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.