SEM for materials microstructure characterisation

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is one of the major techniques for microstructure analysis of materials and has superseded light optical microscopy as the most applied technique for metallography. Conventional scanning electron microscopes (SEM) are used in various materials research laboratories in Denmark. Usually, SEM is used to provide topographical, quasi 3-D, images of surfaces, often combined with chemical analysis using the emitted characteristic energy dispersive X-ray signals (EDS). By contrast, the present application proposes an advanced, versatile SEM combining a) image acquisition, b) local crystallography determination using back scattered electron diffraction patterns (EBSP), c) local chemical analysis using EDS, d) combination of information from these signals using digital image acquisition and image analysis. We also propose the inclusion of a transfer airlock to allow ex-situ surface modification experiments to be subsequently studied in this SEM. This microscope will provide unique capabilities for observation of surface structure to better than 5 nm resolution and allow the analysis of surface crystallography and surface chemistry from regions smaller than 1 micron. The versatility of the microscope will be fully exploited in recently initiated and future Ph.D. projects in high temperature metallurgy, surface engineering and microtechnology.