AIF’s new Hitachi SU8700 is installed and ready for use. The SU8700 is an ultra-high resolution Schottky emitter SEM that achieves the fundamental limit for SEM resolution, which is sample dependent and on the order of 0.5 nm. Through clever electron optical column design, the SU8700 allows for high resolution imaging on not only conductive samples but also insulating samples. The surfaces of insulating samples can be observed at high resolution by going to very low accelerating voltages where charge balance is achieved. High energy imaging, X-ray analysis, and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) can be performed on insulating samples by operating in variable pressure mode.
In VP mode, the imaging chamber is backfilled with a small amount of gas while the electron optical column is maintained at high vacuum. The SU8700 is equipped with five imaging detectors and two analytical detectors. The imaging detectors include upper (in-column) and lower (in chamber) secondary electron detectors, mid (in-column) and insertable (below the pole piece) backscattered electron detectors, and an ultra-variable detector (UVD) for SE imaging in VP mode. The analytical detectors will be installed in late August and include an Oxford energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDS) and an electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) detector. Come and check out our new SEM and sign up for training with Chuck Mooney
images courtesy of Aaron Bell
More specifications can be found here. We look forward to continue serving you and your analytical needs!