Example Write-Ups

Below are several examples of write-ups for individual microscopes and techniques.  These are examples only.  Always confirm that the parameters listed in the write-ups are the same as what were used for your research and update the information as-needed before you publish.  The staff in the PEMC will be happy to help you with your personalized write-up if necessary.  We have also provided a copy of our suggested acknowledgement text.  You can find information about why you should always acknowledge the PEMC here.

Acknowledging the PEMC

Electron microscopy was performed using instrumentation in the Purdue Electron Microscopy Center (RRID:SCR_022687).

Transmission Electron Microscopes

(S)TEM Imaging

Experiments were performed on a Themis Z TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) equipped with a Schottky field emission gun and operated at XX kV (300 kV/80 kV/60 kV). The microscope was equipped with a monochromator and a probe corrector. The (S)TEM high-angle annular dark-field ((S)TEM-HAADF)/annular dark-field ((S)TEM-ADF)/bright-field ((S)TEM-BF) images were collected with a camera length of XX mm, covering the collection angle range of XX - XX mrad. 

Bright field TEM Imaging

Experiments were performed on a Themis Z TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) equipped with a Schottky field emission gun and operated at XX kV (300 kV/80 kV/60 kV). The microscope was equipped with a monochromator and an image corrector. The bright field TEM images and diffraction patterns were acquired using a speed enhanced Ceta camera. Selected area electron diffraction patterns were collected at the camera length of XX mm.

EDX Spectroscopy

The (S)TEM-EDX data were collected with a Themis Z TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) operated at 300 kV using a Super-X EDX detector composed of four silicon drift detectors (SDD).  

EELS

The (S)TEM-EELS data were collected with a Themis Z TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) using a Gatan Quantum 965 detector in an energy resolution of XX EV using a dispersion aperture of XX eV/channel. The collection used the dual EELS mode that covers the energy range of 0-XX eV and XX - XX eV.

IDPC

Experiments were performed on a Themis Z TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) equipped with a Schottky field emission gun and operated at XX kV (300 kV/80 kV/60 kV).  The (S)TEM- integrated differential phase contrast ((S)TEM-iDPC) images were acquired by using the segmented (S)TEM-DF detectors.

Electron Tomography

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(S)TEM Imaging

Experiments were performed on a Talos F200i TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) equipped with a Schottky field emission gun and operated at XX kV (200 kV/80 kV).  The (S)TEM- high-angle annular dark-field ((S)TEM-HAADF)/annular dark-filed ((S)TEM-ADF)/bright-field ((S)TEM-BF) images were collected with a camera length of XX mm, covering the collection angle range of XX - XX mrad. 

Bright Field TEM Imaging

Experiments were performed on a Talos F200i TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) equipped with a Schottky field emission gun and operated at XX kV (200 kV/80 kV). The bright field TEM images and diffraction patterns were acquired using a speed-enhanced Ceta camera. Selected area electron diffraction patterns were collected at the camera length of XX mm.
Magnetic domains were imaged using the Lorentz lens with the objective lens off, where the residual magnetic field caused by the objective lens is calibrated to be XX T.

EDX Spectroscopy

The (S)TEM-EDX data were collected with a Talos F200i TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) operated at XX kV (200 kV / 80 kV) using a Super-X EDX detector of four silicon drift detectors (SDD).

iDPC

Experiments were performed on a Talos F200i TEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.) equipped with a Schottky field emission gun and operated at XX kV (200 kV/80 kV). The (S)TEM- integrated differential phase contrast ((S)TEM-iDPC) images were acquired by the segmented (S)TEM- DF-S detectors.

 

TEM Imaging

TEM images were acquired with an FEI Tecnai G2 20 TEM equipped with a Gatan US1000 2K CCD camera.  The microscope operates with a 200kV LaB6 filament electron gun. 

EDX Spectroscopy

Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was performed using an FEI Tecnai G2 20 TEM equipped with an Oxford X-Max80 detector.  Samples were prepared on copper grids and loaded into the microscope using a single tilt holder. 

 

TEM Imaging

TEM images were acquired with an FEI Tecnai 12 TEM equipped with a Gatan ORIUS side-mount CCD camera.  The microscope was run with a tungsten filament electron gun, operating at 80 kV. 

 

Scanning Electron Microscopes

SEM Imaging

Images were acquired using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Apreo 2S FEG SEM equipped with an Everhart Thornley detector (ETD), three in-lens detectors (T1, T2, T3), and an annular backscatter electron detector (ABS). The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and a beam current of XX nA. 

Cryo SEM

Cryo-SEM was performed using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Apreo 2S FEG SEM equipped with a Quorum PPP3010T Cryo-SEM Preparation System.  Samples were flash-frozen in slushed liquid nitrogen (LN2), sublimed at 90°C for 3 minutes, sputter coated with platinum, and imaged using an Everhart-Thornley detector (ETD).  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and a beam current of XX nA. 

EDX Spectroscopy

Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was performed using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Apreo 2S FEG SEM equipped with an Oxford ULTIM Max 100 detector.  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV during EDX analysis.  EDX data processing was performed using Aztec software (Oxford Instruments).

ECCI and ECP

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Low Vacuum SEM Imaging

Images were acquired using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Apreo 2S FEG SEM operating in low-vacuum mode.  Water vapor was used to reach the desired pressure in the sample chamber.  

SEM Imaging

Samples were imaged using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Helios G4 UX FEG Dual Beam SEM equipped with an Everhart Thornley detector (ETD).

FIB

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EBSD

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was performed using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Helios G4 UX FEG Dual Beam SEM equipped with an Oxford Symmetry S3 CMOS camera.  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV during EBSD analysis.  Data processing was performed using Aztec and Aztec Crystal software (Oxford Instruments).

EDX Spectroscopy

Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was performed using a Thermo Fisher Scientific Helios G4 UX FEG Dual Beam SEM equipped with an Oxford ULTIM Max 100 detector.  The microscope was operating with a beam voltage of XX kV during EDX analysis.  EDX data processing was performed using Aztec software (Oxford Instruments).

(S)TEM

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SEM Imaging

Images were acquired using an FEI Teneo Volumescope FEG SEM equipped with an Everhart Thornley detector (ETD), three in-lens detectors (T1, T2, T3), and an annular backscatter electron detector (ABS). The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and a beam current of XX nA. 

Serial Block Face Imaging

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(S)TEM

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Low Vacuum SEM Imaging

Images were acquired using an FEI Teneo Volumescope FEG SEM operating in low-vacuum mode.  Water vapor was used to reach the desired pressure in the sample chamber.  

SEM Imaging

Samples were imaged using an FEI Quanta 3D FEG Dual Beam SEM equipped with an Everhart Thornley detector (ETD) and a backscatter electron detector (BSED).  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and a beam current of XX nA. 

EDX Spectroscopy

Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was performed using an FEI Quanta 3D FEG Dual Beam SEM equipped with an Oxford X-Max 80 detector.  The microscope was operating with a beam voltage of XX kV during EDX analysis.  EDX data processing was performed using Aztec software (Oxford Instruments).

FIB

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ESEM

Text coming soon! 

SEM Imaging

Images were acquired using an FEI Quanta 650 FEG SEM equipped with an Everhart Thornley detector (ETD), and a backscatter electron detector (BSED). The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and a beam current of XX nA. 

EDX Spectroscopy

Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was performed using an FEI Quanta 650 FEG SEM equipped with an EDAX Octane Elect detector.  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV during EDX analysis.  EDX data processing was performed using Apex software (EDAX).

EBSD

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was performed using an FEI Quanta 650 FEG SEM equipped with an EDAX Hikari Series CCD camera.  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV during EBSD analysis.  EBSD data processing was performed using Apex and OIM software (EDAX).

SEM Imaging

Images were captured using a Hitachi S-4800 cold field emission gun (cFEG) scanning electron microscope equipped with a secondary electron detector and a backscatter electron detector.  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and a beam current of XX nA. 

EDX Spectroscopy

 Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was performed using a Hitachi S-4800 cFEG SEM equipped with an Oxford X-MaxN 80 detector.  The microscope was operated at an accelerating voltage of XX kV during EDX analysis.  EDX data processing was performed using Aztec software (Oxford Instruments). 

Sample Preparation

Samples were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, post-fixed in buffered 1% osmium tetroxide containing 0.8% potassium ferricyanide, and en bloc stained in 1% aqueous uranyl acetate. They were then dehydrated with a graded series of ethanol and transitioned into EMbed-812 resin using acetonitrile. After transitioning to 100% resin, the resin-embedded samples were hardened in a 60°C oven.  Thin sections (80nm) were cut on a Leica EM UC6 ultramicrotome and stained with 2% uranyl acetate and lead citrate.

CPD

Specimens were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in a graded ethanol series, and transferred into a Tousimis 931 CPD for critical point drying. Dried specimens were coated with platinum in a Cressington 208HR sputter coater.

HMDS

Specimens were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in a graded ethanol series, transferred into hexamethyldisilazane and air dried. Dried specimens were coated with platinum in a Cressington 208HR sputter coater.

Samples were coated with platinum using a Cressington 208HR sputter coater equipped with a rotary-planetary-tilting stage.

Samples were polished using an Ar ion milling polisher (JEOL IB-19500CP Cross Section Polisher) with a rotary/mask stage, at an accelerating voltage of XX kV and an Ar flow rate of XX sccm. The polishing process was conducted to achieve a smooth surface suitable for further analysis.
(Note: Please replace "XX" with the actual values for the voltage and flow rate.)

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