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Electron Microscope

An electron microscope uses a beam of accelerated electrons rather than light to illuminate samples, allowing it to achieve higher magnifications and resolving power than an optical microscope. Ernst Ruska invented the first electron microscope in 1933 and was awarded the Nobel Prize for his invention. Electron microscopes are used widely in research and industry due to their ability to image structures as small as atoms. The main types are transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, and reflection electron microscopes.

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152 views13 pages

Electron Microscope

An electron microscope uses a beam of accelerated electrons rather than light to illuminate samples, allowing it to achieve higher magnifications and resolving power than an optical microscope. Ernst Ruska invented the first electron microscope in 1933 and was awarded the Nobel Prize for his invention. Electron microscopes are used widely in research and industry due to their ability to image structures as small as atoms. The main types are transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, and reflection electron microscopes.

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RoseAnne DelRosario
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Electron Microscope

What is an electron microscope?


• An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a
source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times
shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a higher resolving
power than light microscopes and can reveal the structure of smaller objects.

• Electron microscopes are used to investigate the ultra structure of a wide range of
biological and inorganic specimens including microorganisms, cells, large molecules,
biopsy samples, metals, and crystals. Industrially, electron microscopes are often used for
quality control and failure analysis.
FIRST ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

 Invented by Ernst Ruska

 Year-1993

 He was awarded the Nobel Price for physics for his


invention in 1968
Ernst August Friedrich Ruska

 Born on December 25, 1906, in Heidelberg, Germany.


 Ruska was the son of an Asian studies professor and the fifth of
seven children.
 He studied at the Technical University of Munich from 1925 to
1927 and then moved to Berlin to attend the Technical University
located there. While still enrolled in school, Ruska began to lay the
groundwork for the achievement that would be his legacy. Under
the tutelage of Dr. Max Knoll, Ruska developed an interest in the
idea of electron microscopy. Realizing that optical microscopes
were limited by the wavelength of the light beams used to view a
specimen, Ruska determined that since electrons have much
shorter wavelengths than light, they could be used to obtain greater
resolving power.
Comparison between Light and Electron
microscope
LIGHT MICROSCOPE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE
• Magnification can be done up to • Magnification can be done up to 2
2000 times. million times.
• Resolving power is less. • Have much greater resolving
• Photons are involved. power than ordinary microscope.
• Electrons are involved
Construction of Electron Microscope
ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF
USING ELECTRON
MICROSCOPE
ADVANTAGES:

1. Magnification and higher resolution – as electrons rather than light waves are used, it can be used to
analyze structures which cannot otherwise be seen. The resolution of electron microscopy images is in
the range of up to 0.2 nm, which is 1000x more detailed than light microscopy.

2. Diverse applications – Electron microscopy has a diverse range of applications in many different
fields of research including technology, industry, biomedical science and chemistry. Examples of
applications include semiconductor inspection, computer chip manufacture, quality control and
assurance, analysis of atomic structures, and drug development.

3. High-quality images – With proper training, an electron microscope operator can use the system to
produce highly detailed images of structures which are of a high quality, revealing complex and
delicate structures that other techniques may struggle to reproduce.
DISADVANTAGES:

1. Inability to analyze live specimens – As electrons are easily scattered by other molecules in the air,
samples must be analyzed in a vacuum. This means that live specimens cannot be studied by this technique.
This means that biological interactions cannot be properly observed, which limits the applications of
electron microscopy in biological research.

2. Black and white images – Only black and white images can be produced by an electron microscope.
Images must be falsely colorized.

3. Artefacts – These may be present in the image produced. Artefacts are left over from sample preparation
and require specialized knowledge of sample preparation techniques to avoid.

4. Cost – Electron microscopes are expensive pieces of highly specialized equipment. As most projects have
limited budgets, it may prove detrimental to use an electron microscope in the research. However, running
costs can be similar to alternatives such as confocal light microscopes, so the investment in a basic electron
microscope is still worth considering even if budgetary concerns are a major factor in decisions against
utilizing the technology.
DISADVANTAGES:
5. Size – Despite the advantages in technology over the years, electron microscopes are still large, bulky pieces of
equipment which require plenty of space in a laboratory. Also, as electron microscopes are highly sensitive, magnetic fields
and vibrations caused by other lab equipment may interfere with their operation. Consideration must be given to this if the
researcher is looking to install an electron microscope in their laboratory.

6. Training – Specialist operators are required to operate electron microscopes, and these can undergo years of training to
properly use this technology.
TYPES OF
ELECTRON
MICROSCOPE
1. Transmission electron microscope (TEM)
The transmission electron microscope is the original type of electron microscope, which directs a high
voltage electron beam towards the specimen to illuminate it and create a magnified image of the sample.

2. Scanning electron microscope (SEM)


The scanning electron microscope used a technique known as raster scanning to produce magnified
images of the specimen. It directs a focused electron beam across the rectangular area of the specimen,
which loses energy as it passes through. The energy is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat,
light, secondary electrons, and backscattered electrons. This information can be translated to view the
topography and composition of the original specimen.

3. Reflection electron microscope (REM)


The reflection electron microscope involves the detection of a beam of elastically scattered electrons that
is reflected off of the specimen that is being examined. The reflection high-energy electron diffraction
(RHEED) and reflection high-energy loss spectroscopy (RHELS) techniques are often used in this type of
microscopy.
Sources:
https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Types-of-Electron-Microscopes.aspx

https://www.horiba.com/int/cathodoluminescence-spectroscopy-electron-microscope/

https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/timeline/people/ruska.html

https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Electron-
Microscopy.aspx#:~:text=Magnification%20and%20higher%20resolution
%20%E2%80%93%20as,more%20detailed%20than%20light%20microscopy.

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