Scanning Electron Microscopy

NSXTypeR

I have no idea how much it would cost, but it's safe to say even average Leica owners would not be able to afford a scanning electron microscope.

But this is a great video about how they work and a butterfly wing under the microscope.



You're pretty much using electrons as a normal photographer would use light.

I searched and JohnnyApple, a member from the old forum has/had access to one at some point. I wonder if he's still lurking or if he's gone MIA.

He has some good stuff.

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1338

ChasCS

These are already coming down in price,.
Also much like the 3d printers, they are becoming smaller, and much easier for schools and colleges to use in teaching.

This one is sized right for the above average consumer...
http://www.marinereef.com/pdfs/tm-1000.pdf

jonnyapple

Yes, I'm mostly MIA, NSX. Tommie sent me an email inviting me out of my shell (busy at work).

My department (physics) at the school I'm teaching at now might go in with chemistry and geology to get one next year, which would be awesome. They are a lot of fun to work with and having some photography experience helps a lot to understand things like depth of field, etc.

You can find supposedly working ones on ebay for under $10,000. It's the kind of thing that would be fun to stick in your basement and let your kids play around with (supervised, of course).

Ade

This guy made his own SEM in his garage from $1,500 in parts… simply amazing:



http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2011-07/you-built-what-scanning-electron-microscope

NSXTypeR

These are already coming down in price,.
Also much like the 3d printers, they are becoming smaller, and much easier for schools and colleges to use in teaching.

This one is sized right for the above average consumer...
http://www.marinereef.com/pdfs/tm-1000.pdf

Hmm, size is right, but still no mention of price. Probably not something you can pick up at Walmart...

Yes, I'm mostly MIA, NSX. Tommie sent me an email inviting me out of my shell (busy at work).

My department (physics) at the school I'm teaching at now might go in with chemistry and geology to get one next year, which would be awesome. They are a lot of fun to work with and having some photography experience helps a lot to understand things like depth of field, etc.

You can find supposedly working ones on ebay for under $10,000. It's the kind of thing that would be fun to stick in your basement and let your kids play around with (supervised, of course).

Good to see you're doing okay!

This guy made his own SEM in his garage from $1,500 in parts… simply amazing:



http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2011-07/you-built-what-scanning-electron-microscope

Wow, that's pretty awesome! I don't have the physics know-how to do that though...

Ade

I believe that TM-1000 unit sells for around $50,000.

This small STM lists for $11,000 new:

http://www.nanosurf.com/index.cfm?content=1401

ChasCS

Oh, well I didn't include the price, as I figured anyone serious enough, can do your own research...
Call them for quotes and availability, shipping...
http://www.hht-eu.com/cms/7929.html

You will be looking at around or over $45,000. USD give or take ...

How about an electron microscope in the same price range as a professional light microscope, but with better performance? How about an electron microscope that does not require any prior knowledge of electon microscopy? Not possible?
The tabletop microscope TM -1000 from Hitachi and new graphical user interface makes it dead easy to use and in less than ten minutes any user will be operating the tabletop microscope on their own, irrespective of prior knowledge of electron microscopy.
When compared to a light microscope, the tabletop electron microscope gives ten times more magnification and one hundred times better depth of field. With a resolution of 25 nm the tabletop microscope can image details never seen with a light microscope. The microscope can be run in high vacuum or charge-up reduction mode (low vacuum mode), reducing sample preparation time and removing the need to coat samples.
TM-1000 is only 56 cm by 56 cm by 51 cm in size and can fit on any regular desk or lab bench. Power consumption of only 500W (less than your coffee machine) and no requirement for water cooling makes it environmentaly friendly. The microscope is connected by USB so you can run it on any computer of your choice. Service of the machine is every five years, if used eight hours per day and five day per week.
What about price? € 50000 and it is yours!

ChasCS

This is some of what you can expect to accomplish, once you get it set up and a little familiar with her controls...

http://www.hitachi-hitec.com/global/em/nanoart/

Really beautiful images, obviously...

Hitachi High-Technologies Announces Shipments of Tabletop Microscope TM-1000 Surpass 1,000 Units
TOKYO --(Business Wire)-- Hitachi (News - Alert) High-Technologies Corporation (TOKYO:8036) today announced that cumulative shipments of the tabletop microscope TM-1000, launched in April 2005, have now surpassed 1,000 units.

The compact, affordably priced and exceptionally user-friendly TM-1000 has been adopted not only in Japan but worldwide, including in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Developed by Hitachi High-Technologies specifically as a cutting-edge yet highly accessible microscope, the tabletop microscope TM-1000 represents a new type of electron microscope. Hitachi High-Technologies has long been involved in the manufacture and sale of electron microscopes used in R&D, quality assurance and other areas in a full spectrum industries, most notably in the fields of nano and biotechnology.

Although compact enough to use on a desk, the affordably priced TM-1000 can achieve 10,000X magnification. It is also extremely user friendly, offering an ease of operability comparable to that of a digital camera. For this reason, the TM-1000 is finding applications at research institutes, companies, schools and science museums in and outside of Japan, as a product that conceptually redefines the electron microscope.

In the fiercely competitive field of scientific instruments and devices, the fact that it has developed this new market and shipments of this single tabletop microscope have surpassed 1,000 units in just four and a half years demonstrates the attention and approval that this product has garnered from customers.

As part of efforts to promote science, Hitachi High-Technologies is using the TM-1000 in support of science education. In addition to employee demonstrations of TM-1000 offered at science-related events across Japan, in 2008 Hitachi High-Technologies began loaning the devices to educational institutions and other likeminded organizations. Today, the number of children who have taken part in these activities and experienced the wonders of the micro world is over 6,000. In March 2009, Hitachi High-Technologies delivered a TM-1000 to Iwanuma Elementary School in Miyagi Prefecture. This is the first such case of an electron microscope being delivered to a public elementary school anywhere in Japan, and the TM-1000 is now being used to promote the kind of science education that inspires young learners.

Hitachi High-Technologies considers cumulative shipments of over 1,000 units of the TM-1000 tabletop microscope as a good start, and seeking to further expand product sales in Japan and abroad. Going forward, the TM-1000 is expected to play an active role in areas ranging from R&D to quality assurance in a host of fields, including materials, semiconductors, food products, and biotechnology. Together with greater utilization of the device in science education, hopes are high that the TM-1000 will help counter the recent flow of students away from science programs.

Features of the Tabletop Microscope TM-1000 No installation work required. Simply connect the three-pronged cord into a 100V (AC) outlet to operate Energy-saving design without continuous power on. Startup time significantly reduced to around 3 minutes Variable pressure vacuum enables observation of nonconductive samples with no special advance preparation necessary Fully automatic functions. Microscope is as simple to use as a digital camera Change magnification from X 20 to X 10,000 almost instantly Stereoscopic image observation with high depth of focus Tabletop Microscope Website http://www.hitachi-hitec.com/global/em/tab/tab_index.html Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6061634&lang=en

NSXTypeR

I believe that TM-1000 unit sells for around $50,000.

This small STM lists for $11,000 new:

http://www.nanosurf.com/index.cfm?content=1401

Yeah... that's a little beyond my means right now. That's a little less than 1 year of college for me (including the dorm charge)!

I think a microscope might be more attainable haha!

Thanks for the research ChasCS!

ChasCS

I had a decent enough Tasco microscope set when I was a kid.
It made me feel like I was an actual scientist or Dr.

http://www.tasco.com/products/index.cfm?ClassID=17&FamilyID=304&ProductID=1428&CFID=46690569&CFTOKEN=2bc42d559b6faea-E6D1AC16-A019-F164-3647FBA4D7D9686B

The USB unit available today, is pretty cool, connected to your computer.
Apparently the one draw back, if it is one, of the Hitachi EM, it runs off of Windows XP!! Smile

Johnsonwaugh

If we are talking about scanning electron microscopy, then there are different kinds of scanning electron microscope available such as IEM11+ DESKTOP SEM, IEM11 DESKTOP SEM, IEM10+ BENCHTOP SEM, IEM10 BENCHTOP SEM and the functionality of all are different from each others.

Benchtop SEM work as a portable SEM and it is ideal to observe the depth with a magnification and has the feature of SE detector

Desktop is ideal for substitute of traditional SEMs and its have SE and BSE detectors which enable you to conduct analyses up to a nanoscale.

trolley

We use one in my work. It has a low vacuum mode, which means no gold sputtering before imaging, and the filaments last much longer.
We now measure coating thickness (in the range 8-30µ) more often than we use our optical microscope.