Electron Microscopy Unit

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) allows to obtain high resolution images by high energy transmitted electrons from an ultrathin (<100nm)  and adequately contrasted sample.

TEM service is equipped with:

• Transmission Electron Microscope Philips EM208S (FEI) with a tungsten filament as electron source and x200K maximum magnification;
• image acquisition system MegaView III (Olympus Soft Imaging Solutions);
• Ultramicrotome LEICA UC6 for sectioning of samples embedded in epoxy and acrylic resins.

Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) allows to obtain high resolution  three dimensional images from an adequately treated sample. A very high collimated electron beam interacts with a conductive sample scanning an area from which it induces the emission of secondary electrons.
These are collected to produce a such high focal depth image to permit detailed analysis of the morphological features of the region of interest.

SEM service is equipped with:

• An high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope INSPECT F (FEI) with a resolving power of 1.2nm in SE and 2.5nm in BSE at 30kV. This allows us to examine in addition to the surface details of biological systems such as bacteria, parasites, cells and cell growth patterns, cell-pathogens interactions, tissues;
• Instruments for the sample preparation: Critical Point Drying, Sputtering, Vacuum Evaporator.