Al-Nahrain University

22.11.2016
Chemical engineering department

SEM
(SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE)

By
Mahmood Essa Kadhum

OUTLINE
Definiton of scanning electron microscope
History
Instrumentation
Sample preparation
Working principles
Limitations
Advantages & disadvantages
Usage Area
Conclusion
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What is SEM?
SEM = Scanning Electron
Microscope

Is a type of electron
microscope.
Uses a focused beam of highenergy electrons to generate a
Scanning electron microscope variety of signals at the surfacewww.directindustry.com
of solid specimens.
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HISTORY
The first SEM image was obtained
byMax Knoll in 1935.
Further pioneering work on SEM
was performed by Manfred von
Ardenne (1937)
Further developed by Prof. Sir
Charles Oatley and his student
Gary Stewart and first time
marketed by Cambridge Scientific
Instrument Company in 1965.
first successful SEM www.science.howstuffworks.com

SEM
ELECTRONIC
COLUMN

generated under
vacuum
focused to a small
diameter
scanned across the
surface of a specimen
Electronic column of SEM - www.chems.msu.edu

INSTRUMENTATION
COMPONENTS
Electron gun
Electromagnetic
lenses
Scanning
Detectors
Sample stage
Vacuum system

Components of SEM - www.purdue.edu

INSTRUMENTATION
ELECTRON GUN;
is used for producing an intense beam of electron
Thermionic gun thermal energy
Field emission gun electric field

ANODE;
accelarates the free electrons

Electron gun - academic.udayton.edu

INSTRUMENTATION
LENSES;
is used to produce clear and
detail images

Lens - ammrf.org.au

Condenser

lens reduces the diameter

of the electron beam
Objective lens focuses electron beam
Working principle of the lens - ammrf.org.au

INSTRUMENTATION
SCANNING COILS
are used to raster the
beam across the sample
surface
are able to move the
beam

Scanning coils - freudlabs.com

INSTRUMENTATION
SAMPLE CHAMBER
is where the sample is placed
can manipulate and move the
sample
Sample chamber - jenkins.ucdavis.edu

DETECTORS
is used the detect the secondary
and backscattered electrons

Detector - www.geos.ed.ac.uk

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INSTRUMENTATION
VACUUM CHAMBER
Absence of vacuum chamber;
electron guns filament would
be damaged
other gas molecules would
cause collisions with electrons
sample would react with gases
Electron column - iaszoology.com

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SAMPLE PREPARATION
For organic materials;
fixation to preserve structure
drying moisture must be removed
coating to conductive the sample

A spider coated with Au - thenallyblog.c

For metals;
no need for preparation
For non-metallics;
need to be coated
Preparation - www.mos.org

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SAMPLE PREPARATION
The coating material;
commonly carbon, gold, or some other metal or
alloy
carbon elemental analysis
metal coatings high resolution imaging
applications
must be vacuum compatible
dependent on material properties (beam
sensitivity,
hardness, etc.)
must be appropriate thickness
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WORKING PRINCIPLE
Beam is;
generated by electron gun
collimated and focused by
lenses
rastered across the sample
surface
Secondary or
backscattered electrons
are;
collected by detector
formed the specimen
image in the microscope

Working principle - ammrf.org.au

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LIMITATIONS
Samples must be solid
Size of analyte
vertically <40mm
horizontally <100mm
Stable in a vacuum
Designed to prevent any electrical and magnetic
interference

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ADVANTAGES
High resolution and magnification
3-D Topographical imaging
Compatible with PC technologies and
softwares
Fast Analysing

A peacocks head front wiev - www.nanosmo.co

Store data in digital form

Easier sample preparation
techniques

SEM adapted with pc equipments - www.lnnano

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DISADVANTAGES
Can not analys fluid or gas compounds
Expensive Instrumentation
Wasting time on sample preparation
Constant voltage during analysing

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USAGE AREA
Morphology
Topology
Microstructure studies
Solid state physic
Geology
Biology

diamond-crystal structure - worldscheaper.com

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microstructure of a 15Mo3 steel - emeraldinsight.

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RESULT

SEM uses electrons instead of light to form an

image.
developed new areas of study & still helping.

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CONCLUSION
SEM;
provides detailed surface data of solid samples

SAMPLE;
must be prepared before placed

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Thanks for your attention

Any Questions?