E&PS/IOM Electron Microbeam Facility (EMP &
SEM Laboratory)
Welcome to the Electron Microbeam
Facility Located in Albuquerque, on the University of New Mexico Main Campus!
INTRODUCTION
The Institute of Meteoritics and
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of New Mexico
maintains a fully equipped Electron Microbeam (EM) Lab that includes a
JEOL 733 Electron Microprobe (EMP) and JEOL 5800LV Low Vacuum Scanning
Electron Microscope (LVSEM).
The JEOL JXA-733 Superprobe
The EMP laboratory houses a JEOL
JXA-733 Superprobe with 5 wavelength spectrometers and an Oxford/Link energy
dispersive system (EDS). The Superprobe (left) is equipped with secondary
electron and high-speed backscattered electron detectors for high resolution
imaging through an Oxford eXL II analytical system. A thin window EDS detector
and synthetic analyzing crystals give the capability of combined quantitative
analysis of all elements down to carbon. The spectrometers and multi-sample
precision stage are controlled by the Oxford system to provide automated
operation, precision particle analysis and quantitative X-ray mapping,
along with imaging software that allows mineral phase determinations across
whole thin sections.
The JEOL 5800LV Scanning Electron
Microscope
The Scanning Electron
Microscope is a JEOL 5800LV with the capacity to operate in the low (poor)
vacuum range. The microscope is equipped with secondary and backscattered
electron detectors as well as a cathodoluminescence detector. An ultra-thin
window EDS X-ray detector is also attached to the microscope for chemical
analysis of elements down to boron. An Oxford Isis 300 analyzer provides
the capability of fully quantitative EDS analysis, digital imaging, image
analysis, and automated control of the microscope parameters and stage.
Every month or so we post a new
image. The images are converted to GIF/JPEG files for loadability
(normally they start as HUGE Tiff images). They can be downloaded several
ways:
For PC users
In the file menu, click on "save as"
and save the entire .html page (captions and all) to your hard drive.
If you only want the image (no captions),
click the right mouse button on the image and save the image as a file,
or as wallpaper.
For Mac users
In the file menu, click on "save as"
and save the entire .html page (captions and all) to your hard drive.
If you only want the image (no captions),
hold the mouse button down on the image and save the image as a file, or
as wallpaper.
Notes about Copyrights: All images that are
posted have shared copyrights. This means they cannot be reposted or reprinted
publicly without permission from the copyright holders. Getting permission
is rather easy though. All one has to do is send us an e-mail
with information as to the image wanted, the reason for reposting, and
where the image will be reposted or reproduced. If original, high-resolution
images are desired, they may also be obtained.
As time goes on, we are developing
an educational archive of Electron Microscopy "notes". The notes originate
from our Electron Microscopy class that the Institute teaches every year.
While they are designed mainly to go with the graduate level course, they
can be useful aids to anyone who desires to learn more about Electron Microscopy.
For more information about the course, e-mail
us.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Two full-time staff positions are
devoted to the maintenance and operation of the EMP facility. Beyond the
day-to-day upkeep of the facility, these members of the Institute of Meteoritics
are responsible for optimizing analytical conditions, establishing calibration
procedures, conducting analyses, training new users, and assisting with
the evaluation and interpretation of resulting data. In addition, our staff
will conduct analyses on client samples. Samples may either be sent to
our laboratory with adequate documentation for analysis or customers may
elect to be present at the time of analysis in order to assist in identifying
the sample locations (recommended).
SPECIALIZATIONS
The combination of the Electron
Microprobe and Scanning Electron Microscope Allows for a number applications
and specialization for a diverse range of fields of study. We list just
a few of the projects that we have or are currently working on:
Archeology: Mineral chemistry
and mineral phase analysis of potsherds to determine material source location.
Geology: Mineral analysis for
determination of petrogenises.
Planetary Science: High-resolution
imaging and X-ray mapping of Martian meteorite ALH84001 to determine if
suitable life environments exist on Mars.
Industry: High-resolution surface
imaging for the determination of the effects of Particle Beam bombardment.
Biology: Exploration for evidence
of bacterial corrosion in caves.
Chemistry: Chemical analysis
of vapor deposited thin films.
Planetary Science: Chemical
analysis of High Aluminum Silca Poor (HASP) glasses in Apollo mission lunar
samples to further the understanding crustal evolution on the Moon.
Medicine: Image and chemical
analysis of respirable fibers.
Engineering: Chemical analysis
of surface contamination deposits on Laser parts.
METEORITE INVESTIGATION
We also provide analysis to the
public of suspected meteorites. Please e-mail Dr. Rhian Jones, rjones@unm.edu,
for information on how to submit samples for analysis.
Our facility can also arrange additional analytical
support through both the Institute of Meteoritics and the UNM Department
of Earth and Planetary Sciences, including but not limited to Secondary
Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Induced Coupling Plasma Mass Spectrometry
(ICP-MS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and X-Ray Diffraction
(XRD)
For further information please contact
Mike Spilde, Lab Manager: e-mail address mspilde@unm.edu
.
To contact us by phone, our numbers
are...
Mike Spilde:
(505) 277-5430
Main Office:
(505) 277-1644
To send us mail the old fashion way,
our address is.
.
A free service.