Electron Microscopy

The electron microscopy team provides access to a range state-of-the-art electron microscopes. We assist through consultation, training, and project collaborations.

We have 12 electron microscopes from basic to advanced microscopy, and we support users in the selection of the relevant microscopes, training, experimental set up and implementation of their electron microscopy projects. We also provide support for the preparation of the samples for imaging and data analysis.

We offer our expertise in multiple aspects of electron microscopy, such as

  • Sample preparation via resin embedding, sectioning and negative staining
  • Sample screening, training and image montaging on 120kV transmission electron microscopes (TEM)
  • Aberration corrected TEM for high resolution analysis
  • Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS)
  • Cryo Electron Microscopy for Single Particle Analysis and Tomography
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy for imaging, EDX and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD)
  • Serial Block Face-Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBF-SEM), Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM), and Cryo FIB-SEM for slice and view 3-dimensional imaging and cryo-lamella preparation
High resolution image of the surface of a crystal

Aberration Corrected Microscopy and Spectroscopy

The Imaging Section houses aberration corrected electron microscopes that can carry out sub-angstrom resolution imaging in both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The microscopes are capable of energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) for elemental and chemical analysis. There is also a range of in-situ techniques that can be carried out in gas and liquid environments, as well as by heating the samples or applying electrical bias to them.

Cryo EM reconstruction and atomic model

Cryo Transmission Electron Microscopy

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a technique that allows scientists to observe the three-dimensional structure of biological molecules and complexes at nearly atomic resolution by rapidly freezing samples in vitreous ice and imaging them with an electron microscope. The facility houses cutting-edge cryo transmission electron microscopes operated at 200 and 300kV. The microscopes are optimized for high-resolution structure visualization with single-particle analysis (SPA) and cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) of Cryo-FIB prepared lamellas.

A 3-Dimensional image stack taken with slice and view imaging

Volume Electron Microscopy

We support three-dimensional imaging by slice and view imaging by Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy and Serial Block Face-Scanning Electron Microscopy, this is carried out by removing the layer of the sample with the ion beam or a diamond knife respectively before imaging. The final 3D data stack is built up by obtaining a stack of images as the sample material is cut away, and this image stack can be used to create 3D models from the features in the sample.