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Electron Microscopy Facility
Subsidiary of the Research and Graduate Studies Office of the AVP

Electron Microscope Overview

Overview of the electron microscopes housed in the BYU Electron Microscopy Facility. Click on a microscope name for more details.

Microscopes

Tecnai TF-20 TEMVerios SEMHelios Nanolab 600 Dual Beam SEMApreo C SEM

ETD

X

X

X

BSE

X

X

EDXA

X

X

X

X

EBSD

X

X

CL

X

FIB

X

Immersion Lens

X

X

Optiplan Mode

X

TLD

X

X

Low Vac

X

STEM

X

X

X

T1

X

T2

X

SEM Chamber Sizes

The stage for each SEM is designed to be capable of exploring a circular sample of 6 inch diameter. Any part of the sample that protrudes outside that 6 inch ring will not be viewable with the microscope.

All three SEMs have a chamber which can fit a maximum sample length of 12 inches with no stage travel.

If you have further questions about whether your sample will fit in the chamber, please contact us by email at emlab@byu.edu.

Acronym Definitions

ETD – Everhart-Thornley Detector. This is a secondary electron and back-scattered electron detector used in scanning electron microscopes.

BSE – Backscatter Electron Detection is primarily sensitive to density and atomic number and as such can be used to obtain material contrast.

EDXA – Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis is an analytical technique used for the elemental analysis or chemical characterization of a sample.

EBSD – Electron Backscattered Diffraction makes it possible to look at the crystal structure and crystal orientation of a sample.

CL – Cathodoluminescence may be used to examine internal structures of semiconductors, rocks, ceramics, glass, etc. in order to get information on the composition, growth and quality of the material.

FIB – Focused Ion Beam microscopy can achieve higher resolution than is typically possible for SEM.

Immersion Lens – A lens that enables higher resolution imaging.

Optiplan Mode – The operating mode used on the Apreo SEM for most imaging with a short working distance using T1 and T2 detectors.

TLD – Through the Lens Detector. Detects secondary electrons to allow for higher resolution imaging.

Low Vac – Low Vacuum mode, used for dry samples, especially ones that cannot be coated using traditional coating methods.

STEM – Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy. Allows for special techniques to be used not usually possible with conventional SEM or TEM instruments by combining scanning and transmission microscopy.

T1 and T2 – The detectors used for detecting backscattered and secondary electrons on the Apreo SEM.