Hacking the SEM: Crystal phase detection for nanoscale samples
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 09:01
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Custom modifications of equipment are an honored tradition of the research lab. In a recent paper, two materials scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology describe how a relatively simple mod of a standard scanning electron microscope (SEM) enables a roughly 10-fold improvement in its ability to measure the crystal structure of nanoparticles and extremely thin films. By altering the sample position, they are able to determine crystal structure of particles as small as 10 nanometers. The technique, they say, should be applicable to a wide range of work, from crime scene forensics to environmental monitoring to process control in nanomanufacturing.