier, M. K.

1977-01-01

A successful diagnostic technique was developed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as a precision tool to determine ionization effects in integrated circuits. Previous SEM methods radiated the entire semiconductor chip or major areas. The large area exposure methods do not reveal the exact components which are sensitive to radiation. To locate these sensitive components a new method was developed, which consisted in successively irradiating selected components on the device chip with equal doses of electrons /10 to the 6th rad (Si)/, while the whole device was subjected to representative bias conditions. A suitable device parameter was measured in situ after each successive irradiation with the beam off.

The Wavelength-Dispersive Spectrometer and Its Proposed Use in the Analytical Electron Microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Joseph I.; Lyman, Charles E.; Williams, David B.

1989-01-01

The Analytical Electron Microscope (AEM) equipped with a wavelength-dispersive spectrometer (WDS) should have the ability to resolve peaks which normally overlap in the spectra from an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS). With a WDS it should also be possible to measure lower concentrations of elements in thin foils due to the increased peak-to-background ratio compared with EDS. The WDS will measure X-ray from the light elements (4 less than Z less than 1O) more effectively. This paper addresses the possibility of interfacing a compact WDS with a focussing circle of approximately 4 cm to a modem AEM with a high-brightness (field emission) source of electrons.

Diagnostic Usefulness of APRI and FIB-4 for the Prediction of Liver Fibrosis After Liver Transplantation in Patients Infected with Hepatitis C Virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Imai, H; Kamei, H; Onishi, Y; Ishizu, Y; Ishigami, M; Goto, H; Ogura, Y

2018-06-01

Aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) are well known as representative indirect serum biomarkers related to liver fibrosis. The usefulness of these markers for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis after liver transplantation (LT) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients and the influence of splenectomy were investigated. From June 2003 to May 2014, 31 HCV-infected patients who underwent LT and postoperative follow-up liver biopsies were included in this study. The association between liver fibrosis and serum biomarkers and the influence of splenectomy on APRI and FIB-4 were also investigated. A total of 195 biopsy specimens were collected, and liver fibrosis was identified as: F0, 59.7%; F1, 34.1%; and F2, 6.3%. Both APRI and FIB-4 were significantly higher in patients who showed F1 and F2 in liver biopsy specimen than F0 (P values, .009 and .022, respectively); sensitivity and specificity of APRI were, respectively, 63.4% and 66.7%, and those of FIB-4 were 57.7% and 69.6%. In 11 patients (35.5%) who underwent splenectomy at the time of LT, the cutoff values for APRI and FIB-4 were 0.61 and 1.41, which were significantly lower than the corresponding values (1.00 and 3.64) of patients without splenectomy. APRI and FIB-4 could effectively estimate liver fibrosis after LT for HCV-related liver disease. For LT patients with splenectomy, APRI and FIB-4 were also useful to estimate liver fibrosis, but the standard values should be adjusted lower than those for patients without splenectomy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solving Research Tasks Using Desk top Scanning Electron Microscope Phenom ProX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vertsanova, O.V.

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Phenom ProX — morden effective universal desktop Scanning Electron Microscope with integrated EDS system. Phenom-World helps customers to stay competitive in a world where critical dimensions are continuously getting smaller. All Phenom desktop systems give direct access to the high resolution and high-quality imaging and analysis required in a large variety of applications. They are affordable, flexible and a fast tool enabling engineers, technicians, researchers and educational professionals to investigate micron and submicron structures.

An electron-microscopical analysis of capture and initial stages of penetration of nematodes by Arthrobotrys oligospora

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veenhuis, Marten; Nordbring-Hertz, Birgit; Harder, Wim

1985-01-01

A detailed analysis was made of the capture and subsequent penetration of nematodes by the nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora using different electron-microscopical techniques. Capture of nematodes by this fungus occurred on complex hyphal structures (traps) and was effectuated by an

Miniaturized Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope for In Situ Planetary Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Gaskin, Jessica; Abbott, Terry; Medley, Stephanie; Gregory, Don; Thaisen, Kevin; Taylor , Lawrence; Ramsey, Brian; Jerman, Gregory; Sampson, Allen; Harvey, Ralph

2010-01-01

The exploration of remote planetary surfaces calls for the advancement of low power, highly-miniaturized instrumentation. Instruments of this nature that are capable of multiple types of analyses will prove to be particularly useful as we prepare for human return to the moon, and as we continue to explore increasingly remote locations in our Solar System. To this end, our group has been developing a miniaturized Environmental-Scanning Electron Microscope (mESEM) capable of remote investigations of mineralogical samples through in-situ topographical and chemical analysis on a fine scale. The functioning of an SEM is well known: an electron beam is focused to nanometer-scale onto a given sample where resulting emissions such as backscattered and secondary electrons, X-rays, and visible light are registered. Raster scanning the primary electron beam across the sample then gives a fine-scale image of the surface topography (texture), crystalline structure and orientation, with accompanying elemental composition. The flexibility in the types of measurements the mESEM is capable of, makes it ideally suited for a variety of applications. The mESEM is appropriate for use on multiple planetary surfaces, and for a variety of mission goals (from science to non-destructive analysis to ISRU). We will identify potential applications and range of potential uses related to planetary exploration. Over the past few of years we have initiated fabrication and testing of a proof-of-concept assembly, consisting of a cold-field-emission electron gun and custom high-voltage power supply, electrostatic electron-beam focusing column, and scanning-imaging electronics plus backscatter detector. Current project status will be discussed. This effort is funded through the NASA Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences - Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program.

Determining the sputter yields of molybdenum in low-index crystal planes via electron backscattered diffraction, focused ion beam and atomic force microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, H.S., E-mail: 160184@mail.csc.com.tw [New Materials Research and Development Department, China Steel Corporation, 1 Chung Kang Road, Hsiao Kang, Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chiu, C.H.; Hong, I.T.; Tung, H.C. [New Materials Research and Development Department, China Steel Corporation, 1 Chung Kang Road, Hsiao Kang, Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chien, F.S.-S. [Department of Physics, Tunghai University, 1727, Sec. 4, Xitun Dist., Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung 407, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2013-09-15

Previous literature has used several monocrystalline sputtering targets with various crystalline planes, respectively, to investigate the variations of the sputter yield of materials in different crystalline orientations. This study presents a method to measure the sputtered yields of Mo for the three low-index planes (100), (110), and (111), through using an easily made polycrystalline target. The procedure was firstly to use electron backscattered diffraction to identify the grain positions of the three crystalline planes, and then use a focused ion beam to perform the micro-milling of each identified grain, and finally the sputter yields were calculated from the removed volumes, which were measured by atomic force microscope. Experimental results showed that the sputter yield of the primary orientations for Mo varied as Y{sub (110)} > Y{sub (100)} > Y{sub (111)}, coincidental with the ranking of their planar atomic packing densities. The concept of transparency of ion in the crystalline substance was applied to elucidate these results. In addition, the result of (110) orientation exhibiting higher sputter yield is helpful for us to develop a Mo target with a higher deposition rate for use in industry. By changing the deformation process from straight rolling to cross rolling, the (110) texture intensity of the Mo target was significantly improved, and thus enhanced the deposition rate. - Highlights: • We used EBSD, FIB and AFM to measure the sputter yields of Mo in low-index planes. • The sputter yield of the primary orientations for Mo varied as Y{sub (110)} > Y{sub (100)} > Y{sub (111)}. • The transparency of ion was used to elucidate the differences in the sputter yield. • We improved the sputter rate of polycrystalline Mo target by adjusting its texture.

Characterization of polycapillary optics installed in an analytical electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takano, Akira; Maehata, Keisuke; Iyomoto, Naoko; Hara, Toru; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa; Yamasaki, Noriko; Tanaka, Keiichi

2016-01-01

An energy-dispersive spectrometer with a superconducting transition edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter mounted on a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is developed to enhance the accuracy of nanoscale materials analysis. TES microcalorimeters generally have sensitive surface areas of the order of 100 × 100 µm 2 . Also, the magnetic field generated by the STEM objective lens means that a TES microcalorimeter cannot be placed in a STEM column. We therefore use polycapillary optics to collect the X-rays. In this study, X-rays are collected from a STEM specimen and are then focused on a silicon drift detector; from these measurements, the optics are characterized and the experimental results are compared with the design of the optics. (author)

On the optical stability of high-resolution transmission electron microscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barthel, J.; Thust, A.

2013-01-01

In the recent two decades the technique of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy experienced an unprecedented progress through the introduction of hardware aberration correctors and by the improvement of the achievable resolution to the sub-Ångström level. The important aspect that aberration correction at a given resolution requires also a well defined amount of optical stability has received little attention so far. Therefore we investigate the qualification of a variety of high-resolution electron microscopes to maintain an aberration corrected optical state in terms of an optical lifetime. We develop a comprehensive statistical framework for the estimation of the optical lifetime and find remarkably low values between tens of seconds and a couple of minutes. Probability curves are introduced, which inform the operator about the chance to work still in the fully aberration corrected state. - Highlights: • We investigate the temporal stability of optical aberrations in HRTEM. • We develop a statistical framework for the estimation of optical lifetimes. • We introduce plots showing the success probability for aberration-free work. • Optical lifetimes in sub-Ångström electron microscopy are surprisingly low. • The success of aberration correction depends strongly on the optical stability

Manipulation of nanoparticles of different shapes inside a scanning electron microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Polyakov

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In this work polyhedron-like gold and sphere-like silver nanoparticles (NPs were manipulated on an oxidized Si substrate to study the dependence of the static friction and the contact area on the particle geometry. Measurements were performed inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM that was equipped with a high-precision XYZ-nanomanipulator. To register the occurring forces a quartz tuning fork (QTF with a glued sharp probe was used. Contact areas and static friction forces were calculated by using different models and compared with the experimentally measured force. The effect of NP morphology on the nanoscale friction is discussed.

Scanning-electron-microscope study of normal-impingement erosion of ductile metals

Science.gov (United States)

Brainard, W. A.; Salik, J.

1980-01-01

Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the erosion of annealed copper and aluminum surfaces produced by both single- and multiple-particle impacts. Macroscopic 3.2 mm diameter steel balls and microscopic, brittle erodant particles were projected by a gas gun system so as to impact at normal incidence at speeds up to 140 m/sec. During the impacts by the brittle erodant particles, at lower speeds the erosion behavior was similar to that observed for the larger steel balls. At higher velocities, particle fragmentation and the subsequent cutting by the radial wash of debris created a marked change in the erosion mechanism.

In situ hybridization at the electron microscope level: hybrid detection by autoradiography and colloidal gold.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchison, N J; Langer-Safer, P R; Ward, D C; Hamkalo, B A

1982-11-01

In situ hybridization has become a standard method for localizing DNA or RNA sequences in cytological preparations. We developed two methods to extend this technique to the transmission electron microscope level using mouse satellite DNA hybridization to whole mount metaphase chromosomes as the test system. The first method devised is a direct extension of standard light microscope level using mouse satellite DNA hybridization to whole mount metaphase chromosomes as the test system. The first method devised is a direct extension of standard light microscope in situ hybridization. Radioactively labeled complementary RNA (cRNA) is hybridized to metaphase chromosomes deposited on electron microscope grids and fixed in 70 percent ethanol vapor; hybridixation site are detected by autoradiography. Specific and intense labeling of chromosomal centromeric regions is observed even after relatively short exposure times. Inerphase nuclei present in some of the metaphase chromosome preparations also show defined paatterms of satellite DNA labeling which suggests that satellite-containing regions are associate with each other during interphase. The sensitivity of this method is estimated to at least as good as that at the light microscope level while the resolution is improved at least threefold. The second method, which circumvents the use of autoradiogrphic detection, uses biotin-labeled polynucleotide probes. After hybridization of these probes, either DNA or RNA, to fixed chromosomes on grids, hybrids are detected via reaction is improved at least threefold. The second method, which circumvents the use of autoradiographic detection, uses biotin-labeled polynucleotide probes. After hybridization of these probes, either DNA or RNA, to fixed chromosomes on grids, hybrids are detected via reaction with an antibody against biotin and secondary antibody adsorbed to the surface of over centromeric heterochromatin and along the associated peripheral fibers. Labeling is on average

Electron microscope studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crewe, A.V.; Kapp, O.H.

1990-01-01

Our laboratory has made significant progress this year in devising improved electron-optical systems, in studying invertebrate hemoglobins with the STEM, and in achieving a workable sub-angstrom STEM. Our goal in electron optics is to improve resolution by producing spherical and chromatic aberration coefficients with signs opposite those of magnetic lenses. We have progressed toward this goal through calculations that explore the addition of electrodes to electron mirrors to reduce these two geometric aberrations and by devising a beam separation system that won't introduce asymmetrical aberrations. Some promising new designs of magnetic lenses for SEM applications have also been investigated. We have continued our exploration of the quaternary structure of the invertebrate hemoglobins and are now among the top laboratories in this area of expertise. In addition, we have overcome many of our electronic difficulties on the sub-angstrom STEM and have made significant progress toward achieving an operational system. The addition of an IBM RISC-6000 workstation to our lab has significantly increased our image processing capabilities

In situ investigation of bismuth nanoparticles formation by transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Liming; Wang, Honghang; Yi, Zichuan; Deng, Quanrong; Lin, Zhidong; Zhang, Xiaowen

2018-02-01

Bismuth (Bi) nanoparticles are prepared by using NaBi(MoO 4 ) 2 nanosheets in the beam of electrons emitted by transmission electron microscope. The formation and growth of Bi nanoparticles are investigated in situ. The sizes of Bi nanoparticles are confined within the range of 6-10nm by controlling irradiation time. It is also observed that once the diameter of nanoparticles is larger than 10nm, the Bi particles are stable as a result of the immobility of large nanoparticles. In addition, some nanoparticles on the edges form nanorods, which are explained as the result of a coalescence process, if the irradiation period is longer than 10min. The in situ research on Bi nanoparticles facilitates in-depth investigations of the physicochemical behavior and provides more potential applications in various fields such as sensors, catalysts and optical devices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic investigation of electron trapping and charge decay in electron-irradiated Al sub 2 O sub 3 in a scanning electron microscope: Methodology and mechanisms

CERN Document Server

Fakhfakh, S; Belhaj, M; Fakhfakh, Z; Kallel, A; Rau, E I

2002-01-01

The charging and discharging of polycrystalline Al sub 2 O sub 3 submitted to electron-irradiation in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) are investigated by means of the displacement current method. To circumvent experimental shortcomings inherent to the use of the basic sample holder, a redesign of the latter is proposed and tests are carried out to verify its operation. The effects of the primary beam accelerating voltage on charging, flashover and discharging phenomena during and after electron-irradiation are studied. The experimental results are then analyzed. In particular, the divergence between the experimental data and those predicted by the total electron emission yield approach (TEEYA) is discussed. A partial discharge was observed immediately after the end of the electron-irradiation exposure. The experimental data suggests, that the discharge is due to the evacuation to the ground, along the insulator surface, of released electrons from shallow traps at (or in the close vicinity of) the insulat...

Formation of a Parasitophorous Vacuole in a Nonadequate Experimental Host: Electron Microscopical and X-Ray Microanalytical Study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Žižka, Zdeněk

2005-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 1 (2005), 05-12 ISSN 0015-5632 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : electron microscopical * x-ray Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 0.918, year: 2005

Accelerator-based Single-shot Ultrafast Transmission Electron Microscope with Picosecond Temporal Resolution and Nanometer Spatial Resolution

OpenAIRE

Xiang, D.; Fu, F.; Zhang, J.; Huang, X.; Wang, L.; Wang, X.; Wan, W.

2014-01-01

We present feasibility study of an accelerator-based ultrafast transmission electron microscope (u-TEM) capable of producing a full field image in a single-shot with simultaneous picosecond temporal resolution and nanometer spatial resolution. We study key physics related to performance of u-TEMs, and discuss major challenges as well as possible solutions for practical realization of u-TEMs. The feasibility of u-TEMs is confirmed through simulations using realistic electron beam parameters. W...

Design for an aberration corrected scanning electron microscope using miniature electron mirrors.

Science.gov (United States)

Dohi, Hideto; Kruit, Pieter

2018-06-01

Resolution of scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) is determined by aberrations of the objective lens. It is well known that both spherical and chromatic aberrations can be compensated by placing a 90-degree bending magnet and an electron mirror in the beam path before the objective lens. Nevertheless, this approach has not led to wide use of these aberration correctors, partly because aberrations of the bending magnet can be a serious problem. A mirror corrector with two mirrors placed perpendicularly to the optic axis of an SEM and facing each other is proposed. As a result, only small-angle magnetic deflection is necessary to guide the electron beam around the top mirror to the bottom mirror and around the bottom mirror to the objective lens. The deflection angle, in the order of 50 mrad, is sufficiently small to avoid deflection aberrations. In addition, lateral dispersion at the sample plane can be avoided by making the deflection fields symmetric. Such a corrector system is only possible if the incoming beam can pass the top mirror at a distance in the order of millimeters, without being disturbed by the electric fields of electrodes of the mirror. It is proposed that condition can be satisfied with micro-scale electron optical elements fabricated by using MEMS technology. In the proposed corrector system, the micro-mirrors have to provide the exact negative spherical and chromatic aberrations for correcting the aberration of the objective lens. This exact tuning is accomplished by variable magnification between the micro-mirrors and the objective lens using an additional transfer lens. Extensive optical calculations are reported. Aberrations of the micro-mirrors were analyzed by numerical calculation. Dispersion and aberrations of the deflectors were calculated by using an analytical field model. Combination aberrations caused by the off-axis position of dispersive rays in the mirrors and objective lens were also analyzed. It is concluded that the proposed

Correlative Analysis of Immunoreactivity in Confocal Laser-Scanning Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Focused Ion Beam Milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takahiro eSonomura

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Three-dimensional reconstruction of ultrastructure of rat brain with minimal effort has recently been realized by scanning electron microscopy combined with focused ion beam milling (FIB-SEM. Because application of immunohistochemical staining to electron microscopy has a great advantage in that molecules of interest are specifically localized in ultrastructures, we here tried to apply immunocytochemistry to FIB-SEM and correlate immunoreactivity in confocal laser-scanning microcopy (CF-LSM with that in FIB-SEM. The dendrites of medium-sized spiny neurons in rat neostriatum were visualized with a recombinant viral vector, which labeled the infected neurons with membrane-targeted GFP in a Golgi stain-like fashion, and thalamostriatal afferent terminals were immunolabeled with Cy5 fluorescence for vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2. After detecting the sites of terminals apposed to the dendrites in CF-LSM, GFP and VGluT2 immunoreactivities were further developed for electron microscopy by the immunogold/silver enhancement and immunoperoxidase/diaminobenzidine (DAB methods, respectively. In the contrast-inverted FIB-SEM images, silver precipitation and DAB deposits were observed as fine dark grains and diffuse dense profiles, respectively, indicating that these immunoreactivities were easily recognizable as in the images of transmission electron microscopy. In the sites of interest, some appositions were revealed to display synaptic specialization of asymmetric type. The present method is thus useful in the three-dimensional analysis of immunocytochemically differentiated synaptic connection in the central neural circuit.

Enhanced thermal stability of a polymer solar cell blend induced by electron beam irradiation in the transmission electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bäcke, Olof, E-mail: obacke@chalmers.se [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Lindqvist, Camilla; Diaz de Zerio Mendaza, Amaia [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Gustafsson, Stefan [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Wang, Ergang; Andersson, Mats R.; Müller, Christian [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden); Kristiansen, Per Magnus [Institute of Polymer Nanotechnology (INKA), FHNW University of Applied Science and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 5210 Windisch (Switzerland); Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Olsson, Eva, E-mail: eva.olsson@chalmers.se [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg (Sweden)

2017-05-15

We show by in situ microscopy that the effects of electron beam irradiation during transmission electron microscopy can be used to lock microstructural features and enhance the structural thermal stability of a nanostructured polymer:fullerene blend. Polymer:fullerene bulk-heterojunction thin films show great promise for use as active layers in organic solar cells but their low thermal stability is a hindrance. Lack of thermal stability complicates manufacturing and influences the lifetime of devices. To investigate how electron irradiation affects the thermal stability of polymer:fullerene films, a model bulk-heterojunction film based on a thiophene-quinoxaline copolymer and a fullerene derivative was heat-treated in-situ in a transmission electron microscope. In areas of the film that exposed to the electron beam the nanostructure of the film remained stable, while the nanostructure in areas not exposed to the electron beam underwent large phase separation and nucleation of fullerene crystals. UV–vis spectroscopy shows that the polymer:fullerene films are stable for electron doses up to 2000 kGy. - Highlights: • Thermal stability of a polymer: fullerne blend is increased using electron irradiation. • Using in-situ transmission electron microscopy the nanostructure is studied. • Electron irradiation stops phase separation between the polymer and fullerene. • Electron irradiation quenches the formation and nucleation of fullerene crystals.

Study of cyclic strain localization and fatigue crack initiation using FIB technique

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Man, Jiří; Vystavěl, T.; Weidner, A.; Kuběna, Ivo; Petrenec, Martin; Kruml, Tomáš; Polák, Jaroslav

2012-01-01

Roč. 39, JUN (2012), s. 44-53 ISSN 0142-1123 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP108/10/2371 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : fatigue crack initiation * persistent slip band * focused ion beam (FIB) Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.976, year: 2012

Contained scanning electron microscope facility for examining radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, C.W.

1986-03-01

At the Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) radioactive solids are characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) contained in a glove box. The system includes a research-grade Cambridge S-250 SEM, a Tracor Northern TN-5500 x-ray and image analyzer, and a Microspec wavelength-dispersive x-ray analyzer. The containment facility has a glove box train for mounting and coating samples, and for housing the SEM column, x-ray detectors, and vacuum pumps. The control consoles of the instruments are located outside the glove boxes. This facility has been actively used since October 1983 for high alpha-activity materials such as plutonium metal and plutonium oxide powders. Radioactive defense waste glasses and contaminated equipment have also been examined. During this period the facility had no safety-related incidents, and personnel radiation exposures were maintained at less than 100 mrems

The measurement of electrostatic potentials in core/shell GaN nanowires using off-axis electron holography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yazdi, Sadegh; Kasama, Takeshi; Ciechonski, R

2013-01-01

Core-shell GaN nanowires are expected to be building blocks of future light emitting devices. Here we apply off-axis electron holography to map the electrostatic potential distributions in such nanowires. To access the cross-section of selected individual nanowires, focused ion beam (FIB) milling...... is used. Furthermore, to assess the influence of FIB damage, the dopant potential measured from an intact NW is compared with a FIB prepared one. It is shown that in addition to the built-in potential between the p-type shell and unintentionally n-type under-layer there is a potential barrier between...... the core and under-layer which are both unintentionally n-type doped....

Electron microscopy and auger spectroscopy study of the wetting of the grain boundaries in the systems Mo-Pb, Mo-Sn, Mo-Ni and Ni-Pb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charai, A.; Kutcherinenko, I.; Priester, L.; Penisson, J.M.; Pontikis, V.; Wolski, K.; Vystavel, T.

2002-01-01

Understanding the mechanism of the intergranular penetration of a liquid phase into a metallic solid is an important problem. The structural and chemical characterization of nano-metric films at grain boundaries is now possible by using high resolution electron microscopy associated with X-ray micro-analysis, electron energy loss spectroscopy and Auger spectroscopy. In order to study this problem, two different classes of model materials were selected according to their crystallographic structure: a bcc metal (molybdenum) and an fcc one (nickel). The wetting element was either lead or tin or nickel. In a first approach, the metallic matrix was polycrystalline. The conditions in which the liquid phase penetrates into the grain boundaries were studied by using special preparation and observation techniques. In particular, the use of a Focused Ion Beam microscope (FIB) allowed the preparation of thin foils located very precisely inside the matrix as well as multi-scale observations. These specimens were further observed in electron microscopy with a very high resolution. (authors)

A Student-Built Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Ekkens, Tom

2015-01-01

Many introductory and nanotechnology textbooks discuss the operation of various microscopes including atomic force (AFM), scanning tunneling (STM), and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). In a nanotechnology laboratory class, students frequently utilize microscopes to obtain data without a thought about the detailed operation of the tool itself.…

Three-dimensional reconstruction of highly complex microscopic samples using scanning electron microscopy and optical flow estimation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmadreza Baghaie

Full Text Available Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM as one of the major research and industrial equipment for imaging of micro-scale samples and surfaces has gained extensive attention from its emerge. However, the acquired micrographs still remain two-dimensional (2D. In the current work a novel and highly accurate approach is proposed to recover the hidden third-dimension by use of multi-view image acquisition of the microscopic samples combined with pre/post-processing steps including sparse feature-based stereo rectification, nonlocal-based optical flow estimation for dense matching and finally depth estimation. Employing the proposed approach, three-dimensional (3D reconstructions of highly complex microscopic samples were achieved to facilitate the interpretation of topology and geometry of surface/shape attributes of the samples. As a byproduct of the proposed approach, high-definition 3D printed models of the samples can be generated as a tangible means of physical understanding. Extensive comparisons with the state-of-the-art reveal the strength and superiority of the proposed method in uncovering the details of the highly complex microscopic samples.

Electronic structure and microscopic model of V2GeO4F2-a quantum spin system with S = 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahaman, Badiur; Saha-Dasgupta, T

2007-01-01

We present first-principles density functional calculations and downfolding studies of the electronic and magnetic properties of the oxide-fluoride quantum spin system V 2 GeO 4 F 2 . We discuss explicitly the nature of the exchange paths and provide quantitative estimates of magnetic exchange couplings. A microscopic modelling based on analysis of the electronic structure of this systems puts it in the interesting class of weakly coupled alternating chain S = 1 systems. Based on the microscopic model, we make inferrences about its spin excitation spectra, which needs to be tested by rigorous experimental study

The primary cilium of telocytes in the vasculature: electron microscope imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantarero, I; Luesma, M J; Junquera, C

2011-12-01

Blood vessels are highly organized and complex structure, which are far more than simple tubes conducting the blood to almost any tissue of the body. The fine structure of the wall of blood vessels has been studied previously using the electron microscope, but the presence the telocytes associated with vasculature, a specific new cellular entity, has not been studied in depth. Interestingly, telocytes have been recently found in the epicardium, myocardium, endocardium, human term placenta, duodenal lamina propria and pleura. We show the presence of telocytes located on the extracellular matrix of blood vessels (arterioles, venules and capillaries) by immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. Also, we demonstrated the first evidence of a primary cilium in telocytes. Several functions have been proposed for these cells. Here, the telocyte-blood vessels cell proximity, the relationship between telocytes, exosomes and nervous trunks may have a special significance. © 2011 The Authors Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine © 2011 Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Speculation of the Time-Dependent Change of FIB4 Index in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Retrospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyata, Hiroshi; Miyata, Satoru

2018-01-01

To speculate on the time-dependent change of FIB4 index in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its increase-decrease rate per year, simply and accurately. In all 23 patients with NAFLD with the value of FIB4 index over 1.30 at the peak, the period from the first to each examination date was calculated and this period (years) was regarded as x . Next, the mean value of FIB4 index during the past year to each examination date was regarded as y . In every y , the minimum and the maximum y value were found out. Between x corresponding to this minimum y and x corresponding to this maximum y , the correlation between x and y was analyzed as the main subject. Then, the slope of each correlation was investigated, because it should indicate increase-decrease rate per year. In all 23 patients, the correlations as the main subject were recognized and the mean absolute value of correlation coefficient ( r ) was 0.91 ± 0.08. As for the slope, the mean absolute value was 0.1371 ± 0.1147 (/year). Simply and accurately, the time-dependent change of FIB4 index and its increase-decrease rate per year could be approximately speculated.

Congenital adenoma of the iris and ciliary body: light and electron microscopic observations.

OpenAIRE

Rennie, I G; Parsons, M A; Palmer, C A

1992-01-01

A 23-year-old man had a lesion in the right inferior iris which appeared to have enlarged since it was first seen when the patient was aged 5 years. The lesion was excised by a partial iridocyclectomy. Histopathologically the neoplasm was composed of both pigmented and non-pigmented cells. Pseudoacini, containing acid mucopolysaccharides, were present throughout the tumour matrix. Electron microscopically the non-pigmented cells were found to possess a convoluted plasmalemma, abundant rough e...

Trichomes of Cannabis sativa as viewed with scanning electron microscope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ledbetter, M C; Krikorian, A D

1975-06-01

Direct examination of fresh, unfixed and uncoated specimens from vegetative and floral parts of Cannabis sativa with the scanning electron microscope enables one to obtain a faithful representation of their surface morphology. The presence of two major types of trichomes has been confirmed: a glandular type comprising or terminating in a globoid structure, and a conically-shaped nonglandular type. Moreover, three or possibly four distinct glandular types can be distinguished: sessile globoid, small-stalked and large-stalked globoid, and a peltate type. The nonglandular trichomes can be distinguished by the nature of their surfaces: those with a warty surface, and those which are relatively smooth. The range of size and distribution, and the special features of all these types of trichomes are also provided.

Pigmentosis tubae, a new entity: light and electron microscopic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera, G.A.; Reimann, B.E.; Greenberg, H.L.; Miles, P.A.

1983-01-01

The authors noted an unusual finding in the fallopian tubes of a 31-year-old woman who had received external and internal whole pelvis radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Aggregates of macrophages containing pigment, identified in a subepithelial location, were reminiscent of melanosis coli, which is caused by abuse of anthracene-containing laxatives. Electron microscopic examination of the pigment revealed cytoplasmic material with the appearance of lipofuscin, identical to the pigment described in cases of colonic melanosis. After a careful study of possible etiologic agents, it was concluded that the pigment most likely resulted from cellular damage caused by radiotherapy. The authors are not aware of any other reported case of this entity, which will be called pigmentosis tubae

Fabrication and electric measurements of nanostructures inside transmission electron microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Qing; Peng, Lian-Mao

2011-01-01

Using manipulation holders specially designed for transmission electron microscope (TEM), nanostructures can be characterized, measured, modified and even fabricated in-situ. In-situ TEM techniques not only enable real-time study of structure-property relationships of materials at atomic scale, but also provide the ability to control and manipulate materials and structures at nanoscale. This review highlights in-situ electric measurements and in-situ fabrication and structure modification using manipulation holder inside TEM. -- Research highlights: → We review in-situ works using manipulation holder in TEM. → In-situ electric measurements, fabrication and structure modification are focused. → We discuss important issues that should be considered for reliable results. → In-situ TEM is becoming a very powerful tool for many research fields.