Scanning Electron Microscopy (ZEISS EVO LS 10)

SEM provides the visualization of the surface of physical and biological materials by scanning a focused beam of electrons over them. They reveal information regarding external morphology and chemical composition. The instrumentation primarily includes an electron ‘gun’- a source of electrons, a series of electromagnetic lenses to accelerate and focus the beam, and detectors for scattered electrons. These signals can be detected at various angles and an image of the surface features of the sample is created in real-time

The Zeiss EVO LS10 at CIL, Kalyani uses a tungsten electron gun and an acceleration voltage of 30kV.  It is capable of a resolution of 3nm @30kV. It can explore the ultrastructure of biological materials, metals, geological specimens, integrated circuits, thin inorganic films and environmental samples (having high relative humidity).

Environmental SEM: An uncoated biological/industrial materials can be examined in a high chamber pressure atmosphere of water vapor. Therefore, specimens can be analyzed using ESEM without destruction and additional specimen preparation procedures

EDAX: Technique used for the elemental analysis/chemical characterization of a sample. It relies on the interaction of some source of X-ray excitation and a sample 

The minimum usage time for Scanning Electron Microscopy is half-an-hour.