Scanning Electron Microscopy: 
An Introduction

Welcome! The Electron Microscopy Laboratory at the University of Alaska Anchorage is an interdepartmental laboratory involving the Departments of Anthropology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Geology. The laboratory is housed in the Biological Sciences Department. The mission of the lab is to:

1)      Teach undergraduate and graduate students, and K12 science teachers electron microscopy by offering intensive laboratory courses in scanning electron microscopy (SEM);

2)      Conduct basic and applied research;

3)      Provide students and faculty with state of the art imaging equipment for research projects; and

4)      Make this facility accessible to members of our community, schools through tours and summer courses.

The SEM Laboratory became operational in November 1998, and was formally dedicated on 23 April 1999, following the 1996 donation of a SEM and major equipment by the Minerals Management Service, Department of the Interior.  An agreement between UAA and the U.S. Department of the Interior provides Interior Department personnel 10 hours per week access to the SEM.

We are also pleased to announce the recent acquisition of a Zeiss EM-109 Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) plus other items from UAF necessary to establish a fully functional TEM laboratory.  We plan to have this instrument operational next year at UAA.  Exciting things are happening in the Sciences at UAA!

About the Scanning Electron Microscope

A scanning electron microscope is an electron optical device that employs a beam of electrons to "illuminate" a specimen to resolve fine structures.  The electron beam is produced by a tungsten filament within an electron gun, accelerated by a high voltage, and formed into a fine probe by a series of electromagnetic lenses.

The electron-optical column through which the beam passes is maintained under a high vacuum, permitting electrons to traverse a free path, and preventing high voltage discharge within the column. The electron beam is moved or rastered across the surface of a specimen by means of a series of deflection coils; the movement of the electron beam across a specimen is synchronous with that of a cathode ray tube (CRT). The signals produced as a result of the beam being rastered across the specimen surface are collected by an appropriate detector, amplified and displayed as an image on the CRT.

Page first published 9.9.99.  Revised 9.9.03.  Under construction.  Created by Peter A. Kudenov nommo@jupiter-io.net.  Copyright © 1999 Jerry D. Kudenov.  All rights reserved.