Electron Microscopy and Analysis Capabilities for Materials Research
Our capabilities focus on the delivery of high impact imaging and analysis, applicable to the study of solid state materials including: metals, ceramics, semiconductors, nanostructures, biomaterials and polymers.
The facility hosts a range of cutting edge instrumentation offering the techniques to conduct, not only fundamental materials research, but manufacturing led investigations such as failure analysis, corrosion and defect studies and process control.
How we can help
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
- Imaging the surface structure of bulk materials at about 1-4nm resolution.
- Determining the chemical composition and distribution of elements near/at the surface of a bulk material using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and back scattered electron imaging (BSE).
- Mapping cathode luminescence near the surface of bulk materials for example, the identification of structural defects and inclusions.
- Mapping the crystal orientation and crystal texture in bulk materials using electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD).
Find out more about our SEM instrumentation.
Focused Ion Beam Microscopy (FIB)
- Sculpting, cutting and shaping materials at a resolution of about 10nm using focused gallium ions (FIB)
- Preparation of site specific thin sections for transmission electron microscopy particularly useful for defect and interface studies at the nano-scale.
Find out more about our FIB instrumentation.
Scanning / Transmission Electron Microscopes
- Atomic scale Imaging of dislocations, grain boundaries, inclusions, interfaces and corrosion layers etc.
- Crystallite structure determination via electron diffraction
- Chemical analysis and mapping using EDX in the STEM/TEM
- Chemical and local atomic bonding analysis using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS)
- Ultra high resolution atomic resolution imaging (<0.1nm resolution) using aberration-corrected TEM and STEM
Find out more about our TEM instrumentation.
Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA)
- High sensitivity chemical compositional analysis and mapping of bulk materials using wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS)
- Low atomic number (Z) compositional and chemical state analysis of bulk materials (SXES)
Find out more about our EPMA.
Ancillary Equipment
The facility is complimented with a range of standard sample preparation equipment including ion polishers, ion millers and specimen coaters.
To find out more information about how to access this leading facility, please see Collaboration and Access.