As electron microscopes are sensitive to vibration OCAS first revamped an area in the basement of its Zelzate head quarters building before installing the brand new TEM.
The new TEM(*) combines outstanding high resolution (S)TEM imaging with powerful industry-leading four in-column EDX detectors, enabling rapid analytical analysis. The EDX detectors with automatic measurement and analysis software provide precipitate analysis results at least 3 times faster. Moreover, 5-10 times more precipitates are studied guaranteeing better statistics.
(*)TEM uses transmitted electrons (electrons that are passing through the sample) to create an image. As a result, TEM offers valuable information on the inner structure of the sample, such as crystal structure, morphology and stress state information. Due to the requirement for transmitted electrons, TEM samples must be very thin. Equipped with an EDX detector, TEM can also perform the chemical compositional analysis at nanoscale.
The TEM equipment was purchased and adjusted according to OCAS’s specs. Both delivery and installation were impacted by COVID-19 measures. However, delay was minimal and today the TEM is fully operational. The possibilities of this new equipment will be highly valuable for our precipitate research.
In the long run, the new microscopy lab will accommodate all our in-house microscopic instruments. Its location in the basement ensures a minimum of vibrations which is indispensable for instruments with micrometer, nanometer to atomic scale resolutions.
“By combining outstanding high resolution (S)TEM imaging with four in-column EDX detectors, precipitate analysis in steel research enters a new era!”
