Scanning Electron Microscope

Microscopy

·                     Electron Microscopy at JU

·                     INSPECT F50

·                     Applications

·                     Specifications of SEM samples

·                     Cost of using SEM

·                     Contact person

·                     General instructions for researchers

·                     SEM Information card

·                     SEM Brochure

·                     SEM analysis application

·                     SEM Gallery 

Electron Microscopy at JU

This electron microscopy (Inspect F50) acquired 2009  at the Faculty of Science / Geology Department  instead of the old AMR Leitz 1000A SEM. It is for internal and external stuff and students use; research, industrial, etc.

INSPECT F50

high-brightness, high-current, high-resolution imaging, a SEM equipped with a high resolution Schottky Field Emission source, provides clear, sharp and noise-free imaging. The system's excellent lateral resolution enables easy detection of low-Z elements at low beam energies, adding value and flexibility to the Inspect F50.

Electron Beam resolution

·         1.0 nm at 30 kV (SE)

·         2.5 nm at 30 kV (BSE)

·         3.0 nm at 1 kV (SE)

With a magnification of more than 1,000,000 x

This SEM (Inspect F50) has a Schottky Field Emission gun (FEG) for high resolution. This instrument is high vacuum (< 6e-4 Pa) and equipped with :

·         Everhardt Thornley SED (secondary electron detector)

·         Solid–state BSE (backscattered electron detector)

·         Bruker EDS Microanalysis - X Flash Silicon Drift Detector (SDD)

SEM equipment

An Emitech K550X sputter-coater with a Magnetron Target Assembly (Platinum), which enhances the efficiency of the process using low voltages, and giving a fine grain; cool sputtering, without the need to cool the target or the specimen stage. Fully automatic control, low voltage sputtering, high resolution fine coating (order of 2nm Gold Grain), special rotating stage with full tilt facility fitted as standard, even thickness deposition (typically 20nm or 200 Angstroms for SEM work).

The main benefit is primarily to provide conductive metal coatings for non-conductive samples for SEM microscopy.

Applications:

·         Industrial (material) Applications

·         Life Science Applications

·         Natural Resources & Energy

·         Scientific Research

·         NanoCharacterization

 Metals & alloys, oxidation/corrosion, fractures, welds, polished sections, magnetic and superconducting materials, Ceramics, composites, plastics, Films/coatings, Geological sections, minerals, Soft materials: polymers, pharmaceuticals, filters, gels, tissues, plant material, Particles, porous materials, fibers.

Specifications of SEM samples

Most instruments samples must be stable in a vacuum on the order of 10^-3 - 10^-5 Pascal. Samples likely to outgas at low pressures (rocks saturated with hydrocarbons, "wet" samples such as coal, organic materials or swelling clays, and samples likely to decrepitate at low pressure)

For SEM, a specimen is normally required to be small (>5 mm) and completely dry, since the specimen chamber is at high vacuum. Hard, dry materials such as wood, bone, feathers, dried insects or shells can be examined with little further treatment. Living cells and tissues and whole, soft-bodied organisms usually require chemical fixation to preserve and stabilize their structure

Specimens that pose problems:

·         Wool and Cotton tissue

·         Cosmetics

·         polymers

·         Fats and Hydrocarbons

·         Emulsions (margarine)

·         Biological and Organics (need chemical fixation)

·         Contains any Volatiles and water

·         Friable samples

Cost of using SEM:

Contact person:

for more details and sample analysis using SEM:

Waddah Fares Mahmoud

5355000 ext. 23972 / 22267

email: w.mahmoud@ju.edu.jo

Direction: The University of Jordan, Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research building, -1 floor, SEM lab.

General instructions for researchers:

·         The interested researcher must be present at SEM lab during analysis.

·         The samples must be very small pieces and completely dry.

·         Researches from the Faculty of Science/JU must complete the application for using SEM.

   SEM Information card