Clemson University Electron Microscope Facility
The Clemson University Electron Microscope Facility located in the $21 million Advanced Materials Research Laboratory (AMRL) in the Clemson Research Park has eight scopes representing state of the art microscopy technology. This multi user teaching and research facility has clients from automotive, pharmaceutical, textile, electronics, environmental and medical industries. The economical cost, wide range of capabilities and minimum wait time makes the facility very attractive to area researchers. The facility has a Director, four research specialists, and two senior associates that are available to assist clients as needed. Available sample preparation equipment includes an Anatech Metal Sputtering System with gold, platinum, and gold palladium targets available, RMC Powertome X with a cryo attachement available and a Reichert Jung Ultracut E Microtomes for conventional sectioning and a RMC Glass Knife. Also available is a Hitachi E 3500 Cross Section Ion Mill System and a Hitachi IM3000 Flat Ion Milling System. A Buehler SamplMet 2 Rough Cut Saw, a Buehler Isomet 1000 Wafering Saw, and a Buehler Ecomet 3 w/automet 2 Power Head Polisher. Account holders at the facility may also access images from home; USB flash drives are required for storing elemental analysis files. Unique images are on display around the E.M. Facility, professionally colorized and framed, and signed by the author. The Electron Microscope Facility has the following scopes: Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEMs) H-9500: The H-9500 300 kv transmission electron microscope is designed to support research on biological, inorganic, and polymeric materials. The microscope offers a LaB6 source with accelerating voltages of 200 kv and 300 kv. The microscope has the best available resolution at the EM laboratory with less than 0.1 nm at 300 kv, capable of monitoring crystal lattice defects with atomic resolution. The microscope can acquire images up to 1,500,000 X magnification optically, however, the system has a 2k CCD Gatan camera attachement that allows for the image to be digitally magnified up to 15 million magnification H-7600:
The H7600 is a variable 120kV system capable of imaging wide variety of biological and material samples. In addition to the standard holder, a multispecimen holder and cryo holder is also available. With the addition of a 2K side mounted camera, samples can be digitally imaged allowing for faster evaluation. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopes (STEMs) HD-2000: The HD2000 is a dedicated 200kV microscope with a top magnification of 5 million X, allowing for a resolution of 0.204 nm. This microscope also features a High Angle Annular Dark Field (HAADF) detector allowing the user to see compositional differences within a sample. This system also has an Oxford Instruments Energy Dispersive X Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) detector for performing elemental analysis. S 4800 The S 4800 is a Cold Field Emission Scanning Electron Microsocpe (CFE SEM). With the addition of the TEM Detector as well as a GW Electronics Centaurus backscatter detector, this allows the system to perform as a low kv STEM unit, which is beneficial in analyzing beam sensitive materials. At optimal conditions, this system has a top magnification of 800,000 X, with a resolution of 1.0 nm. This system also has an Oxford Instruments Energy Dispersive X Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) detector for performing elemental analysis. Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs) SU6600 The Hitachi Thermal Field Emission Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (TFE VPSEM) SU6600 is designed for high resolution work in the variable pressure mode using the solid state four quadrant backscattered electron (BSE) detector as well as in standard SEM mode. At optimal conditions, this system can obtain a top
magnification of 500,000 X magnification with a resolution of 1.2 nm. Equipped with a 50 mm area Silicon Drift (SDD) Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) detector, this analytical tool provides high precision and faster data collection. This system is also equipped with an Oxford Instruments Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) camera for microstructure analysis of samples. With the addition of the new Oxford Instruments analytical software Aztec, these two analytical techniques can be performed parallel to each other, providing unsurpassed information about a sample in a small amount of time. This system also has a cold stage, allowing heat sensitive and frozen samples to be imaged with relative ease. S 3400N The Hitachi S 3400N Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (VP SEM) is designed for conventional and variable pressure microscopy. This is a powerful and user-friendly SEM, which when under variable pressure allows for charge free nonconductive sample surface imaging without the need to coat with a conducting material, using the built in four quadrant solid-state backscatter (BSE) detector. Under optimal conditions, this microscope can achieve a top magnification of 300,000X with a resolution of 3 nm. With its larger chamber, this microscope has the ability to image larger samples with little to no sample preparation. Accessories on this system include an Environmental Secondary Electron Detector (ESED) which creates a secondary electron image in variable pressure mode. Equipped with a 80 mm area Silicon Drift (SDD) Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) detector, this analytical tool provides high precision and faster data collection. This system is also equipped with an Oxford Instruments Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) camera for microstructure analysis of samples as well as a Oxford Instruments Wavelength Dispersive X Ray Spectroscopy (WDX) detector, for analyzing samples with low concentrations of key elements. With the addition of the new Oxford Instruments analytical software Aztec, multiple analytical techniques can be performed parallel to each other, providing unsurpassed information about a sample in a small amount of time.
TM3000 The TM300 Tabletop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is a selected kv/selected pressure microscope with a top magnification of 30,000X. This system has a four quandrant backscattered electron (BSE) detector that is used for imaging. This system also has an Oxford Instruments Silicon Drift (SDD) Energy Dispersive X Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) Detector for elemental analysis of samples Focused Ion & Electron Beam System nanodueʹt NB5000 Hitachi FIB SEM. Characteristics: Low CsFIB optics (*2) deliver 50nA or more of beam current (@40kV) in an about 1μm spot size. The high current enables unconventional large area milling, hard material fabrication and high throughput multiple specimen preparation. Hitachiʹs patented Micro sampling technology provides smooth probe motion. Also, the probe can be used for newly developed absorbed current imaging (*1) to aid fault isolation. High resolution SEM allows high precision end point detection. Section view function, which displays an outline of the cross section utilizing the real time FIB image, is ideal for preparing electron irradiation sensitive specimens like low K material. Hitachiʹs unparalleled SEM column and detector design (*2) enables high resolution SEM imaging during and after FIB fabrication. A side entry STEM/TEM type stage (*1) allows the use of the same specimen holder (compatible with NB5000 and Hitachi TEM/STEM). No tweezer handling of specimen during transfer results in higher throughput TEM/STEM analysis. The NB5000 is the premiere technology in sample preparation and sample characterization. Outfitted with a selected kv Focus Ion Beam Column that has resolution of 5 nm, a variable kv Thermal Field Emisson Scanning Electron Microscope Column that has a resolution of 1.2 nm, and a TEM Detector that has a resolution of 0.8 nm, this microscope is the only fully equipped system of its type in North America and the second one in the world. This system has various analytical accessories, including an EDAX electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) camera for fine microstructure
analysis and an EDAX Energy Dispersive X Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) Detector for elemental analysis of samples. This system also has numerous holders besides the standard SEM bulk holder and the standard TEM holder. These holders include a bulk TEM holder for increased sample stability during sample preparation, a 3D pillar holder for sample preparation at all angles, a cryo holder for sample preparation of biological and lower molecular weight materials, and both a SEM and TEM Air Protection holder to protect sample that react with the atmosphere.