1504 159 578 Sem D

SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
(SEM)
1
CONTENTS
 Introduction
 History of development of SEM
 Principle
 Instrumentation
 Working
 Applications
2
2
INTRODUCTION
Electron microscopy was developed to overcome the limitations of

optical microscope.
 Resolving power of microscopes depends on the wavelength of light
used. Optical microscopes can improve the resolution only up to a
magnification of 400 times, so that we can see objects of size in micro
level, like bacteria.
 The resolution power of electron microscopy is very high (~10 nm)
since electrons are used for illumination (wavelength of electrons are 105
times shorter than that of light).
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron
Microscopy (TEM) are important surface characterization techniques
used in nanotechnology.
3
3
HISTORY OF SEM
 1931 E. Ruska Invention of TEM (Nobel prize in Physics in 1986).

1935 M. Knoll Original SEM prototype.
1938 Manfred von Ardene SEM (STEM) with lens system.
 1942 V. K. Zworykin SEM for bulk specimen observation.
1965 Cambridge Scientific Instrument (U K) and JOEL
(Japan) commercialized SEM.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017 was awarded jointly to Jacques

Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson for developing
cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure
determination of biomolecules in solution.
4
4
PRINCIPLE
SEM produces images of a sample by scanning the surface in raster

fashion, with a focused beam of electrons.
The interaction of electron beam with the atoms near the surface of
the sample results in the production of a number of signals (such as
secondary electrons (SE), back scattered electrons (BSE) and X-rays
etc.)
These signals are detected by appropriate detectors and the data

can be used to obtain information about the surface topography
and composition.
5
5
INTERACTION OF ELECTON WITH SAMPLE
Primary electrons
Auger electrons (AE)
Back scattered electrons
SEM
(BSE) X-rays
Secondary
electrons Cathode luminescence
(SE)
SAMPLE
Elastically scattered In elastically scattered

electrons electrons
Unscattered electrons
Transmitted electrons (TE) TEM
6
INTERACTION OF ELECTON WITH SAMPLE
Secondary electrons (SE): They are electrons that are directly knocked out from the
atom by primary/incidental electron beam.
They have low energy (<50 eV) and give information about topography.
Back scattered electrons (BSE): They are incidental electrons that are
reflected backwards. They have high energy (>50 eV) compared to SE.
They give information about topography and composition.
BSE comes from deeper regions of the sample where as SE originates from the surface and
that’s why BSE and SE carry different types of information.
X-rays, emitted from beneath the sample surface, can provide element and mineral
information. 7
INSTRUMENTATION
8
INSTRUMENTATION
9
INSTRUMENTATION
1.Electron Source: Generates beam of energetic electrons. They are of

two types:
Thermionic gun: Produces electron beam at high temperature, eg:- W
filament, LaB6 etc.
Field emission gun: Produces electron beam under strong electric field.
2. Anode: Accelerates the electron beam.

As the velocity of the electron increases wavelength decreases
(according to the De Broglie relation) and thus enhances the resolution
power.
3. Vacuum chamber: High vacuum minimises the scattering of electron

beam.
4.Condenser lens: It is the electromagnetic lens used to narrow down

and focus the electron beam. It also controls the intensity of the beam.
Generally tubes wrapped in coils, known as solenoids, are used as
condenser lenses. 10
INSTRUMENTATION
5. Scan coil: Deflects the electron beam horizontally and vertically
over the surface of the samples and scans the surface in a
rectangular fashion (called raster scanning).
6. Objective lens: It is also an electromagnetic lens. It focuses the

electron beam to the surface of the sample.
7. Specimen stage: The sample is placed in the specimen

stage/sample chamber. It can be moved horizontally as well as
vertically.
8. Detectors: There are suitable detectors to detect SE, BSE and X-rays.
9. PC control: Processes the data and provides the SEM image.
Note: Most of the samples require some preparation before being placed in the
vacuum chamber. Of the variety of different preparation processes, the two most
commonly used prior to SEM analysis are sputter coating for non-conductive
samples and dehydration for most biological specimens. 11
WORKING
 Electron gun generates a beam of energetic electrons.
 They are accelerated using the anode.
The accelerated electrons are focused into a coherent beam
using condenser lens.
 Objective lens then focuses the beam of electrons onto the
sample
placed in the movable specimen stage.
 Scan coil scans the surface in raster fashion.
SE, BSE and X-rays produced from the sample are detected
using suitable detectors.
 Black and white, three dimensional images are obtained
processing.
after
SEM data provides information about size, shape, texture and
composition of the sample. 12
SEM IMAGES
Human blood cells Nano wires Gold Nano

(Cu doped ZnO)
Human hair Dental drill with Virus

diamond chip 13
APPLICATIONS OF SEM
1. SEM helps in the characterizations of solid and nano materials.

2. It can detect and analyze surface fractures, surface contamination and provide
information in microstructures.
3. It helps to reveal spatial variations in chemical compositions and to identify
crystalline structures.
4.It is used as an essential research tool in fields such as life science, nano-science,
gemmology, medical and forensic science.
Forensic science: To examine and compare evidence such as hair, metal
fragments, ink, paint etc.
Biological science: Insects, dried tissues, bacteria and virus can be visualised.
5.SEMs have practical industrial and technological applications such as
semiconductor inspection, production line of miniscule products and assembly of
microchips for computers.
14
1
4
TRY TO ANSWER
List any five differences between optical and electron microscopy.
Explain the principle and working of SEM.

Explain the instrumentation of SEM.
Mention any four applications of SEM.
15
16

1504 159 578 Sem D

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1504 159 578 Sem D

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1504 159 578 Sem D

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

 History of development of SEM

Electron microscopy was developed to overcome the limitations of

 1931 E. Ruska Invention of TEM (Nobel prize in Physics in 1986).

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017 was awarded jointly to Jacques

SEM produces images of a sample by scanning the surface in raster

These signals are detected by appropriate detectors and the data

Elastically scattered In elastically scattered

Transmitted electrons (TE) TEM

1.Electron Source: Generates beam of energetic electrons. They are of

2. Anode: Accelerates the electron beam.

3. Vacuum chamber: High vacuum minimises the scattering of electron

4.Condenser lens: It is the electromagnetic lens used to narrow down

6. Objective lens: It is also an electromagnetic lens. It focuses the

7. Specimen stage: The sample is placed in the specimen

9. PC control: Processes the data and provides the SEM image.

Human blood cells Nano wires Gold Nano

Human hair Dental drill with Virus

1. SEM helps in the characterizations of solid and nano materials.

List any five differences between optical and electron microscopy.

Explain the principle and working of SEM.

You might also like