Central Laboratory for Detailed and Crystalline Structure of Materials
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
is a microscopic technique that uses a beam of electrons that passes through an ultra-thin specimen.
The TEM offers much higher resolution than the optical microscope due to the small wavelength of electrons, allowing users to examine sample details with atomic-level precision — down to a single row of atoms. This microscope can magnify images up to ten thousand times more than a light microscope.
The transmission electron microscope represents an essential analytical tool in many branches of natural science, such as materials science, semiconductor research, as well as biological sciences, including virology and cancer research.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
The Scanning Electron Microscope is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. These electrons interact with atoms in the sample, generating various signals containing information about the sample’s surface topography and composition.
The electron beam is typically scanned in a raster pattern across the sample, and the position of the beam is combined with the signal received to produce an image. SEM can achieve a resolution better than 1 nanometer and is capable of high-precision imaging, element analysis, and achieving magnifications up to 300,000 times with outstanding clarity.
Key features of the SEM:
- Provides extremely high image clarity.
- Capable of magnifications up to 300,000x, enabling detailed examination of samples at the nanoscale.
- Equipped with both high and low vacuum modes, allowing imaging of both wet and dry samples.
- Features a cryo-unit that enables the examination of samples sensitive to drying processes, including liquid samples.
- The unit offers its services to universities, research institutes, and industrial companies across various fields.
Coating Device
This device is used to increase the electrical conductivity of a sample by coating it with a thin layer of pure gold.
Advantages:
- Reduces beam damage during microscopy.
- Improves thermal conductivity.
- Enhances electrical conductivity.
- Improves secondary electron emission.
- Protects beam-sensitive samples.
- Reduces electron beam penetration.
Optical Microscope
- Equipped with two light sources, allowing imaging of both transparent and opaque samples, making it suitable for biological and materials science applications.
- Features a digital camera and software that allows overlaying magnification labels on images and performing various measurements.
- The microscope operates automatically and includes a 100× air objective lens that does not require immersion oil.
Applications include:
Materials science, medicine, geology, marine sciences, environmental studies, and biological research.
X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Device
This device measures the diffraction of X-rays through materials, allowing the determination of:
- Interatomic distances in all directions
- Dimensions of the unit cell of the crystal lattice
- Identification and characterization of the material using a database containing 185,000 crystalline patterns of elements and compounds
- The crystalline structure and phase identification of the sample
- Grain size in a specific direction
Additionally, this is a non-destructive test method.
Sample Specifications: Samples must be in the form of powder or thin film.