Operator service is possible, or a demo session with your sample. Please contact nanolab@ntnu.no for this.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is a technique in which electrons are used to image the surface of a sample. This allows very high magnifications. Using different signals one can either emphasize the topology of a sample or the material properties.Since the S-5500 is an in-lens cold field emission electron microscope the achievable resolution with is down to 0.4 nm. In addition bright field and dark field detectors are installed which allows transmission measurements. Even though atomic resolution can not be achieved it is an excellent choice if general or integral material parameters must be investigated like for example the dislocation density, internal field or grain boundaries.The attached Bruker EDX-system is optimized for the S-5500 which results in a ca. 10 times better collection efficiency for X-Rays (compared to regular SEM’s) which allows the measurement of elemental maps in merely a couple of minutes instead of hours as on other systems.The S-5500 is placed in an electromagnetic field-free room on vibration isolated ground.

Sample Specifications:

Magnetic samples are in general not allowed. Samples with a high vapor pressure are not allowed. Sample size must not exceed 5 x 9 x 3 mm.

• Detectors for: seconday and low- and high-angle back scattered electrons, bright-field and dark-field transmission measurements, Bruker XFlash EDX Detector.
• Attainable resolution: 0.4 nm (Attention: this is strongly material dependent!).
• Acceleration Voltage: 0,5 – 30 kV (in 0.1 kV steps).
• Maximum beam current: 20 µA