In Dr. Baldari’s lab, they use a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to analyze many of the biological specimens that they work with. The SEM is the next generation of microscopes because it uses a beam of electrons instead of light to form an image.
The SEM has allowed researchers to develop new areas of study in the medical and physical science fields.
It has many advantages over traditional light microscopes. It has a greater area of vision which allows the researcher to look at more of a specimen at a time. It allows higher resolutions and since the SEM uses electromagnets instead of lenses to focus the beam it gives the researcher greater degree of control in the magnification.
The SEM is an instrument that produces a large magnified image by using electrons instead of light to form an image. A beam of electrons is produced at the top of the microscope by an electron gun. The electron beam follows a vertical path through the microscope, which is held within a vacuum. The beam travels through electromagnetic fields and lenses, which focus the beam down toward the sample. Once the beam hits the sample, electrons and X-rays are ejected from the sample. Below is an image of the entire microscope.
Detectors collect these X-rays, backscattered electrons, and secondary electrons and convert them into a signal that is sent to a screen similar to a television screen. This produces the final image. Since the detectors are able to collect electrons from every direction, this allows the researcher to get a comprehensive 3-D image of the specimen.
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