The electron microscopy facility housed in the Physics building on the University of Maryland Baltimore County campus contains a number of pieces of equipment critical to analyzing the un-deformed and deformed structure of microsamples and the fracture surfaces resulting from fatigue and monotonic crack growth using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Specimen Characterization Equipment
Nova NanoSEM 450 from FEI
The Nova NanoSEM 450 is a modern field-emission scanning electron microscope with 1 nm ultimate resolution, large sample chamber with, advanced motorized stage, and navigation supported by an in-chamber camera. High- and low-vacuum operations are possible. Several detectors are available to observe secondary and backscattered electrons under various conditions and also to obtain STEM images. Beam deceleration allows beam-landing energies from 20 eV to 30 keV. The system also includes EDS and EBSD capability (Oxford Aztec.) The purchase of the system was funded by NSF MRI grant number DMR_1337727.
JEOL JSM-5600
Scanning Electron Microscope with Oxford Isis (x-ray) and Opal (EBSD) attachments
Dimension 3100 AFM
This instrument is a robust atomic force microscope, capable of contact and tapping mode as well as force curve measurements. It can be used with a variety of probes, depending on the application. Its motorized stage allows the investigation of large sample and the enclosure provides thermal and vibration insulation for high-resolution measurements.