Scanning Microscopy Laboratory

The AIF Scanning Microscopy Laboratories include two scanning electron microscopes (SEM), a dual beam focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), and an atomic force microscope. The SEMs cover a wide range of capabilities from imaging and elemental analysis of large and/or dirty samples in the Hitachi S-3200N variable pressure SEM to ultra-high resolution imaging in the state of the art FEI Verios 460L SEM. The dual beam FEI Quanta 3D FEG FIB-SEM allows for high resolution, high precision micromachining, which includes site specific TEM sample prep, in situ SEM cross-section preparation and analysis, circuit repair, and pattern writing. All of the SEMs include energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS) for elemental analysis. The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a Bruker Dimension 3000, which allows for high resolution physical probing of surfaces to create height-vs- position maps with sub-nm resolution and the measurement of surface forces.

For a more elaborated SEM technique description, please refer to this one-page document written by AIF SEM expert Chuck Mooney. Click the link for NanoindentationFocused Ion Beam and Atomic Force Microscope technique description.