The Analytical Instrumentation Facility (AIF) is offering a short course on practical Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The goal of the course is to provide students a basic knowledge of practical aspects of SEM data collection and interpretation including elemental X-ray analysis. There will be two lectures on SEM theory and how to apply that theory to practical applications. There will also be demonstrations of the operation and capabilities of 2 different SEM instruments, the Hitachi SU3900 and Hitachi SU8700. The lectures will cover electron optics, the signals generated, signal detectors, practical considerations for data collection, and how to choose operating parameters for optimum data collection. The demonstrations will show what data can be collected and how changing instrument parameters affect the data. The course is free of charge.

It is possible for users to sign up for an hour of hands-on time where they can operate one of the SEMs and observe their own sample. Hands-on time is $50 for faculty, staff, and researchers that receive government funding and $350 for industrial users.

Please email Chuck Mooney at chuck_mooney@ncsu.edu to register for the short course.