School of Earth and Environment

Electron Optics

Electron Optics Image

Introduction

The Electron Optics facility is located in the Engineering Building, University of Leeds. We provide specialist services to University staff as well as external academic and corporate customers.

Services Offered

We provide access to the following range of services:

  • Our Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images objects at a resolution between those of optical and Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM), i.e. on the sub-micron to millimetre scales, depending on the particular emission signal (electron, X-ray or visible light).
  • The electron probe can be considered to be a highly specialised SEM, with the electron column optimised for the detection of characteristic X-rays. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of most elements in the periodic table is possible, with detection limits of 100-500ppm.

Specialist Services

Our facility is one of the world leaders in the geological application of SEM analysis, particularly for crystallographic analysis using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD).

Equipment

  • Scanning Electron Microscope – FEI Quanta 650 FEG-ESEM with SE and BSE detectors suitable for high vacuum and variable vacuum modes. Also fitted with a KE Centaurus panchromatic CL detector, an Oxford X-max 80 SDD (liquid nitrogen free) EDS with INCA 350 software and an Oxford/HKL Premium Nordlys S EBSD system.
  • Electron microprobe – Jeol 8230 with a LaB6 electron source carrying 5 wavelength spectrometers populated with 14 analysing crystals, 6 of which are high intensity/high resolution types. The Jeol 8230 has a fully integrated Jeol SDD EDS system.

Further Information