Microscopy Techniques Quiz

Scanning Electron Microscopy, used to image a sample's topography and elemental composition.

Limited by the size of the microscope chamber.

Electromagnetic lenses focus the electron beam onto the sample.

Transmission Electron Microscopy, used for viewing a sample's internal structure.

Samples must be extremely thin (less than 150 nm) to allow electrons to pass.

TEM can magnify samples up to 10-50 million times.

SEM Produces 3-D black-and-white images.

TEM images show atomic level detail.

Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) are both high-resolution microscopes, used for different purposes and sample types.

SEMs are quicker, cheaper, require less sample prep, handle thicker samples and larger specimens compared to TEMs.

TEMs produce higher resolution images, provide detailed crystallographic data, and give easier-to-interpret 2D images compared to SEM 3D images.

Both SEM and TEM use an electron source (gun), lenses, and apertures to control the electron beam and create images.

TEM requires very thin samples (less than 150nm) for electrons to pass through, while SEM accepts thicker samples.

Used to study the structure of biological and inorganic specimens, like cells, molecules, and metals, for research and quality control.

Offers high magnification, high resolution, preserves specimen details, and allows for a large depth of view.

Live specimens can't be observed, specimens need to be ultra-thin and dry, and it's expensive and delicate.

A type of electron microscope that creates images of a sample's surface by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons.

A type of electron microscope that transmits electrons through a thin sample to create an image of its internal structure.

Electron microscopes use specialized cameras and image processors to capture images, often digitally.

Specimens must be carefully prepared, often made extremely thin and dried, to allow electron beams to pass through or interact with the surface correctly.

Errors and distortions that can appear in the produced images due to specimen preparation (e.g., drying, cutting).