SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)

Laboratory I will do in this week is SEM. SEM is used for surface topographic studies. It work by a electron beam hit on the surface of the sample and detect by several detectors. The detector types used for primary electrons, secondary electrons, X-ray detector. The X-ray detector have 2 types, one is wavelength dispersive X-ray analysis (WDX or WDS) to determine the wavelength of the X-rays by using Bragg's law. Another one is energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX - EDS) to determine the energy of the X-rays. I have use secondary electrons and primary electron detector to observe our sample. The surface of our sample is so smooth because we got nanocomposite sample. For another detector I will have EDS on mid of May with my teacher from my old university (I think it will be great).

SEM can control everything by computer you can focus or move the same by computer. It look very easy but it isn't. Because you should some parameters for decide to adjust something. For example, working distance (WD), scan rate and accelerating voltage.

I thing SEM is the instrument that so useful to observe the surface and it can find the thickness of the thin film also.

The Miracle of Being Awake

The Miracle of Being Awake by Thich Nhat Hanh, translate to Thai edition by Phra Pracha Pasannathammo is the book that my dad gave me(in Thai edition) to read for control my mind, keep mind peaceful. My dad like this book too much. He read this book many many times, before sleep, have free time, on the bus. I got this book when I was 13 years old. I couldn't finish it in that time because I think it's so boring book nothing in this book excited me to read to the end. When I was 18 years old I started to read it again, I just wanted to know what in this book that my dad has been interested too much. I finished it in a hour I didn't get it too much. I just though it's a book about religious nothing else.

Now I'm 21 years old, I start to read it again. I thing there are many thing this book that I must know, it can help me to solve thinking that stuck in my mind. I read it frequency. I place it on my bed to read it before sleep.

I didn't tell about what the book are. This book contain stories about how to mindful yourself. The way to keep your mind being awake. It's very useful book. I suggest when you have many thing on your mind or confused thinking.

Introduction to Solid State Physics

The most book that I read during 3 months is 'Introduction to Solid State Physics' eighth edition by Charles Kittel. This book contain normal subject that you should know about material science, crystal structure, wave diffraction and the reciprocal lattice, crystal binding and elastic constants, crystal vibrations (phonon), thermal properties (phonons), free electron Fermi gas, Energy bands, semiconductor crystals, Fermi surfaces and metals, superconductivity, diamagnetism and paramagnetism, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, magnetic resonance, plasmons, polaritons, and polarons, optical processes and excitons, dielectrics and ferroelectrics, surface and interface physics, nanostructures, noncrystalline solids, point defects, dislocations, and the last one is alloys. First time, I saw this book and I thing I must use around 5 years to finish this book. But when I have started to study in material science course, I finishes this book only 4 months along Condense Matter course. It's too much to finish book which have 640 pages (not include appendix).

However; it's pretty good book, easy to understand, clean picture. Although I finish it in Condense Matter course already, I still read this book to remind something.