Thanks. We have little control of contrast mechanisms, and no easy way to make the goniometer non-eucentric (if only we were so lucky with real microscopes), but beyond that and memory/speed limitations, the size range and diversity of structures we can assemble for exploration is limited mainly by our imaginations.
Perhaps for this community I should also mention that fringe-visibility maps have a layout similar to Kikuchi maps, except that band widths depend on specimen thickness and increase with d rather than the converse. That means that quantitative/interactive Kikuchi map models are also easily put together. I've now posted 100kV Kikuchi maps for Gold and Si by way of example.
Any other structures of interest or suggestions? For example, a button to list REL indices e.g. for planes seen horizontally edge-on could be quickly implemented.
Cheers. /phil
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 6/28/2004 at 8:53 PM you? wrote:
} This site is a clear cut above other 3 dimensional sites I've seen, and } the fact that it's microscopy-related is a real bonus. } } Well done. } } Ephram Shizgal } Delong America Inc. } www.lv-em.com } } } -----Original Message----- } From: Scanned Tip and Electron Image Lab Staff } [mailto:staff-at-newton.umsl.edu] } Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 6:01 PM } To: microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } Subject: [Microscopy] interactive worlds & visibility maps } } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } ------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 1 08:12:42 2004
Many thanks for all the replies and ideas. We have enough now that some one or more of them must work. I'll pass on which one(s) end up giving the needed results.
Phil -- Philip Oshel Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility Department of Animal Sciences University of Wisconsin 1675 Observatory Drive Madison, WI 53706 - 1284 voice: (608) 263-4162 fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 1 08:18:41 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (marek-at-physics.mun.ca) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 at 16:37:14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: marek-at-physics.mun.ca Name: Marek Bromberek
Organization: Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland
Education: Graduate College
Location: St. John's, Canada
Question: I have two question which might be related: 1. How do I allign a polarizing microscope? 2. If I see double cross in the field of view, how do I get rid of it?
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (manton-at-biol.uoa.gr) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 at 05:23:16 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: manton-at-biol.uoa.gr Name: M. Antonelou
Organization: university of Athens
Education: Graduate College
Location: Athens, Greece
Question: Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can polymerize a pellet of mammalian cells (cell cultures) in unicryl resin by UV at 4oC without a final swelling of the cells?
I have had no serious swelling problems so far with a variety of animal tissues in unicryl polymerization under the same conditions, but when I started processing cultured cells I faced an unacceptable (10x) increase in cell volume and a massing up of the ultrastructure after resin polymerization (UV, 4oC, 15-20cm distance from the lamps).
So far, I have tried a high speed cell pellet, a low gelling temperature agarose (3%) (in order to keep the pellet compact) and polymerization at 4oC or 50oC, but they didn't work. A cell pellet in 10% gelatin works well in polymerization, but I had problem with sectioning properties of the unicryl and furthermore, I don't like the temperature that this procedure requires (possible loss of antigenicity).
I would appreciate very much if someone who knows about unicryl could propose a suggestion.
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (ggallag-at-juno.com) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Thursday, July 1, 2004 at 08:58:42 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm thinking about changing the oil in my roughing pump on my TEM and I'm looking for some advise. The TEM is a Phillips 400, and my interpretation of the instructions is to break a union between the pump and the roughing tank. I assume this is after venting the column. As a novice, I 'm looking for advice on the best way to vent the column and I am reluctant to undo any unions between the roughing tank and pump.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!!!!
Frank Karl Degussa Corporation Akron Technical Center 3500 Embassy Parkway Suite 100 Akron, Ohio 44333
330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 2 09:37:37 2004
You know what? I just started at this job and I have to leave it very soon. There's nothing wrong with this job, the PI is a great guy and the department is full of nice friendly people. It's just that I have to move across the country ASAP.
Anyway here are the details:
Title: Research Specialist though you will be an EM tech.
Experience with TEM and SEM (elemental analysis is helpful but not neccessary) and all phases of those two things. You will be helping teach an EM class in the spring semesters.
Location: Old Dominion University Department of Biological Sciences Norfolk, VA
Pay: It's not great but it's pretty cheap to live down here. Pay scale is in pay band 4 and you will start at the lowest level, this is an exempt position.
This job cannot be posted yet, due to HR protocols, but I am collecting resumes from interested individuals and will pass them on to the PI.
Please send them as Word documents (you know .doc)
Looking forward to seeing who's interested.
Paula :-)
Paula Sicurello EM Lab 106 Mills Godwin Sciences Building Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 23529 USA 757-683-3822
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 2 15:27:00 2004
Appended is a posting from a colleague. Please respond directly to him.
Smithsonian Institution/Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Postdoctoral position in Geochemistry
The National Museum of Natural History's Department of Mineral Sciences and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are seeking applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the field of geochemistry with applications to Astrobiology. The successful applicant will utilize state-of-art geochemical imaging and analysis tools including: submicron ion beam techniques (eg Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) and electron beam methods (full-spectrum UV/VIS cathodoluminescence, and full-spectrum X-ray imaging and microanalysis). A Ph.D. in one of several fields including geochemistry, biogeosciences, or materials science is required. The position will be awarded initially for 1 year and is renewable for a second year contingent upon funding and performance. The position is immediately available to be filled (in Washington, DC) and carries a stipend of $45,000. Benefits include travel and research allowances, and health insurance. For further information contact: Dr. Ed Vicenzi, Dept. of Mineral Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (vicenzi-at-volcano.si.edu), or Dr. Kim Kuhlman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (kkuhlman-at-jpl.nasa.gov).
Scott Whittaker Laboratories of Analytical Biology Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History PO Box 37012 MRC104 Washington DC 20013-7012 202-357-1651
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 2 21:11:14 2004
After many inquiries, I realize I need to post the starting salary of the job in Norfolk.
Now remember the cost of living in Norfolk is not high. For instance I rent a large 2 bedroom townhouse in the more fancy part of town for $650/month.
The starting annual salary is (drum roll please) $27,323
This is a hard money (and hard to get more money) position, you will be an employee of the state of Virginia.
The work environment is more than relaxed, there is no real dress code (except no open toed shoes in the lab)and you get your own office, phone number and computer.
So if you are still interested drop me a line. I'll get back to you after the 4th, actually the 5th.
See ya Tuesday,
Paula :-)
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sat Jul 3 10:21:40 2004
Hello Karl, In regards to changing the mechanical pump oil in the EM400 it is not necessary to vent the column. Assuming you have a pumping service manual refer to page 636-5.2.3 also fig. 828. The pumps might not be attached with bolts and depending on the length of the hose you might be able to turn this to get at the drain plugs to change the oil. Notice the sight glass and refill it about 3/4 full Edwards #19 oil.
Good Luck, FG Technical Service ( X- FEI ) Brockton, MA. 508-580-1148 On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 14:00:43 -0400 Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com writes: } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of } America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ } } I'm thinking about changing the oil in my roughing pump on my TEM } and I'm } looking for some advise. The TEM is a Phillips 400, and my } interpretation } of the instructions is to break a union between the pump and the } roughing } tank. I assume this is after venting the column. As a novice, I } 'm } looking for advice on the best way to vent the column and I am } reluctant to } undo any unions between the roughing tank and pump. } } Any thoughts? } } } Thanks!!!! } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238 } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sat Jul 3 13:59:50 2004
Karl, please, don't vent the column, and don't do anything with the roughing tank.
Assuming the pump is working properly (pulls proper vacuum, does not make funny noises and smoke, doesn't leak oil), and does not need cleaning:
1) Depress vacuum ON button (right control panel), hold it down for a minute or two, let the pump run and warm up. 2) Turn off TEM by pressing mains OFF button on left control panel. 3) Swing power supply cabinet open.
Quick oil change.
4) Disconnect pump intake hose and exhaust hose if present. 5) Carefully lift pump, rotate it so that drain plug is facing back of the TEM, and elevate pump by placing it upon a piece of wood (4x4 works well), a brick, etc. Avoid stretching pump power cable. If cable is too short, unplug it from power supply after un-screwing it's connector lock. Make sure pump is slightly tilted - drain plug down, motor-up. 6) Use oil pan (auto parts store), unscrew oil drain plug from the pump, drain oil, replace plug. 7) Make sure pump position is horizontal. Fill pump with fresh oil. Slowly, don't over-fill. Watch the sight glass.
Very quick-n-dirty oil change
4) Have a shallow dish and aluminum foil, plenty of paper towels, inspection mirror. 5) Bend aluminum foil as a U-channel, put it between drain plug and shallow dish. 6) Carefully unscrew drain plug, but don't remove it completely. Hold it at the drain hole and control oil flow, keep oil from spilling over U-channel. Drain oil, replace plug. 7) Fill pump with fresh oil. Slowly, don't over-fill. Watch the sight glass with inspection mirror (you can't see it directly unless pump is rotated).
Very quick-n-dirty oil change is not recommended as a standard practice. Old oil does not drain completely, and some oil will be spilled.
Vitaly Feingold Scientific Instruments and Applications 2773 Heath Lane, Duluth GA 30096 (770)232-7785 ph. (770)232-1791 fax (678)467-0012 mobile www.sia-cam.com
This message is made of 100% recycled electrons.
This address can not receive messages larger than 15 kb without prior notification.
----- Original Message ----- } From: {Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com} To: {microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com} Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 2:00 PM
Colleagues
The June 2004 Microscopy Listserver Archives are now on-line at:
http://www.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver
Cheers....
Nestor Your Friendly Neighborhood SysOp
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 5 01:36:14 2004
Cell imaging techniques are central to the life sciences and with the dawn of the post-genomics era, techniques that permit the accurate location of gene products within cells and tissues will be in ever increasing demand. The rapidly developing field of cell imaging techniques has contributed much towards our current understanding of cell structure and function.
This popular five-day course is updated every year to take into account new developments in cell imaging approaches and closely related technologies. It will be of immense value to any life scientist or cell biologist, from research or technical background, from hospitals, research institutes, industry or academia and at any stage in their career, who wishes to learn or update their knowledge of current cell imaging techniques, either for routine purposes or for research. It covers a wide range of applications in pathology, cell biology and the plant sciences. It is structured towards a technical understanding of immuno-affinity techniques, as once they are mastered they can be applied to almost any cell system.
Course Structure: The course is structured around hands-on practical workshops supported by seminars led by a range of experts in the field. The approach is interactive, friendly and participant-orientated and no previous experience or knowledge is assumed. Course participants are led from the basics through a range of state of the art techniques. The main emphasis of the week will be to give participants sufficient practical knowledge of immuno-labelling and other affinity labelling techniques to enable them to carry out labelling and imaging experiments in their own laboratories. In parallel, a series of more in-depth seminars by specialist exponents in various areas of affinity labelling and related techniques, will expose participants to more advanced areas of the field. Full day practical workshops supported by seminars will focus on three main topics: The first day is based around immuno-labelling for light microscopy and includes an introduction to immunocytochemistry, the concept of using different types of cell and tissue specimens and the range of different labels for imaging cells, including fluorescent markers. A second practical workshop day introduces participants to state-of-the-art confocal microscopy, including immuno-labelling at the confocal microscope level and imaging live cells using green fluorescent protein (GFP). The other main practical workshop will focus on techniques for immuno-labelling at the electron microscope level. Supporting specialist seminars will be given on a range of subjects including: in situ hybridisation, silver enhancement techniques, fixation strategies, approaches to image analysis, multiple fluorescence labelling techniques and the application of fluorescent proteins. There will be a special guest lecture by Dr. Jim Haseloff from the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
For more information contact Lucy Haworth, Telephone +44 (0) 1865 248768 Fax: +44 (0) 1865 791237 Email: lucy-at-rms.org.uk
Or me at the numbers below,
Cheers, John.
--
********************************* C. John Runions, Ph.D. School of Biological and Molecular Sciences Oxford Brookes University Oxford, UK OX3 0BP
Question: HI. I had taken histological samples on the locust ventral cord. I am taking neural recordings using penetrating electrodes. The probe was left inside the tissue and proceeded with the histology procedure. I found that close to the region where the probe was, the staining is poor. I was wondering if the probe which is make of silicon oxide and gold electrodes could have had an effect on the staining??? I used bodian, cresyl fast violet and haemotoxily and eosin staining methods.
Many thanks,
K Bustamante
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 5 11:09:07 2004
I think the problem is more likely that you have damaged some of the cells during penetration and they are dead. If you burst a cell, its contents will leak out and that region will subsequently stain poorly. This is not uncommon in my experience near points of dissection. In some cases, dead cells are very sticky and can take up more stain than normal.
At 03:21 PM 07/05/04 +0100, you wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Thomas E. Phillips, PhD Professor of Biological Sciences Director, Molecular Cytology Core 3 Tucker Hall University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211-7400
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS
A postdoctoral position is available in the Interface Physics Group at the University of California-Davis (UCD). Research in the Interface Physics Group focuses on the use of atomic resolution imaging and analytical techniques in electron microscopy, coupled with theoretical simulations, to determine the structure-property relationships at internal interfaces on the fundamental atomic scale. Current research programs involve catalysts, ferroelectrics, high-Tc superconductors and optoelectronic/high-power semiconducting materials and devices. The position that is currently available is to oversee the installation of a new JEOL 2500SE at UC-Davis and develop collaborative programs with faculty working on various projects within the campus nanoscale initiative. Successful candidates will be recent Ph.D. graduates in physics, metallurgy, or materials science with a sound background in the relevant materials issues and an ambition to be part of a developing program pushing at the frontiers of interface physics. Please send a resume and publication list to Professor Nigel D. Browning at the address below. Prior experience in STEM or TEM is essential. However, consideration will be based on the candidates overall potential for success in the field and applicants with prior experience in related fields are encouraged to apply. Positions are for one year initially, normally renewed for a second year with possibilities existing for further years. Salary is commensurate with experience.
Nigel D. Browning
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science University of California-Davis One Shields Ave Davis, CA 95616
AND
National Center for Electron Microscopy, MS 72-150 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA 94720
Hello, We recently inherited an XL 30 ESEM TMP, W. It is from FEI/Philips/Electroscan. I was wondering if there are any other users out there that may have some advice or tips for us. Please contact me at my email address above/below.
To get it running, we had to replace the high tension supply/gun supply unit. I noticed through the service records that this was done before, so in 3 years of operation, it has had three power supplies. Anyone else noticed similar problems on their XL ESEMS? Thanks for your help. Gordon
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 6 20:47:07 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (camiller-at-anatomy.iupui.edu) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at 12:35:23 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: camiller-at-anatomy.iupui.edu Name: Caroline Miller
Question: I run a core service facility with a fee schedule. How much do other facilities charge for immuno staining and how are charges handled for attempts that are unsuccessfull? How much do facilities charge for scope time, independent vs. full service? This facility is not subsidized by the unversity.
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (antuni-at-aol.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at 19:42:54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: When we turn up the tungsten filament on our ARMAY 1830 SEM the red LED goes out indicating current is running through the filament. However, the emission meter LEDs all light up across the whole range of the meter in a sweeping motion, we don't see a specific value of microamps e.g. say 30 or 40 microamps. Consequently, we cannot perform a beam alignment because we have no reference level. The filament was installed as follows: After bringing the filament level with the Wehnolt aperture, we back off the filament 3 1/2 notches as recommended in the manual, each notch is 25 micrometers. The instrument has an ion pump (gun chamber)and diffusion pump. Is the problem with the filament or the meteror some other problem ? Suggestions are welcome.
To make better products for imaging software we need more information about the users. Therefore, you can help us to improve the usability of software! For this reason, it would be very helpful if you could fill out the survey:
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This particular request was denied several weeks ago, at which time I explained the rules, to the requestor. However I see that the individual has proceeded nevertheless, which makes the posting even more aggregious.
I have remove the individual from the subscriber listing and blocked further postings.
Nestor Your Annoyed Neighborhood SysOp
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 08:03:48 2004
Dear all, You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by the proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic steel, as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold of a non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that one IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a small amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does anyone have any experience with this chair?
Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was available in the UK.
Best wishes
-- Ian MacLaren Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ Scotland http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~maclariz/
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 09:03:08 2004
Turn the filament another two clicks, for a total of 5 1/2 notches, or about 125 to 130 microns. This is according to the service engineer from Amray who serviced our 1830 for years. He is probably the person who installed your instrument, if it is the one at the academy.
FYI, as you are bringing it up, there is a balancing act between the filament current setting, and the bias voltage setting. Increasing the bias will decrease the emission current. These settings help control the spot size and beam current, according to your requirements. (Just in case you were unaware of this...)
Let me know if this works. Darrell
antuni-at-aol.com (by way of MicroscopyListserver) wrote on 07/06/2004 09:47:43 PM:
} The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy. } com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
} } Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was } submitted by (antuni-at-aol.com) from http://microscopy. } com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at 19:42:54 } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Email: antuni-at-aol.com } Name: Anthony J. Ribaudo } } Organization: NYPD } } Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: } } Question: When we turn up the tungsten filament on our ARMAY 1830 SEM } the red LED goes out indicating current is running through the } filament. However, the emission meter LEDs all light up across the } whole range of the meter in a sweeping motion, we don't see a } specific value of microamps e.g. say 30 or 40 microamps. } Consequently, we cannot perform a beam alignment because we have no } reference level. } The filament was installed as follows: After bringing the filament } level with the Wehnolt aperture, we back off the filament 3 1/2 } notches as recommended in the manual, } each notch is 25 micrometers. The instrument has an ion pump (gun } chamber)and diffusion pump. Is the problem with the filament or the } meteror some other problem ? } Suggestions are welcome. } } } } Anthony Ribaudo } NYPD Forensic Lab } } } } } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 10:09:10 2004
We have used a wooden swivel stool, much like a short bar stool. These are easy to hold of. However, it didn't last too long. We have also used plain wooden chairs that don't swivel, but they are harder on your back. Ciao for now, Ken
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 12:02:49 2004
Traditionally, how have stage micrometers (used in light microscopy) been produced? I know that an etching process is involved, but was wondering how such precision rulings were produced well in advance of lasers and electron beam lithography. How, too, are the diffraction grating masters produced that are used in TEM to generate the replicas of the master grating? A reference, or words from a "micro-guru," would be very much appreciated.
John B. -- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu Web: http://www.siu.edu/~image/ ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 12:40:14 2004
Dear Ian, I had the same problem with our(P)EELS. I asked Siemens Medical Solutions in Erlangen/Germany (look at my signature to see why) whether they have any solutions or suggestions for this: They have non-magnetic chairs for their magnetic resonance imaging devices (MRI) and I got for free an older prototype of a kneeling chair they designed for the surgon to work "in situ" (you do not sit on these chairs but kneel: it becomes a little bit uncomfortable after 3 or 4 hours). Maybe there is a department of this or a similar factory around and perhaps they want to get rid of an old one, too ... Hope this helps. Best regards Gerhard Frank
Ian MacLaren schrieb:
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } Dear all, } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by the } proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic steel, } as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold of a } non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that one } IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a small } amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does } anyone have any experience with this chair? } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was } available in the UK. } } Best wishes }
-- Gerhard Frank UNIVERSITAET ERLANGEN-NUERNBERG Phone: +49 9131 85 28606 Institut fuer Werkstoffwissenschaften VII Fax: +49 9131 85 28602 Cauerstr. 6, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany Gerhard.Frank-at-ww.uni-erlangen.de
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 12:49:15 2004
John G. Aghajanian, Ph.D. University of Connecticut Health Center Central Electron Microscopy Facility MC1610 263 Farmington Avenue Farmington, CT 06030-1610
phone: 860 679-2395 fax: 860 679-4078
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 14:23:33 2004
Our Mini-Workshop Series on "Cryoultramicrotomy for Materials Sciences" is coming to Los Angeles, California!
The next session will be held at the University of Southern California (University Park Campus). Details are given below.
**When**: Wednesday, August 18 through Thursday, August 19, 2004, 9:00am-4:00pm
**Where**: University of Southern California Center for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis CEM Building, Room 101 814 West 36th Place Los Angeles, CA 90089-0101
**Local contact for parking, directions, etc.**: Alicia Thompson CEMMA / CEM Bldg., Room 100 Tel. 213-740-1991 Fax 213-821-0458 {athompso-at-usc.edu}
**What**: A two-day mini-workshop with presentations, demonstrations and hands-on sessions for cryoultramicrotomy, including toolmaking (wire loops and hair probes), glass knife making, evaluation of glass knives, care and cleaning of diamond knives and operation of the cryoultramicrotome.
If you wish to bring specimens, please let us know the nature of your specimens when you RSVP and reserve a place in the workshop (see below).
**Background**: These techniques are of special interest to anyone working with polymers or other materials which could benefit from sectioning or surface "polishing"at low temperatures (no embedding required). The sections may be used for TEM, optical microscopy, IR spectroscopy and FTIR. The polished surface of the bulk material is suitable for AFM, SEM, X-ray microanalysis and elemental mapping.
**Important Info**: There is no charge for this workshop.
Meals and refreshments will be served!
Attendance is open to everyone for the presentations and demonstrations on the first day. However, attendance is limited for the cryoultramicrotomy hands-on sessions on the second day.
**RSVPs and Reservations**: To RSVP and to reserve a spot for the hands-on sessions, please contact Kim Megaw at Boeckeler Instruments, Inc. ( {kim-at-boeckeler.com} , 800.552.2262).
**Sponsors and Organizers**: University of Southern California Center for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis RMC Products Group, Boeckeler Instruments, Inc.
See you in Los Angeles!
Bob Chiovetti Senior Product Specialist Boeckeler Instruments, Inc.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 15:14:13 2004
A full scale emission current reading may mean one of a number of things!
1. The bias control is set at a low level allowing the full emission rather than a controlled emission from the gun. SOLUTION turn the bias control clockwise to reduce the emission by increasing the bias field (I do not remember if the so called bias control is a true bias control, hence my earlier explanation, or it may be an emission level control, in which case you will need to turn the control anticlockwise to reduce the emission current)
2. The filament is shorting out against the cathode cap thus removing the bias system from the circuit. SOLUTION check that there are no whiskers between the cathode cap and filament, clean the cathode cap.
3. The bias circuit has broken down. SOLUTION call in a service technician.
I truly hope it is (1) or (2) best of luck
Steve Chapman Senior Consultant Protrain Electron Microscopy Training and Consultancy World Wide Tel +44 (0)1280 816512 Fax +44 (0)1280 814007 Mob +44 (0)7711 606967 www.emcourses.com
----- Original Message ----- } From: "by way of MicroscopyListserver" {antuni-at-aol.com} To: {microscopy-at-microscopy.com} Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 2:47 AM
John,
We have purchased parts/targets for our Hummer II through Anatech LTD. www.anatechltd.com
good luck
scott
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
G'day Folks,
Can anyone tell me who, what, where the people are who market and/or sell parts for the Anatech Ltd./ Hummer line of sputter coaters?
John G. Aghajanian, Ph.D. University of Connecticut Health Center Central Electron Microscopy Facility MC1610 263 Farmington Avenue Farmington, CT 06030-1610
phone: 860 679-2395 fax: 860 679-4078
"Dwell not upon thy weariness, thy strength shall be according to the measure of thy desire." -Proverb
************************************************
Scott Payne Assistant Director NDSU Electron Microscopy Center 1307 N. 18th St. Northern Crops Science Laboratory North Dakota State University Fargo, North Dakota, 58105
e-mail - scott.payne-at-ndsu.nodak.edu
Telephone - 701-231-8435
************************************************
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 15:32:41 2004
John, They are Anatech Ltd., location unknown (I think that they're on the west coast now - Union City, CA). Try these #s: (800) 752-7629 or (800) 390-4449.
Ed Komarnicki Sr. Analytical Chemist MacDermid Inc. Waterbury, CT 06702
John G. Aghajanian, Ph.D. University of Connecticut Health Center Central Electron Microscopy Facility MC1610 263 Farmington Avenue Farmington, CT 06030-1610
phone: 860 679-2395 fax: 860 679-4078
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 18:42:07 2004
I would start with a correlative study. The time has past when one can attempt to deduce physiologic effects from structure alone. The only way by which one can follow electrons around is to have a fast detection system. Even with the best 'stopping' methods for ultrastructural studies, there are variables that are missed and/or smudged by temporal (if you will!) diffusion during specimen prep. Thus, as one example of what I mean, without dealing with the question of the merit of the paper itself, I offer the following link:
As an additional note - and in your defense, the problem here, as I view the question, is that you are asking the correct question when the P.I. should already have done so. I found what I wanted, a correlative study, as a confirmation of an experimental suspicion with 3 minutes of searching in Google ( {mitochondrial confocal pdf} ).
There is plenty of ultrastructure to be described under varying experimental conditions, but one does not normally decide to use the electron microscope to view a physiologic process - especially with organelles whose behavior is as yet not completely charted. Ten or fifteen years ago, one might have been able to use just the EM for the use you mention, but I don't believe that is true anymore, now that the LM is back in the real business of dynamic organellar biology. It seems to me that your study should begin with confocal microscopy and quickly migrate to multiphoton microscopy. It is now possible to trap, and move, individual cells, and it certainly would be possible/probable to get some information on the effects of various 'fixation' regimens on live systems by using the confocal LM to watch it occur - even DIC images would help to set the parameters for a 'least-offensive' method of fixation. 3D before fixation and 3D after.
My apology for being so blunt, but sometimes one does more good with unabashed brevity. Also, such a harangue might prompt a more-knowledgeable investigator to lash me for my temerity, and there always some mystical fun in that!
Regards,
Fred Monson
Frederick C. Monson, PhD Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging Mail to Geology West Chester University of Pennsylvania Schmucker II Science Center, Room SSS024 South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue West Chester, PA, 19383 Phone/FAX: 610-738-0437 eMail: fmonson-at-wcupa.edu CASI Page and Scheduling http://darwin.wcupa.edu/CASI/
-----Original Message----- } From: Dorothy Sorenson [mailto:dsoren-at-umich.edu] Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 12:11 PM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Dear listers,
We will be studying changes in mitochondrial morphology after drug application to cell monolayers. I have reviewed the listings in the archives from few years ago regarding effects of osmolarity and choices of buffer and fixative on muscle mitochondria. I would think that mitochondria in cell monolayers would be particularly sensitive to these
factors.
I am condidering fixing the monolayers in 2.5 % glutaraldehyde in serum free medium in an effort to maintain physiological conditions up to the moment of fixation. Then, what about rinses before going into osmium?
Can anyone offer any pointers regarding preservation of mitochondrial morphology in cell monolayers?
Thanks, Dotty
Dorothy Sorenson Microscopy and Image Analysis Laboratory Department of Cell and Developmental Biology University of Michigan Medical School 4643 Medical Science Building II 1301 Catherine Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0616
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 7 18:50:02 2004
} Hi, } } I am imaging DNA with fluorescence microscopy. } } Does anybody know a nucleic acid stain having an excitation wavelenght } higher than 500 nm and that is not an intercalator? } } Thank you, } } Anne-Laure } } } ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ } Le Ny Anne-Laure } Grad Student Chemical engineering } University of Southern California } PCE 310 } Tel: 213-740-1320 } ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 8 08:16:37 2004
Here in the US there are $10 molded plastic lawn chairs available at just about any hardware, gardening, and certain grocery stores. They come in a variety of ugly colors and shapes, are reasonably sturdy, and have no metal whatsoever. If these are available in the UK, it might be a reasonable solution.
I suspect that any chair with castors will at the least have some metal in the axles and bearings, unfortunately.
-- Kevin Ryan kevin-at-mediacy.com Media Cybernetics, Inc.
} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } -------- } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of } America To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------- } } } Dear all, } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by } the proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic } steel, as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting } hold of a non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have } seen that one IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel } apart from a small amount in the castors (at least according to the } IKEA website). Does anyone have any experience with this chair? } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was } available in the UK.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 8 08:32:40 2004
Short Course and Workshop Announcement University of Missouri - Columbia
The Electron Microscopy Core Facility is hosting a 3-day Short Course and Workshop on Computer-Assisted Image Analysis and Measurement taught by Dr. John C. Russ on August 16 through August 18, 2004. This popular course is intended to familiarize users of image analysis equipment with the fundamental principles and methods available to obtain meaningful results, and to educate laboratory supervisors or research professionals seeking to learn how to use such methods in their applications. The techniques are applicable to fields ranging from materials, geological and biological/medical research to food technology and manufacturing quality control.
The course relies heavily on tightly coupled lectures and hands-on experience with the various techniques. The laboratory includes a wide variety of image analysis methods designed to cover the range of approaches and tools, and a detailed set of practical instructions to enable their use with a minimal learning curve. No specific background is assumed, although users should already be familiar with microscopy or other imaging technology, and the techniques required to obtain the images to be measured. Many of the examples used in the course involve light or electron microscope images, but students are invited to bring their own most interesting images (TIFF files) for discussion and analysis.
Image analysis and measurement methods are used in a broad range of applications and are usually concerned with extracting a few numerical values, such as the number, size, shape or location of objects from the image. In other cases, global structural parameters such as measures of the volume and surface of structures present are of interest. These measurements may require image processing to correct defects, feature enhancement, comparison of multiple images, object recognition, or other steps. Ultimately, the image is reduced to just the features of interest. Measurements on these individual features, or on the image as a whole, must then be obtained and interpreted in a proper stereological context to obtain useful data about the objects. Statistical interpretation of the data allows comparisons of different populations, understanding of distribution plots, and other inferences about the original objects. Structural modeling and geometric probability can be used to develop models for this interpretation.
The course will have an enrollment limit of 20. More information including a registration form can be found at http://www.emc.missouri.edu, or by contacting Lou Ross at 573.882.4777 or rosslm-at-missouri.edu.
Lou Ross Senior Electron Microscope Specialist Electron Microscopy Core Facility W136 Veterinary Medicine University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211-5120 (573) 882-4777, fax 884=5414 email: rosslm-at-missouri.edu http://www.emc.missouri.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 8 08:45:18 2004
I have a Reichert CSM binocular scope equipped for phase contrast, which while I don't use it a lot, is a joy to work with. Also have the invoices for it, dated Dec 1 and 13, 1950, as well as original instruction manual (which contains nothing on phase), and what especially intrigues me is a 5 page hand typed carbon on Reichert stationery, dated Vienna 18th April 1950: "BRIEF INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING PHASE CONTRAST EQUIPMENT." I know phase only came into widespread commercial use after WW2, but the thing makes me wonder more about details. Does anyone have information as to when Reichert first marketed their phase equipment, and how early an example this one would be?
The CSM body is s/n 213429, phase condenser s/n 9978.
Thanks in advance for any info. Larry Weissmann
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 8 10:11:41 2004
Ladd Research provides system, targets, parts and accessories for the Hummers.
John Arnott
Disclaimer: Ladd Research sells microscopy supplies and equipment
Ladd Research 83 Holly Court Williston, VT 05495
On-line Catalog: http://www.laddresearch.com
tel: 1-802-658-4961(anywhere) or 1-800-451-3406(US) fax: 1-802-660-8859 e-mail: sales-at-laddresearch.com
----- Original Message ----- } From: "Aghajanian,John" {aghajanian-at-nso1.uchc.edu} To: {microscopy-at-microscopy.com} Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 1:48 PM
Good questions! We've had the same problem with charging for immuno-EM whe projects are unsuccessful. Our policy now is that we will charge for unsuccessful immuno-EM attempts when the lack of success is not the fault of the lab, but due to the type of sample, antigen and antibody provided by the user. As long as you warn the user that he/she will get charged for the work regardless of the results of the labeling, you should be fine. After all, an absence of specific labeling with an antibody is a result in itself!
As for the charges here at Yale, also unsubsidized: - Immuno-labeling : $120 per run (up to 10 different antibody dilutions/conditions) - Double-labeling: $220 per run - Scope time: $40/hour unassisted; $80/hour assisted - Complete immuno-EM service (includes sample prep, cryo-sectioning, immuno-labeling, EM and up to 10 representative pictures): $300 per sample (surcharge of $100 in case of double-labeling). All these charges to go up 3.5% this month.
Hope this helps!
Marc
On Tuesday, July 6, 2004, at 09:46 PM, by way of MicroscopyListserver wrote:
} } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ------- } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of } America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } -------- } } Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was } submitted by (camiller-at-anatomy.iupui.edu) from } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on } Tuesday, July 6, 2004 at 12:35:23 } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ---- } } Email: camiller-at-anatomy.iupui.edu } Name: Caroline Miller } } Organization: Indiana University } } Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: } } Question: I run a core service facility with a fee schedule. How much } do other facilities charge for immuno staining and how are charges } handled for attempts that are unsuccessfull? How much do facilities } charge for scope time, independent vs. full service? This facility is } not subsidized by the unversity. } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ---- } }
-- Marc Pypaert Department of Cell Biology Center for Cell and Molecular Imaging Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Yale University School of Medicine 333 Cedar Street, PO Box 208002 New Haven, CT 06520-8002 TEL 203-785 3681 FAX 203-785 7446
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 02:34:04 2004
If any is still left in Scotland try one made out of wood. They used to make chairs from this material last century. If you look around in some specialty antique stores you may still find one. They were once frequently broken over patrons' heads during saloon bar fights in John Wayne westerns, and no doubt they must have also been available for a similar purpose in Glasgow's pubs. Some may have survived up to the present day.
As an added bonus, degaussing chairs made from this material is a no-brainer.
Ours is made from oak. It has a beautifully embroidered cotton seat with non-ferromagnetic padding. Amazing what they used to make even before EELS was invented.
BTW the legs on ours have become a bit wobbly of late because it has been so popular in the lab. Does anyone out there know where one can get a glue suitable for microscopy?
Cheers! :-)
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 04:25:38 2004
} } Dear all, } } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by the } } proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic steel, } } as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold of a } } non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that one } } IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a small } } amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does } } anyone have any experience with this chair? } } } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair } } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was } } available in the UK. } } } } Best wishes } } } } -- } } Ian MacLaren } } Department of Physics and Astronomy } } University of Glasgow } } Glasgow G12 8QQ } } Scotland } } http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~maclariz/ } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 07:44:48 2004
could someone help me with or does someone have the alignment procedures for a ISI-DS-130 SEM. I have big trouble using it abov 2000x (!) and I have no idea how to align that SEM.
I'd also like to know if there are others involved who still using a ISI-DS 130? I need also parts for the ISI-DS 130, maybe someone know where a not used ISI-DS 130 or parts of it are waiting for me?
Thanl you very much for your help. Timo Junker
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 09:18:02 2004
To solve the charging phenomenon problem of HR FESEM observations, in my application (polished cross-sections of Silicium dies samples, coated in epoxy resin, i'm trying to chargea very little quantity of resin with a very little quantity of metal powder (copper, silver graphite), in order to keep the resin transparent, just enough to evacuate charges.
Is there a way to measure the very high resistivity of this charged resin?
My goal is to obtain resistivities { 10e12 ohm*cm...
thanx in advance
Sylvain MAURY
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 12:22:35 2004
I typed "non magnetic chair" into Google and got 213,000 hits. Here is one: http://www.magmedix.com/products/accessories/non_magnetic_chair.html
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Chris Jeffree [mailto:c.jeffree-at-ed.ac.uk] Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 2:24 AM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
} } Dear all, } } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by the } } proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic steel, } } as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold of a } } non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that one } } IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a small } } amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does } } anyone have any experience with this chair? } } } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair } } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was } } available in the UK. } } } } Best wishes } } } } -- } } Ian MacLaren } } Department of Physics and Astronomy } } University of Glasgow } } Glasgow G12 8QQ } } Scotland } } http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~maclariz/ } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 14:28:44 2004
This may not be such a high tech solution but do they still make chairs of wood? Why get fancy?
Peter Tomic Agere Systems
-----Original Message----- } From: Mardinly, John [mailto:john.mardinly-at-intel.com] Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 1:21 PM To: Chris Jeffree; microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
I typed "non magnetic chair" into Google and got 213,000 hits. Here is one: http://www.magmedix.com/products/accessories/non_magnetic_chair.html
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Chris Jeffree [mailto:c.jeffree-at-ed.ac.uk] Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 2:24 AM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
} } Dear all, } } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by the } } proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic steel, } } as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold of a } } non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that one } } IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a small } } amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does
} } anyone have any experience with this chair? } } } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair } } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was } } available in the UK. } } } } Best wishes } } } } -- } } Ian MacLaren } } Department of Physics and Astronomy } } University of Glasgow } } Glasgow G12 8QQ } } Scotland } } http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~maclariz/ } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 9 14:53:11 2004
Peter; I have heard high praise for Shaker furniture, hand made in Pennsylvania, which of course reminds me of the famous Shaker folk tune used by Aaron Copeland in 'Appalachian Spring', which starts: 'The GIF to be simple, the GIF to be free, the GIF to come down right where you want to be'..........
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Tomic, Peter (Peter) [mailto:ptomic-at-agere.com] Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 12:26 PM To: Mardinly, John; Chris Jeffree; microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
I typed "non magnetic chair" into Google and got 213,000 hits. Here is one: http://www.magmedix.com/products/accessories/non_magnetic_chair.html
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Chris Jeffree [mailto:c.jeffree-at-ed.ac.uk] Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 2:24 AM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
} } Dear all, } } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by the } } proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic steel, } } as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold of a } } non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that one } } IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a small } } amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does
} } anyone have any experience with this chair? } } } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair } } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was } } available in the UK. } } } } Best wishes } } } } -- } } Ian MacLaren } } Department of Physics and Astronomy } } University of Glasgow } } Glasgow G12 8QQ } } Scotland } } http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~maclariz/ } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sat Jul 10 04:35:26 2004
At most universities there are old maple chairs stored some where that are almost indestructible. Find some of those and go over them wiht a metal detector and remove any metal by cutting it out with a drill that takes out a core and fill the hole with a hard wood dowel and epoxy and make ultra high density polyethylene glides instead of casters and you will have a very sturdy non magnetic chair.
As a last resort having one built should not be to outrageous compared to scientific specialty equipment.
Gordon Gordon Couger gcc-at-couger.com
I collect links on information related to light microscopes. http://www.couger.com/microscope/links/gclinks.html Please forward any links or information you think might be useful to others. Microscope Manual at www.science-info.org
: } } Dear all, : } } You may be aware that operating an EELS spectrometer is affected by : the : } } proximity of a chair containing parts made out of ferromagnetic : steel, : } } as in most office swivel chairs. We are interested in getting hold : of a : } } non-magnetic chair to minimise this interaction. I have seen that : one : } } IKEA chair, "Procent", appears not to contain steel apart from a : small : } } amount in the castors (at least according to the IKEA website). Does : } } anyone have any experience with this chair? : } } : } } Does anyone have an alternative suggestion for a non-magnetic chair : } } suitable for microscopy? It would be preferable if this chair was : } } available in the UK. : } } : } } Best wishes : } } : } } -- : } } Ian MacLaren : } } Department of Physics and Astronomy : } } University of Glasgow : } } Glasgow G12 8QQ : } } Scotland : } } http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/~maclariz/ : } : } : } : : : : : : :
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 12 14:03:48 2004
Hello, Last week we had a power problem (a short) in the power supply to the computer controlling a XL30 ESEM. Earlier (3 months) older system, had a similar power failure on a power strip inside an electroscan ESEM installed on the same power outlet. I'm thinking that there is a problem in the 208 voltage line that causes spikes or something to blow out the power supplies. Anyone have any ideas on ways the voltage can be regulated/filtered to reduce the likelihood of this happening again?
For computers, I use UPS which filters out most of the voltage spikes. I don't know what would be possible with a big scanning electron microscope using 208/230 Volts and probably a huge amount of amps. Any advice appreciated. Thanks
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 12 15:28:32 2004
Check with the SEM manufacturer and see what they recommend. The fact that it runs on 208 volts should not be an issue and all you may need is something like a surge suppressor or line regulator.
One thing I would check immediately is how well your microscope is grounded and by that I mean the earth ground. You can have voltage offsets on the neutral leg of the power line if the instrument grounding is poor which may lead to some of your issues. I'm sure Berkeley has an electrician or two that can help.
Regards,
Peter Tomic Agere Systems
-----Original Message----- } From: Gordon Vrololjak [mailto:gvrdolja-at-nature.Berkeley.EDU] Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 3:07 PM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Hello, Last week we had a power problem (a short) in the power supply to the computer controlling a XL30 ESEM. Earlier (3 months) older system, had a similar power failure on a power strip inside an electroscan ESEM installed on the same power outlet. I'm thinking that there is a problem in the 208 voltage line that causes spikes or something to blow out the power supplies. Anyone have any ideas on ways the voltage can be regulated/filtered to reduce the likelihood of this happening again?
For computers, I use UPS which filters out most of the voltage spikes. I don't know what would be possible with a big scanning electron microscope using 208/230 Volts and probably a huge amount of amps. Any advice appreciated. Thanks
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ \/\/\ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 13 02:26:05 2004
You should first check with the plant facilities people. There are a variety of issues here and in a facility like yours they probably start with its age. As a facility, and the area around it, grows over the years, they often strain the local power distribution system. Also, building wiring and connections age causing increased resistance to the electrical power. The power grid both sources and sinks current. In other words, you can take power out and put it in - case in point, you've probably heard of people using wind or solar energy for power and selling excess back to the grid.
This ability of the grid to sink current can often mask very normal problems. Inductive loads, such as motors used for HVAC and pumps, can produce high voltage spikes that are normally absorbed by the grid. But, when the resistance to the grid gets high enough in building wires and power distribution wiring, those spikes can have a greater local effect since they are absorbed less by the grid.
Peter's comments are a little off - no offense intended, they are common misconceptions. The neutral and hot wires come directly from the power grid. Along the way, there will be boost and step-down transformers that adjust the voltage. At each of these, the output will have the neutral side connected to a ground. On long stretches of wires the neutral will also be occasionally connected to ground. The idea is that the neutral will be close to the local ground potential, but not necessarily the same, at any location nearby. This actually creates a problem that many people have experienced - lightning strike damage. As crazy as it sounds, most electrical failures from lightning strikes are actually caused by the strike raising the potential of the local ground, rather than a direct hit on a power line. While the potential to the ground can vary, the potential between the hot and neutral lines is set by the power company and the various transformers along the way.
The concept here is that the hot line brings power to the building and the neutral carries it back. These connections from the grid are almost always very reliable and consistent. The ground connection is a locally grounded connection, usually an intimate ground connection made near where the hot and neutral lines enter a building. The neutral may or may not be connected to that local ground.
The ground connection is normally a human safety consideration. In both consumer and industrial products you have two types of protection for electrical shock - grounded frame and double insulated. SEMs are generally of the grounded frame type where the outside of the machine is a metal case that is connected to the local ground. Should you contact the frame and a locally grounded object, such as a water drain, you hopefully won't experience the discomfort of a current passing through your body since they are at similar potentials. Double insulated machines generally have a p lastic exterior that provides insulation from any electrical currents contained within, once again preventing you, as the operator, from experiencing any discomfort by making an electrical connection with internal currents.
Now, in an instrument like an SEM, both the power and neutral will be well isolated from the ground. They generally are wired to the primaries of transformers whose outputs lead to power supplies. The outputs of those supplies generally have a connection to the instrument ground which is connected to the local ground, but there is at least a 1500V isolation between that instrument ground and the hot or neutral lines. Grounding of the instrument frame, or chassis ground as it is known to EEs, has no real normal connection to the power grid neutral. Instead, it is used as a human protective means to avoid exposure to voltages that could cause adverse currents should a locally grounded conductor be contacted at the same time.
Having said all of that, the extremely sensitive instruments we work with have a special problem with local grounds. Since any electrical current generates a magnetic field and magnetic fields affect the path of moving charges, we can have a problem with 'ground loops'. These affect the imaging capabilities of SEMs by inducing noise and are the result of differences in the ground potential on various portions of the instrument. Basically, all chassis grounds of the various frame components of an SEM should have a singular source - a connection at one point that is truly representative of a local ground.
On to practical solutions to the original problem. Once again, start with your institution's facilities people. It may be a challenge to them, but let it be. Any problems you are experiencing are probably a problem of local building wiring or local power grid utilization. If it can't be solved there, you have alternatives in power conditioning solutions. The fact that you are running at 208 volts actually make this easier and cheaper as the current requirements of your instrument are nearly half what they would be if it were running at 120 volts. However, 208 volt systems are fairly unusual. Check with the manufacturer or service organization to see if your instrument can be easily changed to 240 volts. Conditioning systems, including full uninteruptable power systems are available, though expensive at these currents, for more standard 120 or 240 volt systems.
Allen R. Sampson Advanced Research Systems 317 North 4th. Street St. Charles, Illinois 60174
On Monday, July 12, 2004 3:31 PM, Tomic, Peter (Peter) [SMTP:ptomic-at-agere.com] wrote: } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------- } } Gordon; } } Check with the SEM manufacturer and see what they recommend. The fact } that it runs on 208 volts should not be an issue and all you may need is } something like a surge suppressor or line regulator. } } One thing I would check immediately is how well your microscope is } grounded and by that I mean the earth ground. You can have voltage } offsets on the neutral leg of the power line if the instrument grounding } is poor which may lead to some of your issues. I'm sure Berkeley has an } electrician or two that can help. } } Regards, } } Peter Tomic } Agere Systems } } -----Original Message----- } } From: Gordon Vrololjak [mailto:gvrdolja-at-nature.Berkeley.EDU] } Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 3:07 PM } To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com } Subject: [Microscopy] voltage problems } } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } ------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } ------- } } Hello, } Last week we had a power problem (a short) in the power supply to the } computer controlling a XL30 ESEM. Earlier (3 months) older system, had } a similar power failure on a power strip inside an electroscan ESEM } installed on the same power outlet. I'm thinking that there is a } problem in the 208 voltage line that causes spikes or something to blow } out the power supplies. Anyone have any ideas on ways the voltage can } be regulated/filtered to reduce the likelihood of this happening again? } } For computers, I use UPS which filters out most of the voltage spikes. } I don't know what would be possible with a big scanning electron } microscope using 208/230 Volts and probably a huge amount of amps. Any } advice appreciated. Thanks } } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ } \/\/\ } Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron } Microscope Lab } ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall } gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley } phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA } 94720-3330 } fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793 } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 13 13:11:11 2004
I have UPS from Toshiba (1400XL Plus Series) installed for XL30 ESEM. Works fine (I had a lot of short power outages during building renovation).
Regards,
Vladimir
} Hello, } Last week we had a power problem (a short) in the power } supply to the computer controlling a XL30 ESEM. Earlier (3 } months) older system, had a similar power failure on a power } strip inside an electroscan ESEM installed on the same power } outlet. I'm thinking that there is a problem in the 208 } voltage line that causes spikes or something to blow out the } power supplies. Anyone have any ideas on ways the voltage } can be regulated/filtered to reduce the likelihood of this } happening again? } } For computers, I use UPS which filters out most of the } voltage spikes. I don't know what would be possible with a } big scanning electron microscope using 208/230 Volts and } probably a huge amount of amps. Any advice appreciated. Thanks } } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ } Gordon Ante Vrdoljak } Electron Microscope Lab } ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall } gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley } phone (510) 642-2085 } Berkeley CA 94720-3330 } fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793 } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 13 14:34:43 2004
Below is a condensed alignment procedure for the bottom stage. To align the upper stage select the Stage 1 functions and follow the same procedure. You should achive magnifications over 100,000X easily with a LaB6 at ~15kV in the bottom stage and 200,000-300,000X in the upper stage. For the sake of brevity I left out a lot of information. Let me know if this suffices.
ISI DS 130C Dual Stage Scanning Electron Microscope Alignment Procedures
Description of Console:
Upper Left: Gamma correction for CRT A (left) and B (right)
Upper Left Center: Scan Modes: Spot: For EDS/WDS Line: Wave Form only works with slow scan speed PIC: Normal Imaging LP: Line Profile EXT: External Port (e.g. Backscatter Detector if attached)
Upper Center: Selected Area: SA: controlled by Position-xy and Width-xy knobs. Signal Processing: Off for normal SEI imaging Derivative: For positive and negative mixing (Set to Normal) Y-modulation: Changes normal Z-modulated image to modulation of the Y-axis (bright areas are vertical).
Upper Right: Alignment 1: Shift xy and tilt xy: For Upper Stage 1 Gun Alignment Alignment 2: For Lower Stage 2 Gun Alignment Focal Depth: For Upper Stage 1: 1 = High Resolution (HR) 2 = Normal
Lower Left: Brightness Contrast controls for illumination of CRT monitors A and B. Scan Rotation and Tilt Correction for image orientation Image Shift xy for fine movement Scan Speeds: Rapid R1 and R2 and Slow Scan S1 and S2
Lower Center: Magnification knob with digital readout Dual Mag with Split Screen S with X1 to X10 for magnification of split image Select Dual D X1 mode for normal operation. Monitor selection A left and B right as active CRT EXT mode for selection of External detector (e.g. BEI detector) STM = STEM mode XRY = Diffraction mode Detector HT: Depress for normal viewing Stage selection: 1st (upper) or 2nd (lower) Focus Fine and Course Stigmator xy for astigmatism; Neutral=5
Function: Probe Current Selection: HR = High Resolution STD = Standard Probe Current LM = Low Magnification in 1st Stage LCT = Large Current ECP = Electron Channeling Pattern FR = Free Function (Full Clockwise = Maximum Current) Spot Size LS = Large and Small (Fine adjustment of probe current)
Lower Right: FIL: Filament; Depress for normal operation Filament image: Off for normal operation; Depress for checking saturation during alignment Filament knob for controlling saturation
Normal Alignment for 2nd Stage with LaB6 Filament
Preliminary Settings: Stage = 2nd Function = STD Dual D X1 Stigmators X and Y = 5 Mode = PIC Monitors A & B = SEI Detector HT Depressed FIL Depressed Center alignment knobs (Gun shift/tilt and Alignment 1 & 2 shift/tilt): To do this rotate knob completely clockwise. Determine the number of counterclockwise rotations until stopped. Rotate clockwise half the number of counted rotations. Start at 10-15mm working distance.
Alignment: Depress HT on LaB6 box if applicable Depress FIL image. Function = LM Coarse Saturation: § Increase current slowly with Filament Knob (with LaB6 the current is increased a notch ~every 2-3 minutes) until spot appears. Saturate spot to the sharpest/brightest point. Center spot with Gun alignment tilt xy. Fine Saturation: § Scan mode = Line § Waveform monitor = A § Scan Speed = S2 § Memorize this: Line/A/S2 because you repeat do this step constantly during imaging as the DS-130 is not a stable instrument. § Center waveform on the CRT with the brightness/contrast knobs § Bring filament to saturation with Filament Knob. This is a peak maxim. There is no plateau as in other SEMs § Maximize peaks with Gun Alignment Tilt xy. Use Tilt only Do not use Gun Shift. Repeat fine saturation procedure until optimized.
Focus: Achieve best focus with focus knob. Turn focus knob counter clockwise slightly. Notice direction of image shift (e.g. up and right) Turn focus back to best focus. Shift the image in the same direction (e.g. up and right) using Alignment 2 tilt x & y knobs at upper right console Repeat focus steps at increasing magnifications until shift is negligible Stigmate with stigmate x & y knobs until image is crisp.
You must repeat the fine saturation and focus procedures each time you change the probe current or kV and whenever the current becomes unstable (which is often).
Patricia J. Nelson Characterization & Analytical Services Strategic Technologies Engelhard Corporation Iselin, NJ 08830-0770 (732) 205-5217
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 13 16:12:54 2004
Just setting up a computerized image capture system for an ISI SX-30e and was wondering if anyone knew a good place to grab the SE and/or video signal?
Thanks,
Sandeep
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 13 16:14:18 2004
While you might be able to clean up your power source, I suggest you also consider the possibility that the power supply within the XL30 ESEM simply was not properly designed to work with 208/230 Volts. I once worked for a company where we shipped product with a power supply that meets this unfortunate description. Details follow.
I suggest that you contact the OEM. You might ask if the product was tested to operate at 208/230 under simulated brown out conditions. There are modifications to switching power supplys that may be made to accommodate your voltage requirement and allow more reliable operation.
Anything plugged directly into the local power grid is subject to "brown outs", which can stress a power supply. Brown outs result from current being delivered through a power company's transformer. When current load increases, transformers switch from a certain number of windings to a different number to accommodate the voltage drop over the power transmission line. This is specified to happen within a certain time, i.e. less than one cycle, i.e. less than 1/60 seconds. Switching power supplies that power your equipment must accommodate this brown out. Moreover, the stress imposed upon components of the switching power supply is different depending on the operating voltage.
One product that I was shipping to customers years ago incorporated a 3rd party designed switching power supply which gave intermittent failures when operating in the United Kingdom. No problem operating at other line voltages in other countries. Although the power supply was designed to operate over a wide range of voltages, it was not tested under common condition of "brown out" at the United Kingdom operating voltage. Continued shipments to that country required several conversations and a bit of action by the manufacturer of the switching power supply.
Good luck, John Moore
----- Original Message ----- } From: "Dusevich, Vladimir" {DusevichV-at-umkc.edu} To: {microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com} Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 2:14 PM
I have UPS from Toshiba (1400XL Plus Series) installed for XL30 ESEM. Works fine (I had a lot of short power outages during building renovation).
Regards,
Vladimir
} Hello, } Last week we had a power problem (a short) in the power } supply to the computer controlling a XL30 ESEM. Earlier (3 } months) older system, had a similar power failure on a power } strip inside an electroscan ESEM installed on the same power } outlet. I'm thinking that there is a problem in the 208 } voltage line that causes spikes or something to blow out the } power supplies. Anyone have any ideas on ways the voltage } can be regulated/filtered to reduce the likelihood of this } happening again? } } For computers, I use UPS which filters out most of the } voltage spikes. I don't know what would be possible with a } big scanning electron microscope using 208/230 Volts and } probably a huge amount of amps. Any advice appreciated. Thanks } } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ } Gordon Ante Vrdoljak } Electron Microscope Lab } ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall } gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley } phone (510) 642-2085 } Berkeley CA 94720-3330 } fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793 } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 13 19:11:00 2004
Isn't the 208 simply the voltage, in the US, between any two phases of a three-phase mains supply?
Here, in NZ, where the domestic single phase voltage (ie between any phase and neutral) is 230, the voltage between two phases is 400, so I guess that the US, with its phase-to-neutral voltage of 115, the voltage between two phases would be about 200, or maybe 208.
Most major manufacturers have links and jumpers in the primaries of their power transformers to cope with the wide variety of supply voltages which occur internationally.
I don't see that there is anything 'unfortunate' about that description, but one always has to check that the gear is, in fact, correctly set up for the local conditions.
You will probably get brownout problems if the links are set for 230/240 and the instrument is hooked up between the phases of a US supply. Better to set it for 110 and rune it between the phase and neutral.
What country are you in, John?
cheers
rtch
} From: "John" {jmontara-at-earthlink.net} To: {microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com}
Hi, All-
Long story, but someone in a tech company here just discovered they have an Amray 1820 sitting in a crate on Kauai. I'm not familiar enough with Amray models to know if this is an instrument that is worth setting up or not. We're fishing for opinions, contacts, etc.
Mahalo! Tina
**************************************************************************** * Tina (Weatherby) Carvalho * tina-at-pbrc.hawaii.edu * * Biological Electron Microscope Facility * (808) 956-6251 * * University of Hawaii at Manoa * http://www.pbrc.hawaii.edu/bemf* ****************************************************************************
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 14 08:05:23 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (muchphoto-at-Earthlink.net) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 at 07:35:29 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: muchphoto-at-Earthlink.net Name: Michael Reese Much
Education: Undergraduate College
Location: Bethlehem, PA, USA
Question: I have some Canada Balsam which seems very thick. Any recommendations on lower its viscosity. Mike
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (stephanie.l.mccracken-at-medtronic.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 at 10:52:18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: Does anyone know of a good titanium oxide etch? I am trying to sort out areas of titanium oxide from clean titanium. Chemical or plasma options are available to me. Any ideas?
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (sam.lawrence-at-aetostech.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Monday, July 12, 2004 at 18:36:16 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: sam.lawrence-at-aetostech.com Name: Sam Lawrence
Question: Aetos Technologies, Inc. is seeking a highly motivated individual capable of providing advanced technical applications and technical sales support for our High Resolution Optical Microscope product line. The successful applicant will have extensive practical experience using research-level microscopes in a variety of biological research applications (3-5 years full time). Strong people and presentation skills, both verbal and written, are essential. A bachelor's or graduate degree in the biological or optical sciences is required. Business experience is a plus.
Travel up to 30% may be required. Starting date is late summer 2004. Company is located in a Southeastern U.S. university town with an excellent quality of life. Relocation is required. Compensation will be commensurate with training and experience.
Interested individuals should send resume, short sample of writing/training materials and references (up to 3) to {mailto:sam.lawrence-at-aetostech.com} sam.lawrence-at-aetostech.com. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Hitachi EMs with LaB6 emitters use a special (" ") ammeter for checking current to the emitter, degassing a new crystal, and so forth. Inside that big box is a regular Yokogawa 0 to 3 Amp analog ammeter, model number 2011. Ours got fried by a power spike, so I'm trying to find a replacement, preferably a good, used one. Does anyone have an orphan ammeter, in the Hitachi box or out, perhaps from a LaB6 instrument that has been decommissioned? Thanks.
Phil -- Philip Oshel Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility Department of Animal Sciences University of Wisconsin 1675 Observatory Drive Madison, WI 53706 - 1284 voice: (608) 263-4162 fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 14 12:27:46 2004
I was wondering if anyone can recommend a good course/seminar on failure analysis techniques, mostly as they pertain to materials science/metallurgy and microscopy?
Thanks,
Jane LaGoy R&D Engineer Bodycote HIP, Inc. 155 River St. Andover, MA 01810 jlagoy-at-bodycote-imt.com
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 14 13:50:07 2004
Have you tried plasma treatment with CF4 only? Normally, it is recommended to use CF4 with about 10% O2, but since you don't want to oxidize the Ti metal, try just the CF4. Or you might want to try CF4+O2 and then switch to CF4 only to finish.
-Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Guys Run Rd. (packages) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472 Walck-at-PPG.com (412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8515 (fax)
-----Original Message----- } From: stephanie.l.mccracken-at-medtronic.com [mailto:stephanie.l.mccracken-at-medtronic.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 9:10 AM To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (stephanie.l.mccracken-at-medtronic.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 at 10:52:18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: Does anyone know of a good titanium oxide etch? I am trying to sort out areas of titanium oxide from clean titanium. Chemical or plasma options are available to me. Any ideas?
Check with the Buehler, Ltd. people (http://www.buehler.com), Allied High Tech (www.alliedhightech.com) or ASM International (http://www.asminternational.org). ASM is a society heavily weighted with metallurgists and they offer some good course.
tantalum73-at-juno.com wrote:
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-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Becky Holdford (r-holdford-at-ti.com) 972-995-2360 972-648-8743 (pager) SC Packaging FA Development Texas Instruments, Inc. Dallas, TX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 14 15:29:51 2004
ASM offers an excellent course called "Principles of Failure Analysis". I took one 20 years ago and credit this course for helping to launch my career in metallurgical failure analysis. Though microscopy is only part of this course, it thoroughly covers the microscopy techniques needed for failure analysis.
I was wondering if anyone can recommend a good course/seminar on failure analysis techniques, mostly as they pertain to materials science/metallurgy and microscopy?
Thanks,
Jane LaGoy R&D Engineer Bodycote HIP, Inc. 155 River St. Andover, MA 01810 jlagoy-at-bodycote-imt.com
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 14 15:48:58 2004
The best short courses for failure analysis and other materials science/metallurgy related areas are provided by ASM International. They have a variety of courses at different levels relating to failure analysis. None specifically emphasize microscopy, but some include microscopy topics with lab experiences with LM and SEM on fractures and microstructures. Courses are offered mostly in Ohio plus less frequently at a few other locations. Some are available as home study.
The ASM fall meeting - this year in Columbus, OH has three days of technical programming on failure analysis, but not necessarily microscopy oriented. The ASM/IMS conference, early August in Savannah, also has some FA programming with a strong microscopy emphasis.
Info on all of this is at the ASM web site - http://www.asminternational.org\
-- Larry D. Hanke, P.E. Materials Evaluation and Engineering, Inc. Practical Solutions Through Technology and Innovation http://www.mee-inc.com (763) 449-8870
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 14 17:02:14 2004
Check out the following courses offered by ASM International. I found them by performing a keyword search at http://www.asminternational.org/Template.cfm?Section=BrowsebyTopic&Template= ConferenceTopiclist.cfm using the keyword failure.
Applied Techniques for Failure Analysis Failure Analysis of Tools and Dies Failure Evaluation, Life Assessment & Life Extension of Equipment How to Organize and Run a Failure Investigation How to Organize and Run a Failure Investigation Key Concepts in Reviewing and Doing Failure Analysis Work Principles of Failure Analysis Principles of Failure Analysis Online The Role of the Atomic Force Microscope in Failure and Yield Analysis
Jeff Stewart Metallographic Laboratory Manager Stern-Leach Company 49 Pearl Street Attleboro, MA 02703 Voice: 508-222-7400 x1329 Fax: 508-699-4030 email: jeff-at-metallography.com Founder/Webmaster www.metallography.com
----- Original Message ----- } From: "Becky Holdford" {r-holdford-at-ti.com} To: {tantalum73-at-juno.com} Cc: {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.com} Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 3:33 PM
-------------------------------------------------------------- MMMS - Midwest Microscopy and Microanalysis Society Affiliate of the Microscopy Society of America and the Microbeam Society of America --------------------------------------------------------------
Presents
Investigations in Microscopy
Friday, July 23, 2004
Free to MMMS members: Regular Membership $10, Student Membership $5 (Membership applications will be accepted at the meeting)
USG Research and Technology Center 700 N. Highway 45 Libertyville, IL 60048
RSVP by Wednesday, July 16, 2004 Arvid Casler MMMS Program Coordinator 847-566-7716 Voice Mail and Fax arvid_casler-at-fmo.com
1:30 PM - 1:40 PM Dr. Brett Link Associate Lab Director of the Formulated Products Laboratory USG Research Technology Ctr. Welcome
1:40 PM - 2:40PM Wayne Niemeyer McCrone Associates, Inc. Analytical Microscopy - The Identification of "Invisible Clues from a Microscopic World"
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM Robb Mierzwa MMMS President Microscopy and Microanalysis 2006 at Chicago's Navy Pier
3:00 PM Art Struss USG Research Technology Ctr. Microscopy of Building Materials at USG
Reception to Follow
Robert Mierzwa Midwest Regional Sales Manager JEOL USA, Inc. 3906 Lisa Ave. Sheboygan WI 53083 TEL (920) 803-8945 FAX (920) 803-8946 Email: mierzwa-at-jeol.com {mailto:mierzwa-at-jeol.com}
JEOL Products: http://www.jeol.com/eo.html
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 15 11:42:46 2004
Dear Listers I have a grad student in anthology who wishes to examine cross sections of Peruvian mummy hair to answer some questions about trace element nutrition. SEM-EDX has been unsatisfactory (issue of elemental resolution) so our Surface Science Group here at UWO has suggested the use of TOF-SIMS. There are a few constraints/requirements on the sample preparation - 1) sample must not be rehydrated to prevent dis/re-location of trace elements 2) Cross sections are required 3) for best TOF-SIMS results surface of sections needs to be as smooth as possible 4) embedded using typical wax or plastic methods to be avoided (see 1)above) 5) sections could be as thick as 50-100 micrometers Any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks in advance... Rick Richard Harris Laboratory Supervisor Department of Biology University of Western Ontario London Ontario CANADA Ph. 519-661-2111 ext. 86780 Fax 519-661-3935
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 15 19:17:21 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (purplechalkdust-at-sbcglobal.net) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Thursday, July 15, 2004 at 11:17:51 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] microscopy-based lessons and activities
Question: Hello I am looking for lessons and activities that I can implement in my fifth grade classroom. I was just given a class set on microscopes and would like to center my science curriculum around them for the upcoming school year. I am part of a teacher intern program through Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, and I am looking for assistance in the area of microscopy.
Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear a reply soon, Sonjia Primous
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (elosalga2002-at-yahoo.com) from http://www.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Thursday, July 15, 2004 at 14:10:43 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a couple of questions from a researcher in Australia, hopefully someone out there may be able to help.
She has developed a technique for staining cultured cells for Al which is present in parts per billion concentrations. The technique appears to be able to show where the Al is in the samples. However she needs to independently confirm these results with another technique.
Ideally the Al, and other elements, would be mapped with micron spatial resolution.
LAMMA (laser assisted micro mass analysis) has been suggested as a possible technique. Is LAMMA available in Australia and who should we talk with? If not, who else in the world should we contact?
Are there other techniques (preferably available in Australia) which may be suitable? Nanosims may be a possibility.
Any feedback would be appreciated. Cheers,
Mark Blackford
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 15 22:40:20 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (frah0010-at-tc.umn.edu) from http://microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Thursday, July 15, 2004 at 22:28:03 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: frah0010-at-tc.umn.edu Name: Ellery Frahm
Organization: University of Minnesota, Electron Microprobe Lab
Education: Graduate College
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Question: Hello all,
I teach a course called "Electron Microprobe Theory and Practice" here at the University of Minnesota, and I've decided to shake up the reading packet for the course a bit -- I and my students can tire of the textbook chapters rather quickly in the semester. I'd like to add some papers or articles that would be interesting to students new to the electron microprobe -- I'd like papers that involve history and development, others that involve debates, others that are just considered "core" to the field. I have a few papers in mind, but I thought I'd tap the expertise of this listserve for suggestions. Any ideas and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance,
Ellery
-------------------- Ellery E. Frahm Research Scientist/Manager Electron Microprobe Laboratory University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Department of Geology & Geophysics Lab Website: htt://probelab.geo.umn.edu
Frederick C. Monson, PhD Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging Mail to Geology West Chester University of Pennsylvania Schmucker II Science Center, Room SSS024 South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue West Chester, PA, 19383 Phone/FAX: 610-738-0437 eMail: fmonson-at-wcupa.edu CASI Page and Scheduling http://darwin.wcupa.edu/CASI/
-----Original Message----- } From: by way of Ask-A-Microscopist [mailto:elosalga2002-at-yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 8:29 PM To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (elosalga2002-at-yahoo.com) from http://www.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Thursday, July 15, 2004 at 14:10:43 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---
Digital microscopy for $45, if you can find one anymore http://www.teacherlink.org/content/science/microscope/frlp.htm
Hope this helps,
Fred Monson
Frederick C. Monson, PhD Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging Mail to Geology West Chester University of Pennsylvania Schmucker II Science Center, Room SSS024 South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue West Chester, PA, 19383 Phone/FAX: 610-738-0437 eMail: fmonson-at-wcupa.edu CASI Page and Scheduling http://darwin.wcupa.edu/CASI/
-----Original Message----- } From: by way of MicroscopyListserver [mailto:purplechalkdust-at-sbcglobal.net] Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 8:20 PM To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (purplechalkdust-at-sbcglobal.net) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Thursday, July 15, 2004 at 11:17:51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] microscopy-based lessons and activities
Question: Hello I am looking for lessons and activities that I can implement in my fifth grade classroom. I was just given a class set on microscopes and would like to center my science curriculum around them for the upcoming school year. I am part of a teacher intern program through Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, and I am looking for assistance in the area of microscopy.
Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear a reply soon, Sonjia Primous
I will like to localize quantitatively by cytochemistry ( if possible) phenolic compounds in bacteria for studies with light and or electron microscopy. These specific phenolic compounds are presents in bacteria only in particular conditions. Do you have some methods or reference for me. It is possible also for me to use fluorescence (epi and confocal) for this study .
Thanks and have a good day and a nice week-end.
Gilles Grondin
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 16 07:45:54 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (kryan-at-xsil.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Friday, July 16, 2004 at 05:52:00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: Hi All, I 'm having an imaging problem with a device I designed for my masters project hopefully someone out there may be able to help.
The device is for analysing optical fibres of about 120um diameter so achromatic microscope objectives. On high magnification images the image produced is fine, however on lower magnification images vignetting of the image occurs. What causes this vignetting seems to be linked to the illumination used. The system employs a coaxial illumination system to illuminate the optical fibre surface. The problem appears to be the spot sized formed by the illumination system isn't large enough to cover the entire FOV. My illumination system consists of an LED Condenser lens and fixed aperture. Is anybody familiar with this problem and can they help me solve it?? Thanks Kieran Ryan
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (rdiez-at-jhmi.edu) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Friday, July 16, 2004 at 07:33:55 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: Hi all, I need reliable antibodies for my protein of interest (uncharacterised). Has anyone had success ordering a customized antibody. I would be very greatful if some of you out there can share with me your experiences. What do I need to do first? How long did it take to produce the antibody? How good was the specificity and sensitivity. Were the antibodies good for Western blot, ELISA, microscopy, FACS,...? And last, but not least, what was the price tag? Our laboratory does downstream work to large proteomics initiatives, and so we are often confronted to quest for antibodies against uncharacterized proteins. I'm sure many other labs are having this challenge. I'd like to hear from them as well. Thanks in advance.
I understand your concerns; we were in the same situation a year ago. We now mostly work with one company that we find quite trustworthy and reliable called HyperOmics Farma (www.hyperomics.com).
Custom antibody services are quite varied in terms of the rapidity in production, quality of the antibodies produced, the hosts, the technical help (in preparing the antigens, etc...), and especially follow up services offered by these antibody providers. So you really want to be careful which you decide upon, especially as the custom antibodies are costly anywhere you go (usually starting at about $1000/AB).
We've tried quite a few places to raise antibodies to human plasma and intracellular protein antigens and actually we have had the most success interacting with HyperOmics Farma. They are a chicken-antibody company here in Canada. I had no idea antibodies were being made in chickens....actually the antibodies are purified from the eggs. The antibodies we received were of high affinity, highly specific and of high titer all of which was great for us and easy to work with. AND, the very best aspect was that the antibodies were made really fast....we received fully useable purified antibodies within 2 months (which is significantly less than 4-6 months in mammalian hosts) and for us time is really critical. We used them with great success for Western Blots, ELISAs, and immunofluorescence microscopy. Actually we obtained better results with the chicken antibodies than with rabbit or mouse antibodies we had made; the greater phylogenetic distance between chickens & mammals has a lot to do with that, i.e, mammalian antigens are much more antigenic when injected in chicken hosts than when injected in mammalian hosts. We'd also considered phage display antibodies at one point but gave up on that idea based on the monovalent nature and consequent low affinity issues (and actually they were alot more expensive than regular antibodies made in animals).
The technical specialists were extremely helpful for us and that's really important actually when you offer 'custom' services. The prices were quite reasonable, starting at $650/Ab for small quantities. If you're interested, I think they offer the possibility of banking your antibodies for future commercialization (with royalties to the original investigators - this might be interesting for your customers at Johns Hopkins).
Good Luck!!
Sophie Dahan, Ph.D. Program Leader & Senior Scientist, Caprion Phamaceuticals, Montreal, Quebec,
Tel: 514-940-3600 X3736 Fax: 514-940-3620
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 16 11:05:23 2004
I understand your concerns; we were in the same situation a year ago. We now mostly work with one company that we find quite trustworthy and reliable called HyperOmics Farma (www.hyperomics.com).
Custom antibody services are quite varied in terms of the rapidity in production, quality of the antibodies produced, the hosts, the technical help (in preparing the antigens, etc...), and especially follow up services offered by these antibody providers. So you really want to be careful which you decide upon, especially as the custom antibodies are costly anywhere you go (usually starting at about $1000/AB).
We've tried quite a few places to raise antibodies to human plasma and intracellular protein antigens and actually we have had the most success interacting with HyperOmics Farma. They are a chicken-antibody company here in Canada. I had no idea antibodies were being made in chickens....actually the antibodies are purified from the eggs. The antibodies we received were of high affinity, highly specific and of high titer all of which was great for us and easy to work with. AND, the very best aspect was that the antibodies were made really fast....we received fully useable purified antibodies within 2 months (which is significantly less than 4-6 months in mammalian hosts) and for us time is really critical. We used them with great success for Western Blots, ELISAs, and immunofluorescence microscopy. Actually we obtained better results with the chicken antibodies than with rabbit or mouse antibodies we had made; the greater phylogenetic distance between chickens & mammals has a lot to do with that, i.e, mammalian antigens are much more antigenic when injected in chicken hosts than when injected in mammalian hosts. We'd also considered phage display antibodies at one point but gave up on that idea based on the monovalent nature and consequent low affinity issues (and actually they were alot more expensive than regular antibodies made in animals).
The technical specialists were extremely helpful for us and that's really important actually when you offer 'custom' services. The prices were quite reasonable, starting at $650/Ab for small quantities. If you're interested, I think they offer the possibility of banking your antibodies for future commercialization (with royalties to the original investigators - this might be interesting for your customers at Johns Hopkins).
Good Luck!!
Sophie Dahan, Ph.D. Program Leader & Senior Scientist, Caprion Phamaceuticals, Montreal, Quebec,
Tel: 514-940-3600 X3736 Fax: 514-940-3620
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 16 11:10:17 2004
Thank you so much Sophie. I will definitely give this company a call. The website link was also helpful. Thanks again. Roberto
-----Original Message----- } From: Sophie Dahan [mailto:sdahan-at-caprion.com] Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 11:14 AM To: by way of MicroscopyListserver
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (rdiez-at-jhmi.edu) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Friday, July 16, 2004 at 07:33:55 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: Hi all, I need reliable antibodies for my protein of interest (uncharacterised). Has anyone had success ordering a customized antibody. I would be very greatful if some of you out there can share with me your experiences. What do I need to do first? How long did it take to produce the antibody? How good was the specificity and sensitivity. Were the antibodies good for Western blot, ELISA, microscopy, FACS,...? And last, but not least, what was the price tag? Our laboratory does downstream work to large proteomics initiatives, and so we are often confronted to quest for antibodies against uncharacterized proteins. I'm sure many other labs are having this challenge. I'd like to hear from them as well. Thanks in advance.
} Email: purplechalkdust-at-sbcglobal.net } Name: Sonjia Primous } } Organization: teacher } } Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] microscopy-based lessons and activities } } Question: Hello } I am looking for lessons and activities that I can implement in } my fifth grade classroom. I was just given a class set on } microscopes and would like to center my science curriculum around } them for the upcoming school year. I am part of a teacher intern } program through Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, and I am } looking for assistance in the area of microscopy. } } Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear a reply soon, } Sonjia Primous } } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sonjia -
Since you've found "Ask-a-microscopist", you've been quite close to the answer to your question; visit "Project MICRO" (URL below) and look at the description of MSA's manual, "Microscopic Explorations"; it's for grades 5-8. It was written at the Lawrence Hall of Science for their Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) series, and you'll find a helpful GEMS "Site" near you, in Greyslake (sp.?); see MICRO for a link to a list of all of the GEMS Sites. You'll also find a list of local MICRO programs there, and your local (Chicago) coordinator, Joe Nielly of Abbott Labs, can find you a microscopist to help during the school year.
If you have further questions, please contact me directly; I promise detailed answers. I hope that you'll share your experiences with your curriculum with MICRO!
Caroline
-- Caroline Schooley Project MICRO Coordinator Microscopy Society of America Box 117, 45301 Caspar Point Road Caspar, CA 95420 Phone/FAX (707)964-9460 Project MICRO: http://www.msa.microscopy.com/ProjectMicro/ Intertidal invertebrates: http://www.fortbragg.k12.ca.us/AG/marinelab.html
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 16 12:27:35 2004
I am soliciting possible platform presentations for inclusion into a session on microscopy outreach and training for the 2005 meeting in HAWAII. People planning to attend this meeting in between hitting the beaches should consider participating in this session dedicated to advancing the inclusion of microscopy and imaging in classrooms, in the research lab, and among the lay public.
TEACHING MICROSCOPY AND IMAGING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Computer technology is changing the ways we access equipment, view samples, record, manage, and disseminate images. Inside the laboratory, digital imaging has created the need for archiving systems, for managing and manipulating images, and for creating new digital tools to assist new users. Outside the lab, computer controlled instruments and digital imaging make it possible for classroom students to view and analyze microscopy data and images without requiring physical access to distant microscopes. In addition, digital imaging has greatly increased the possibilities for the public at large to see microscopic images in print media and museum exhibitions. This session will look at digital training approaches (e.g., virtual microscopes and telemicroscopy) , new teaching tools (digital training sessions), and outreach programs in classrooms and other public venues.
-- Dr. Steven Barlow EM Facility/Biology Dept. San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego CA 92182-4614 phone: (619) 594-4523 fax: (619) 594-5676 email: sbarlow-at-sunstroke.sdsu.edu http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/emfacility
Chairman, Educational Outreach subcommittee promoting microscopy instruction and increased access to microscopes Microscopy Society of America http://www.msa.microscopy.com/
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 16 13:26:24 2004
Can anyone lead me to a book or a site that shows TEM images of the following cell types. If you have a "personal" collection of this type of images, and do not mind to share with us, would you email them to me off-line. One user of our facility is trying to identify cells in her sample. Thank you in advance for your generous help.
1. Freshly isolated human blood basophils (not cultured) 2. Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells 3. Human myeloid dendritic cells 4. Human blood natural killer (NK) cells
Hong Emory EM
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 18 12:12:53 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (jcormier-at-mailcan.com) from http://www.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Saturday, July 17, 2004 at 09:56:54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: I am curious about how one becomes a microscopist? How much school is needed? Is it very hard to find positions in microscopy? Do you like your job?
-------------------------------- MSA Education Committee Announcement M&M2004 Exhibitor Tutorials and Demos August 3, 2004 Savannah, Ga. http://mm2004.microscopy.org --------------------------------
Once again the MSA Education Committee is organizing Exhibitor Demonstrations and Tutorials at the MM2006 Meeting in Savannah ( http://mm2004.microscopy.org ) . This event will be held on Tuesday, August 3 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Exhibit Hall. These mini-seminars or tutorial demonstrations are held in the booths of the participating companies after the Hall is closed to non-participants at ~ 5:00 pm.
Signup sheets with titles and descriptions are at the MSA Education table in the MSA Mega Booth. When you sign up you will be issued a ticket, which you will need to renter the Hall after it is closed. You need to sign up no later than noon on Tuesday. The number of attendees is limited, so visit the MSA Education table soon, since the demonstrations get filled up quickly!
Here's the current list of participating Exhibitors and titles:
Bal-Tec AG SEM Controlled Broad Ion Beam Sample Preparation
Chroma Technology Corp Filter Design for Fluorescence Microscopy
Diatome U.S./Leica Microsystems New Era in Ultramicrotomy: The Oscillating Diamond Knife and the most advanced Ultramicrotome technology
EDAX/TSL Simultaneous EBSD and EDS: See what you can do with a Chl-Scan System
HKL Technology TBA
Imago Scientific Instruments Corporation TBA
QuantomiX, Inc. Electron Microscopy (SEM) of Fully Hydrated Samples - from Cell Biology to Materials
Soft Imaging System Automatic Strain Analysis of TEM/CBED Images
SPI Supplies Osmium Plasma Coating for High Resolution FESEM Applications
Thermo Electron Corporation 1) Introduction to modern Raman microscopy as a routine analysis tool for molecular characterization of materials 2)Better, Faster, Easier ways to acquire, process and present compositional data
------------------------------ Stop by the MSA Megbooth for more details. ------------------------------- "Jim Wittig" {j.wittig-at-vanderbilt.edu}
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 18 17:19:10 2004
I do not know which kind of microscopist you want to be. If you want to be an electron microscopsit, it will take a little time to master the techniques. You could be a microscopsit sooner or later after some practice.
It is hard to predict the future for the electron microscopist, in particular for those with Ph.D degrees. It seems to me that we need more and more microscopists. But many companies or schools do not need electron microscopists with very long professional experiences. I have more than 10 years' experiences in TEM, but I still dare to say that I can find a suitable job easily.
Changhui
---- Original message ---- } Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 12:19:58 -0500 } From: jcormier-at-mailcan.com (by way of Ask-A-Microscopist) } Subject: [Microscopy] AskAMicroscopist: how one becomes a microscopist } To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 18 23:20:15 2004
I love my job, it is want I wanted to do since I was a child trying to observe snow by a toy-microscope spending time in the garden or using home frige for preserving snow (unsucessfully), I lived in Verona that period...
Basic studies always help including some optics then you can specialize for a specific kind of microscope. A part from technical aspects and theory of image formation, please do not forget an important chapter that is SAMPLE preparation. This means you should also know about the sample, investigating probe and sample interactions etc...
I was so lucky to have the opportunity to play and work with AFM, STM, SNOM, SEM, acoustic, optical...optical and AFM are my favourite.
I think that in this period there is a good demand for microscopists... probably in the future it will increase demand for nanoscopits... All my best ALby On 19 lug 2004, at 00:22, Changhui LEI wrote:
} } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ------- } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of } America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } -------- } } I do not know which kind of microscopist you want to be. If } you want to be an electron microscopsit, it will take a little } time to master the techniques. You could be a microscopsit } sooner or later after some practice. } } It is hard to predict the future for the electron } microscopist, in particular for those with Ph.D degrees. It } seems to me that we need more and more microscopists. But many } companies or schools do not need electron microscopists with } very long professional experiences. I have more than 10 years' } experiences in TEM, but I still dare to say that I can find a } suitable job easily. } } Changhui } } ---- Original message ---- } } Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 12:19:58 -0500 } } From: jcormier-at-mailcan.com (by way of Ask-A-Microscopist) } } Subject: [Microscopy] AskAMicroscopist: how one becomes a } microscopist } } To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com } } } } } } } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } } -------- } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society } of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } } --------- } } } } Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). } It was submitted by (jcormier-at-mailcan.com) from } http://www.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html } on Saturday, July 17, 2004 at 09:56:54 } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } } ----- } } } } Email: jcormier-at-mailcan.com } } Name: Justin Cormier } } } } Organization: none } } } } Education: Undergraduate College } } } } Location: miami, FL USA } } } } Question: I am curious about how one becomes a microscopist? } How much school is needed? Is it very hard to find positions } in microscopy? Do you like your job? } } } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } } ----- } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------- Alberto Diaspro, Department of Physics, University of Genoa Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy facsimile +39-010314218 - voice +39-0103536426/480/309 URL: http://www.lambs.it http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471409200.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 19 05:41:45 2004
In the UK you would be best to take a science degree and then look for a vacancy. I actually did a PhD first. I now run an electron microscope lab in a university. At the time, 1989, there were no other applicants who attended the interview - so one can get lucky! I love the job although last night my wife encouraged me to look for one that pays better!
Dave
On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 12:19:58 -0500 by way of Ask-A-Microscopist {jcormier-at-mailcan.com} wrote:
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (jcormier-at-mailcan.com) from http://www.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Saturday, July 17, 2004 at 09:56:54 } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Email: jcormier-at-mailcan.com } Name: Justin Cormier } } Organization: none } } Education: Undergraduate College } } Location: miami, FL USA } } Question: I am curious about how one becomes a microscopist? How much school is needed? Is it very hard to find positions in microscopy? Do you like your job? } } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } } This incoming email to UWE has been independently scanned for viruses and any virus detected has been removed using McAfee anti-virus software }
---------------------------------------- Patton, David Email: David.Patton-at-uwe.ac.uk "University of the West of England"
This email has been independently scanned for viruses and any virus detected has been removed using McAfee anti-virus software
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 19 07:35:26 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (g0305901-at-nus.edu.sg) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Monday, July 19, 2004 at 08:54:44 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: g0305901-at-nus.edu.sg Name: chen jie
Organization: national university of singapore
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] a question about Transmission Electronic Microscope.
Question: Dear sir or Madam,
Now, I am doing some experiment through Transmission Electronic Microscope. Could you tell me If the sample is dangerous after the samples are treated by
Osmium Tetroxide and then are embedded by Resin for 24 hours in 60 degree in oven ?If it is still harmful,how
to protect when the samples are trimed and sectioned for TEM?
Does anyone out there have the pads that sit under the older LKB type ultramicrotomes? I remember they were covered in white plastic and there were two per microtome.
Thanks
Karen
Karen L. Bentley, M.S.(previously Jensen) Associate Scientist & Project Manager Electron Microscope Research Core University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, NY 14642 585-275-1954
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 19 10:36:47 2004
Does anyone out there have the pads that sit under the older LKB type ultramicrotomes? I remember they were covered in white plastic and there were two per microtome.
Thanks
Karen
Karen L. Bentley, M.S.(previously Jensen) Associate Scientist & Project Manager Electron Microscope Research Core University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, NY 14642 585-275-1954
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 19 12:08:56 2004
Dear List, I find myself with a reservation for a room at MSA that was obtained as a double occupancy, and the other occupant has made other plans. If anyone wants to share a room from 31 July through 4 August, please let me know off list. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 19 17:26:12 2004
On Jul 19, 2004, at 7:05 AM, by way of MicroscopyListserver wrote:
} Now, I am doing some experiment through Transmission Electronic } Microscope. } Could you tell me If the sample is dangerous after the samples are } treated by } } Osmium Tetroxide and then are embedded by Resin for 24 hours in 60 } degree in oven ?If it is still harmful,how } } to protect when the samples are trimed and sectioned for TEM? } Dear Chen Jie, It all depends on what the sample is. Most viruses and, I think, all bacteria are killed by the fixation and embedding procedures and are no longer dangerous; however, prions--e.g., the organism causing mad cow disease--are not necessarily killed by the procedures. The real experts in the field can tell you what precautions are necessary or advisable when sectioning blocks containing pathologenic organisms (and where I may have erred in my assessment). Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 19 23:10:14 2004
} Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 18:27:24 -0700 } To: Microscopy ListServer } From: Sergey Ryazantsev {sryazant-at-ucla.edu} } Subject: [Microscopy] Re: LKB anti vibration pads } } Hello Karen } I don't think those old pads would work: rubber tends deteriorate with } age. You could made very effective anti-vibration pad by yourself. It's } easy: find in some story (like OSH or Home Depot in USA) the sheet of } rubber approximately 1-1.5 cm thick. It should be solid relatively hard } rubber, not porous one. Cut the sheet on pieces of the size you need and } stack them to create necessary height. If you will put a thin aluminum } sheet (1 mm) between each rubber layer (same size as rubber), you'll } create superior anti-vibrating pad! Good luck, Sergey. } } At 08:43 AM 7/19/2004, you wrote: } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
} Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 16:33:09 -0700 } To: Microscopy ListServer } From: Sergey Ryazantsev {sryazant-at-ucla.edu} } Subject: [Microscopy] Re: Re: Re: AskAMicroscopist: how one becomes a } microscopist } } I really love my job. I think, EM (not necessary only EM) is good for } people with natural curiosity: to see things smaller, smaller and } smaller... sharper, sharper and sharper.... Curiosity, perhaps, is the } reason to me to stay with EM for so long. Another thing about EM (perhaps } more EM than other microscopy): there is some technical aspect here. You } have to have deal with sophisticated equipment; sometime repair it, } sometime hate it... and be in love with it... It's great challenge to } have deal with all those beautiful/ugly machines. If you don't like to } have deal with "iron", you'll probably get annoyed quite soon. To me, EM } is a method to answer my scientific questions. I used to use other } methods if I need it: HPLC, gel-electrophoresis, protein purification } (good sample is most important thing in EM!) etc. Another aspect of } modern EM: you have to be smart with computers (3D reconstruction software } etc). People comes in EM from different backgrounds. Being a student I } used EM in my histology project (stem cells actually, 25 years ago in } Russia). I used EM to see the structure of the IgGs later. When I did } IgG stuff, my mentor was a physics-guy, who come into molecular biology, } so he (Victor Vasiliev) put a lot of emphasis on understanding how EM } works, how image creates and how electrons interfere with your } sample. For couple of years I got exclusive training in physics and } mechanics. It was fun: in order to let me work in his Lab, Victor } Vasiliev suggests I have to built freeze-drying apparatus by myself. I } still don't know how, but I passed the test... Another my project was on } ribosome's crystal structure, so I got a lot from crystallographers and } CTF becomes very familiar to me... and sections were 10 nm thick. When } you invest so much in something, it becomes the part of you. EM becomes } part of me and there I am. } } From practical point of view, EM is not a best area for quick } success. It takes time to get into it and results in most cases you must } share with others (providing "images" for others). It's not so often } happening that EMicroscopist is a first author (depends) or PI. So, from } the "career" point of view, EM is not so promising (at least to } me). Money - not good. BUT: great area to satisfy your curiosity and } challenge him/herself with difficult samples, machines etc. Material } science area with all that "nanothechnology" stuff is very promising and } will grow fast in the near future (my personal prognosis). Sergey } } At 09:25 PM 7/18/2004, you wrote: } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 16:33:09 -0700 } To: Microscopy ListServer } From: Sergey Ryazantsev {sryazant-at-ucla.edu} } Subject: [Microscopy] Re: Re: Re: AskAMicroscopist: how one becomes a } microscopist } } I really love my job. I think, EM (not necessary only EM) is good for } people with natural curiosity: to see things smaller, smaller and } smaller... sharper, sharper and sharper.... Curiosity, perhaps, is the } reason to me to stay with EM for so long. Another thing about EM (perhaps } more EM than other microscopy): there is some technical aspect here. You } have to have deal with sophisticated equipment; sometime repair it, } sometime hate it... and be in love with it... It's great challenge to } have deal with all those beautiful/ugly machines. If you don't like to } have deal with "iron", you'll probably get annoyed quite soon. To me, EM } is a method to answer my scientific questions. I used to use other } methods if I need it: HPLC, gel-electrophoresis, protein purification } (good sample is most important thing in EM!) etc. Another aspect of } modern EM: you have to be smart with computers (3D reconstruction software } etc). People comes in EM from different backgrounds. Being a student I } used EM in my histology project (stem cells actually, 25 years ago in } Russia). I used EM to see the structure of the IgGs later. When I did } IgG stuff, my mentor was a physics-guy, who come into molecular biology, } so he (Victor Vasiliev) put a lot of emphasis on understanding how EM } works, how image creates and how electrons interfere with your } sample. For couple of years I got exclusive training in physics and } mechanics. It was fun: in order to let me work in his Lab, Victor } Vasiliev suggests I have to built freeze-drying apparatus by myself. I } still don't know how, but I passed the test... Another my project was on } ribosome's crystal structure, so I got a lot from crystallographers and } CTF becomes very familiar to me... and sections were 10 nm thick. When } you invest so much in something, it becomes the part of you. EM becomes } part of me and there I am. } } From practical point of view, EM is not a best area for quick } success. It takes time to get into it and results in most cases you must } share with others (providing "images" for others). It's not so often } happening that EMicroscopist is a first author (depends) or PI. So, from } the "career" point of view, EM is not so promising (at least to } me). Money - not good. BUT: great area to satisfy your curiosity and } challenge him/herself with difficult samples, machines etc. Material } science area with all that "nanothechnology" stuff is very promising and } will grow fast in the near future (my personal prognosis). Sergey } } At 09:25 PM 7/18/2004, you wrote: } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 18:27:24 -0700 } To: Microscopy ListServer } From: Sergey Ryazantsev {sryazant-at-ucla.edu} } Subject: [Microscopy] Re: LKB anti vibration pads } } Hello Karen } I don't think those old pads would work: rubber tends deteriorate with } age. You could made very effective anti-vibration pad by yourself. It's } easy: find in some story (like OSH or Home Depot in USA) the sheet of } rubber approximately 1-1.5 cm thick. It should be solid relatively hard } rubber, not porous one. Cut the sheet on pieces of the size you need and } stack them to create necessary height. If you will put a thin aluminum } sheet (1 mm) between each rubber layer (same size as rubber), you'll } create superior anti-vibrating pad! Good luck, Sergey. } } At 08:43 AM 7/19/2004, you wrote: } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
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Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
from the infectious disease side, bill tivol has really summed it up fairly well. the treatments for 'fixing' tissue are quite good for inactivating all known infectious agents - except for the prions. the literature shows they require fairly harsh treatment. there are recorded cases of the scrapie form of the prion protien maintaining its catalytic capability even after treatment with formaldehyde and alcohol. i have not seen any information regards the ability to survive OsO4, however. the accepted treatment for the infectious prion forms is 10%NaOH.
as far as your original question, however, is OsO4 still dangerous after all the treatments you have applied in washing, dehydrating and embedding. i have seen no report of hazard after these steps. however, you really have to contact your local Biological/Chemical Safety people for disposal of the waste fix and washes. you really cannot dump them down the drain. the Biological/Chemical Safety people will ensure that proper disposal is done.
in short, unless you are working with prions, wear the right safety clothing, follow the recipes, and dispose of wastes properly and you will be subject to little risk.
caveat, nothing is totally risk free.
paul
Paul R. Hazelton, PhD Electron Microscope Unit University of Manitoba Department of Medical Microbiology 531 Basic Medical Sciences Building 730 William Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3E 0W3 e-mail: paul_hazelton-at-umanitoba.ca Work Phone: 204-789-3313 Pager: 204-931-954 Home Phone: 204-489-6924 Cell: 204-781-1502 Fax: 204-789-3926/204-489-6924
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 13:14:35 2004
Hi everyone, I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow.
On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now.....
Frank Karl Degussa Corporation Akron Technical Center 3500 Embassy Parkway Suite 100 Akron, Ohio 44333
330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 13:58:41 2004
Frank, I am going through a semiannual-PM on my CM300 right now. My FEI service engineer has put about 0.5L of CLR (Calcium-Lime Remover - commercial product used in bathroom cleaning) into my Haskris chiller last night and replaced the water this morning. There was a lot of crud and algae that was flushed out of the scope (5 years in service, 1st procedure). He flushed the system with 25 gallons of tap water and restarted the instrument. The CM was operational through the night while the solution worked, however for water flushing we needed to put it in stand-by mode.
Please note, I observed the procedure and am shearing these observations. However, I do not take any responsibility for success of it on your microscope or its safety on the 400. It would be best if you contact FEI and get in touch with their service support. Even though you are not under service contract they tend to be very receptive to customers.
Jerzy ****************************************************** Jerzy Gazda, Ph.D. CeriumLaboratories L.L.C. - AMD Inc. Supervising Engineer 5204 E. Ben White Blvd. - MS 512 Austin, TX 78741 TEL: 1-800-538-8450, Ext. 51453 jerzy.gazda-at-ceriumlabs.com ******************************************************
-----Original Message----- } From: Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com [mailto:Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 1:21 PM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Hi everyone, I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow.
On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now.....
Frank Karl Degussa Corporation Akron Technical Center 3500 Embassy Parkway Suite 100 Akron, Ohio 44333
330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 14:07:08 2004
When I was 9, Father, knowing my mind - to science was inclin-ed, Brought home from a friend, a little scope that for me, was just prim-ed. It was really quite old, of dull, shiny brass with power way up at 3 X 2, But I looked and viewed oft I could, not wishing to have else to do.
When off to college I was sent, to prep for higher things The microscopes I went to find, and there I lost my wings. For years I looked with no thought to relax at every wisp of glass On which I observed, with naked eye, anything of color classed.
It was so easy long ago to become a microscopist's mate. If you made the mistake of being awake when becoming a 'croscopist's date. Such interesting folk, these persons thus yoked, to tubes of concocted close viewers, By the eye and the brain, connected were they, so much so, they appeared to be skewered.
You would think after years, like ten or at least twenty, the eye would lose its perspective, The glass would run out, color fade and dye out, and zeal turn introspective. But to be blessed with such easy and early respite, not for the inveterate seer, No rest is provided, with eye undivided. No, no ocular rest at all.
As the dog ever chases after the hare, and the fisherman goes after Chinook, Like fish in the lake chase after the bait, the microscopist just squints - for a look.
And finally when done, after years of denyin', There's no use anymore for the cryin'. The person who looks, would merely be lyin' If s/he tried to admit, There's no slide in the kit, Worth tryin' to view, Before dyin'.
Fred Monson, '39 - no poet, and he know it!
Frederick C. Monson, PhD Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging Mail to Geology West Chester University of Pennsylvania Schmucker II Science Center, Room SSS024 South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue West Chester, PA, 19383 Phone/FAX: 610-738-0437 eMail: fmonson-at-wcupa.edu CASI Page and Scheduling http://darwin.wcupa.edu/CASI/
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 14:57:25 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (rebecca.burgin-at-onsemi.com) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 14:32:32 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Michigan University Biology Department Microscopy Facility http://www.cst.cmich.edu/centers/microscopy/
} -----Original Message----- } From: Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com [mailto:Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com] } Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 2:21 PM } To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com } Subject: [Microscopy] Advice needed } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- } ---- } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- } ----- } } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 15:42:02 2004
Oops I Guess my email somehow got messed up. Forgive me...
Anyway, we've experienced restriction due to grenn copper (oxide) build up in flow meters and some of the smaller diameter passages. I used a dilute bit of nitric acid to clean it. But I was able to identify the area of restriction. We use Distilled water in our chiller loop with copper pipes. It may be worth a quick investigation if you can determine (without too much of a mess) where the restriction is (ie in the lenses, or the Diff pump cooling coils) and just acid clean the trouble spot. I would caution against flushing nitric acid through the whole system esp if there is any copper piping. I was able to isolate the areas and determine that they were okay in nitric acid (or the acid of choice).
Good luck
Geoff Williams Microscopy Facility Supervisor
Central Michigan University Biology Department Microscopy Facility http://www.cst.cmich.edu/centers/microscopy/
} -----Original Message----- } From: Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com [mailto:Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com] } Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 2:21 PM } To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com } Subject: [Microscopy] Advice needed } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- } ---- } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- } ----- } } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 16:46:22 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (amissaian-at-cheme.caltech.edu) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 16:37:03 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: I am looking for a digital camara to place on a cryo-ultramicrotome, for instructional purpuses. Also, a good scanner for TEM negatives. Any suggestions? Thanks,
As an extension of the request below, how are digital images being dealt with as they relate to magnification?
In the days of film and paper enlargements, you could easily (more or less) calculate the magnification ratio.
With digital images, this seems harder. I can measure the magnification at the sensor, but this has no correlation to how the image will be viewed. Ignoring any "zooming", the image will look very different in terms of size on two different monitors, or even the same monitor at different resolutions (assuming a pixel per pixel display).
Has any "standard" method been accepted for communicating the magnification of a digital image? I'm thinking of something along the lines of 1000X at 600 DPI (American printers) or 0.001mm per pixel.
A simple procedure I've used for a long time - a small pump and a couple of gallons of plain old household vinegar. The vinegar is a mild enough acid that you really don't have to worry about it, yet strong enough to clear things out quite well. A peristaltic pump is nice, but anything that can push the vinegar through can work, even one of those small submersible fountain pumps.
Haven't tried it myself, but if you have a chiller I can't see any reason not to clean it all at once. Drain a couple of gallons out, top it off with vinegar, and let it run for awhile.
Using undiluted vinegar on just the EM, I'll usually run a gallon through the system for 20 minutes or until it gets pretty grundgy. Then switch to a fresh gallon and let that run for maybe an hour. If you're using a chiller, you'll want to run a couple of changes of fresh water through the system to get rid of the vinegar.
This is a good preventative thing to do, if you can remember, every few years. Quicker and easier if you catch it before it becomes a problem.
Allen R. Sampson Advanced Research Systems 317 North 4th. Street St. Charles, Illinois 60174
On Tuesday, July 20, 2004 1:21 PM, Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com [SMTP:Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com] wrote: } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------- } } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238 }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 20:45:02 2004
Dear Karl, On my old EM 300 I found that disconnecting the water lines and blowing them out with compressed air followed by a thorough flushing with water into a bucket before reconnecting was the easiest and most reliable way to restore the flow to normal. Good Luck.
On 20 Jul 2004 at 14:20, Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com wrote:
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238 } } }
All the best,
Andy Buechele, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 20:47:55 2004
I showed your local serviceman from Philips how to install a brass DP shutoff valve from Nupro and how to make some end caps to quickly isolate water blockages and check flow rates. Give a service call to FEI and ask Ron or Russ to call you. They are both really nice people.
The isolation valve fix I used on my CM scope was put in as a service note by Ron over ten years ago. It's real cheap to do. It was less than $10, if you installed it yourself. Ask for the service note on this subject but applied to a CM12 and authored by Ron. The parts needed were a brass Nupro valve, two hose clamps, a piece of rubber 1/16 inch thick, a borrowed cork borer, and four Swegelok end caps.
It's nice to see in other posts that the green copper carbonate message is finally getting through and killing off all the algae myths.
Put a whole house water filter in the chiller inlet line to save on plugging that hard to reach strainer. It's worth the cost and traps floating / circulating copper carbonate precipitate, aka 'pseudo-algae'.
They probably used phosphoric acid to avoid pit corrosion by chloride ions on the SS fittings on the scope when using HCl. You can test for residues of Cl¯ in water with silver nitrate. Calcium phosphates can have limited solubility. We used HCl and the dirty penny trick. We then flushed with a lot of water to remove most chlorides. A final rinse with distilled water until chloride free and the scope was then placed back on the chiller with distilled water in it.
Install that DP valve.
Paul Beauregard Senior Research Associate
} } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238 } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 20 21:01:50 2004
VLSI Standards carries NIST Traceable Nanolattice Standards (certified to 100 nm pitch) which are ideal for semiconductor application SEM magnification calibration and monitoring. In fact, I believe On Semi / Motorola may own some of these standards. For more information on these or to request a quote, please see:
Marc Helvey VLSI Standards, Inc. 3087 North First Street San Jose, CA 95134-2006 Phone: (408) 428-1800, ext. 108 FAX: (408) 428-9555 E-mail: marc.helvey-at-vlsistd.com Internet: http://www.vlsistandards.com
-----Original Message----- } From: rebecca.burgin-at-onsemi.com [mailto:rebecca.burgin-at-onsemi.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 1:04 PM To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (rebecca.burgin-at-onsemi.com) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 14:32:32 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In case there's something in here that might be applicable to other instruments (thinking, selfishly, of JEOL 840), can you please briefly explain this mod and its purpose?
thanks
rtch
Date sent: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 21:53:40 -0400 To: Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com, microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com } From: Beauregard {beaurega-at-westol.com}
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (juan-at-nanostellar.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 22:50:49 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: juan-at-nanostellar.com Name: Juan
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] How to know the 3D shape of nano-particles?
Question: Is there a normal procedure/software that is able to get 3D shapes of nano-particles based on one 2D TEM image?
Or we have to take several TEM images at different tilt conditions, then make the judgement of 3D shapes based on all the 2D images.
Any suggestion or idea will be highly appreciated.
John, it has always been impossible to know the size of an image in an article when you submit a picture for publication, which is essentially the same problem as you describe. That is why all micrographs should have a fiducial (micron) marker - but the scale you want should be in microns (or nm, or whatever) per pixel. It is a simple matter to set up a library of micron markers which you can cut and paste onto an image - so much easier than cutting letraset lines to length with a scalpel..
-----Original Message----- } From: Chiphead [mailto:chiphead-at-sbcglobal.net] Sent: 21 July 2004 00:24 To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
As an extension of the request below, how are digital images being dealt with as they relate to magnification?
In the days of film and paper enlargements, you could easily (more or less) calculate the magnification ratio.
With digital images, this seems harder. I can measure the magnification at the sensor, but this has no correlation to how the image will be viewed. Ignoring any "zooming", the image will look very different in terms of size on two different monitors, or even the same monitor at different resolutions (assuming a pixel per pixel display).
Has any "standard" method been accepted for communicating the magnification of a digital image? I'm thinking of something along the lines of 1000X at 600 DPI (American printers) or 0.001mm per pixel.
I am looking for information on SEM magnification standards that are available in the microscopy community. Your inputs are greatly appreciated.
Rebecca
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 07:20:52 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (yksze1970-at-yahoo.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 at 04:13:54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: yksze1970-at-yahoo.com Name: Yuk
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: Advice on water cooling
Question: Dear Colleagues,
I found some SEM systems require cooling water to cool pump system, electron-optical lenes and electronic circuit boards in parallel branches mode or in series mode. I understand that there are advantages of using water cooling for the electronic boards : temperature stable and free from fan vibration.
Is water cooling system in parallel branches mode better than in series mode?
My laboratory is located at sub-tropical region (hot and high humidity) and laboratory temperature is maintained by air-conditioner. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has used SEM with water-cooled electronic circuit boards particularly on the precaution of water condensation on circuit boards.
Please contact me directly at: yksze1970-at-yahoo.com
The 400 vintage EMs used a peculiar device to regulate the water flow through the lenses, power supplies, and vacuum system. It was a small rubber "button-like" device (inside something that looks like a coupling or small filter housing), that limited the direction and quantity of flow to one liter per minute. These things were the source of several problems I've encountered over the years. They tend to harden and/or swell and should probably be checked, replaced, or even removed before resorting to any further acid treatment, back-flushing, or blow-thru attempts. Your particular instrument may still have these, or they may have been removed, or replaced with some alternative means of flow regulation.
I'd like to echo and emphasize the previous remarks regarding contacting FEI's service reps, they may end up saving you lots of time and money by bringing their wealth of talent and years of experience.
Enjoy !
Lee Hanna Dupont Company Wilmington, De
302-695-4887
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 08:11:37 2004
There is a late addition to the M&M 2004 sessions that will not be listed in your program. Please add this to your program information. Information is as follows:
Core Facility Management Session
Wednesday, Aug. 4 8:30am to Noon Room 104
Funding Opportunities for Acquiring Major Instrumentation
The first portion of the session will be devoted to brief presentations followed by an extensive question and answer period.
Speakers will include: Marjorie Tingle: Director, NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant Program
Angela Klaus: NSF Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure
Charles Bouldin: NSF Program Director, Division of Materials Research
Remainder of the session will consist of a meeting of Facility Managers to discuss: 1. Topics of interest for future sessions 2. Request for the formation of a Focused Interest Group on Facility Operations by the MSA Council.
Hope to see you all there,
Debby
Debby Sherman, Manager Phone: 765-494-6666 Life Science Microscopy Facility FAX: 765-494-5896 Purdue University E-mail: dsherman-at-purdue.edu S-052 Whistler Building 170 S. University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907 http://www3.agriculture.purdue.edu/microscopy
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 11:32:05 2004
I think that phosphoric acid may not be as effective on a lime deposit as one would wish, although it is probably less likely to cause corrosion than some other acids. Calcium phosphate is low in solubility and the initial amount formed on a heavy lime buildup may serve to inhibit attack on the material underneath.
Another alternative that is effective on lime and relatively benign toward metals is sulfamic acid. This material is sold in hardware stores for uses such as cleaning lime scale from food service items like coffee makers and for removing lime scale in water wells. It is a granular solid (therefore no fumes), soluble in water up about 10%. I have no experience with using this in chiller lines but it has worked in a very controlled way in other cleaning roles and and has a lot of advantages over liquid or volatile alternatives.
John Twilley
Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 12:36:23 2004
I need to embed cells plated on Thermanox coverslips (purchased from EM Sciences) for TEM. Any advice on the best embedding medium to use will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Cora Bucana
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 14:54:47 2004
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 15:08:14 2004
} } I found some SEM systems require cooling water to cool pump system, } electron-optical lenes and electronic circuit boards in parallel } branches mode or in series mode. I understand that there are } advantages of using water cooling for the electronic boards : } temperature stable and free from fan vibration. } } Is water cooling system in parallel branches mode better than in } series mode?
The advantage of parallel connection is that, just as in electrical circuits, different water flows can be arranged for different components. In my JEOL JXA-840, for example, the diffusion pumps are supposed to have 3 l/m (it has two DPs, and they are connected in series), the electronics boards 1.5 l/m, but the objective lens only 0.5 l/m.
A disadvantage with parallel connection is that, unless you have a flow meter or sensor in each of the branches, a blockage in one branch may not be noticed until it is too late to prevent damage from overheating.
} } My laboratory is located at sub-tropical region (hot and high } humidity) and laboratory temperature is maintained by air-conditioner. } I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has used SEM with } water-cooled electronic circuit boards particularly on the precaution } of water condensation on circuit boards. }
As far as working in a high humidity goes, it is very important to ensure that your cooling water is not too cold, to avoid water condensation, which can be very damaging. Its temperature must be above the dewpoint. The cooling water does not need to be colder than the temperature of the laboratory air.
cheers
rtch
-- Ritchie Sims Ph D Phone : 64 9 3737599 ext 87713 Microanalyst Fax : 64 9 3737435 Department of Geology email : r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 16:58:21 2004
I am looking for comment on overall functionallity of the Microtek ArtixScan 1800f scanner. Reliability, resoultion, speed. Will use this to scan EM neg. etc.
Thanks
Robert J. Kayton, Ph.D. C.R.O.E.T. L606 Oregon Health & Science Univ. kayton-at-ohsu.edu 503-494-2504-Lab 503-703-3938-Cell www.ohsu.edu/croet/facilities/emicroscopy
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 16:59:41 2004
A search of Google with the string: "3d tem tomography nanostructure" yielded the above link which is certainly relevant to your question.
The brief answer is that under the best conditions a 2D image can divulge 3D structure IF the section(?) includes/projects all perspective views of the object WHEN you know that all objects in the specimen HAVE the same shape.
Hope this helps,
Fred Monson
Frederick C. Monson, PhD Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging Mail to Geology West Chester University of Pennsylvania Schmucker II Science Center, Room SSS024 South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue West Chester, PA, 19383 Phone/FAX: 610-738-0437 eMail: fmonson-at-wcupa.edu CASI Page and Scheduling http://darwin.wcupa.edu/CASI/
-----Original Message----- } From: by way of MicroscopyListserver [mailto:juan-at-nanostellar.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 12:55 AM To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (juan-at-nanostellar.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 22:50:49 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---
Email: juan-at-nanostellar.com Name: Juan
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] How to know the 3D shape of nano-particles?
Question: Is there a normal procedure/software that is able to get 3D shapes of nano-particles based on one 2D TEM image?
Or we have to take several TEM images at different tilt conditions, then make the judgement of 3D shapes based on all the 2D images.
Any suggestion or idea will be highly appreciated.
Hi everyone, I received a request from a the staff members of our department for a water soluble mounting medium. He is working with algae and wants to know if such a product exists. I am only familiar with Permount, Harleco Synthetic Resin and Canada Balsam used with tissue that has been processed and sectioned. Does anyone have experience with such a product? Can you skip the tissue dehydration process (just fix and cover slip)? What do your slides look like? How stable is the product and how long does it last? etc... Once again I thank all the list supporters in advance for your knowledgeable responses. If you wish, you may contact me directly at dufresne-at-ms.umanitoba.ca. Merci.
André Dufresne
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 17:10:40 2004
We are having a new TEM installed in our lab. The PI in charge wants to thank the staff who have helped with the project by having a 'scope warming' event and pass out some kind of microscope souvenir, like a keychain, miniature microscope, or something equally cheap, but thoughtful.
Probably fewer than 10 would be needed, anybody have ideas and/or where such things could be found?
Thanks
Jonathan Krupp Microscopy & Imaging Lab University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (831) 459-2477 jmkrupp-at-cats.ucsc.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 18:43:14 2004
Yuk, I would suggest setting the plumbing up as the manufacturer designed it. As Ritchie mentioned, the chief problem with parallel circuits is that they often don't have separate flowmeters on each circuit, so you have no idea what flow you're getting in each section, but you can add the fowmeters. Series circuits must be plumbed correctly, that is the order of the cooled components must be correct or you can have problems. For example, if the diffusion pump is put first in line, everything else is going to be warm. In general, any water cooled baffle in the vacuum system should probably be first, to be coldest and it will add very little heat. Next might be critical components like a lens control, then power supplies and finally the DP. One advantage of a series setup is that the water gets warmer as it proceeds through the system and you have fewer places that might get condensation.
As to the condensation problem, the very first thing is to make sure that your water supply is not too COLD. 70-72F (22-23C) is often a good temperature to start with. Much colder than that and I'll bet on condensation if the humidity gets out of control.
You mentioned that the space is air conditioned. Can you check the humidity? If you can keep it down to 75%, you probably won't have much trouble. One way to do that is to make sure that the air conditioner is JUST big enough to do the job, then the compressor will run most of the time, the evaporator coil will stay very cold and a lot of water will be removed from the air. If the AC doesn't have to work very hard (it's too big) then the evaporator coil never gets cold enough to condense any water. It cools the air easily, but never removes any water.
An example of the first case is my SEM space. In south-central Pennsylvania we have a lot of humidity in the summer with temperatures often in the upper 80s (32-33C). The room is about 16'x32' (5x10m) with a SSE exposure and 2 windows. With an SEM running and 3 bodies in the room my 7000 BTU air conditioner just barely holds its own, but the humidity can easily drop to 65%, 60% or lower. On the other side of the building I have a 16'x16' (5x5m) storage room with 2 windows with a NNW exposure. Unless I actually turn the heat on, the 6000 BTU AC works so little that I often cannot get the humidity below 80%.
A second option is to use a dehumidifier. These add heat to the room while removing water, so your AC will need to be able to handle the additional load. Of course, if it can't handle the additional load, then you will probably find that it is already working hard enough that your humidity is low.
The main thing is to not have any condensation in the power supplies. If you're dry enough for that, you're dry enough.
Good luck,
Ken Converse
owner QUALITY IMAGES Servicing Scanning Electron Microscopes Since 1981 16 Creek Rd. Delta, PA 17314 717-456-5491 Fax 717-456-7996 kenconverse-at-qualityimages.biz qualityimages.biz
-----Original Message----- } From: by way of MicroscopyListserver [mailto:yksze1970-at-yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 8:28 AM To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (yksze1970-at-yahoo.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 at 04:13:54 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: yksze1970-at-yahoo.com Name: Yuk
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: Advice on water cooling
Question: Dear Colleagues,
I found some SEM systems require cooling water to cool pump system, electron-optical lenes and electronic circuit boards in parallel branches mode or in series mode. I understand that there are advantages of using water cooling for the electronic boards : temperature stable and free from fan vibration.
Is water cooling system in parallel branches mode better than in series mode?
My laboratory is located at sub-tropical region (hot and high humidity) and laboratory temperature is maintained by air-conditioner. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has used SEM with water-cooled electronic circuit boards particularly on the precaution of water condensation on circuit boards.
Please contact me directly at: yksze1970-at-yahoo.com
________________________________________________________________ $0 Web Hosting with up to 120MB web space, 1000 MB Data Transfer 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. Get It Now At www.doteasy.com
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 21 22:22:01 2004
Good morning colleagues I just figured out that I started last box of tungsten filaments (type K, JEOL) from my 10+ years old "savings". I need to consider: should I buy native JEOL's filaments or other vendors are good as well (what is your own experience?). Another consideration I need to do: should I try re-built filaments, what company? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Sergey
_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
There are many glycerin or gelatin based media which are easy and fast to use, stable (especially if you take the time to "ring" the edges to seal the media) and can be redissolved in a little water.
Try googling this subject or try the RMS.
Frank Karl Degussa Corporation Akron Technical Center 3500 Embassy Parkway Suite 100 Akron, Ohio 44333
330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 07:09:09 2004
If you have an FEI microscope with a compustage that is available for outside users, and you are near Chicago, please contact me (off-line). Thanks.
----------------------------------------------- Laurence Marks Department of Materials Science and Engineering Northwestern University Evanston, IL 60201, USA Tel: (847) 491-3996 Fax: (847) 491-7820 mailto:ldm2-at-risc4.numis.nwu.edu http://www.numis.nwu.edu -----------------------------------------------
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 08:52:56 2004
as we stumble and bungle towards a core facility we deal with a mixture of filament sources. i have used rebuilts on a Philips 201 for 20 years. in Canada, the distributor is Soquelec. however, i believe they are actually from SPI. i get specialty filaments. simple pointed filaments are half the price as FEI bent tungsten. they provide significantly better electron emission (probably because they are the pointed ones), brighter illumination at lower filament current (again, better emission, pointed filaments) and they last 5-8x longer. my last one ran approximately 300 hours. for the CM 10 and other 201 in this awkward mixture the original departments insist on using FEI supplied filaments. shorter life in the gun, lower emission, less illumination.
do not read this as a knock against FEI. their service people are quite good, and they make good microscopes. beyond a doubt, part of what i see is because i get specialty filaments, not just bent tungsten. but you cannot beat the price. and no, i have no interest in any of the three companies.
paul
Paul R. Hazelton, PhD Electron Microscope Unit University of Manitoba Department of Medical Microbiology 531 Basic Medical Sciences Building 730 William Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3E 0W3 e-mail: paul_hazelton-at-umanitoba.ca Work Phone: 204-789-3313 Pager: 204-931-954 Home Phone: 204-489-6924 Cell: 204-781-1502 Fax: 204-789-3926/204-489-6924
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 08:55:30 2004
Biomeda Corp. (Foster City, CA)is just one company that sells a number of aqueous mounting media (i.e. Crystal/Mount-aqueous/dry mounting media for enzyme immunohistochemistry and Gel/Mount- aquesous mounting media with anti-fading agents) We have a need for them especially with fluourescent work.
Peggy
Peggy Sherwood Lab Associate, Photopathology Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine (W224) Massachusetts General Hospital 55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114 617-724-4839 (voice mail) 617-726-6983 (lab) 617-726-3192 (fax) msherwood-at-partners.org
-----Original Message----- } From: Andre Dufresne [mailto:dufresne-at-Ms.UManitoba.CA] Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 6:03 PM To: Microscopy List
Hi everyone, I received a request from a the staff members of our department for a water soluble mounting medium. He is working with algae and wants to know if such a product exists. I am only familiar with Permount, Harleco Synthetic Resin and Canada Balsam used with tissue that has been processed and sectioned. Does anyone have experience with such a product? Can you skip the tissue dehydration process (just fix and cover slip)? What do your slides look like? How stable is the product and how long does it last? etc... Once again I thank all the list supporters in advance for your knowledgeable responses. If you wish, you may contact me directly at dufresne-at-ms.umanitoba.ca. Merci.
André Dufresne
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 09:54:45 2004
Currently we have a posting for an experienced EM Tech.
The position is in a clinical pathology laboratory and requires routine TEM. Salary and responsibility to commensurate with experience. If you are interested or know of anyone who may be interested please feel free to contact me directly, or check out the posting at
jobs. jhu.edu
Thanks
Lois Anderson Johns Hopkins University Dept. of Pathology Laboratory Manager EM/IF/Reference Histology 600 N. Wolfe Street/Pathology 709 A Baltimore, MD 21287 (410) 955-2861/fax (410) 614-7110 landers-at-jhmi.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 10:51:55 2004
Just a minor correction. The rebuilt and specialty filaments you get from Soquelec are actually manufactured by EBSciences. Soquelec is a distributor for our products in Canada.
Michael R. Nesta General Manager Energy Beam Sciences, Inc. 800 992-9037 www.ebsciences.com
DISCLAIMER: Energy Beam Sciences manufactures and sells electron beam sources and therefore has a financial interest in the accurate representation of this information.
paul r hazelton wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 11:04:46 2004
Glacial acetic acid, or LOTS of vinegar is the tried and true solution(sic) for lime deposits.
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: John Twilley [mailto:jtwilley-at-sprynet.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 10:07 AM To: Frank.Karl-at-Degussa.com Cc: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Frank,
I think that phosphoric acid may not be as effective on a lime deposit as one would wish, although it is probably less likely to cause corrosion than some other acids. Calcium phosphate is low in solubility and the initial amount formed on a heavy lime buildup may serve to inhibit attack on the material underneath.
Another alternative that is effective on lime and relatively benign toward metals is sulfamic acid. This material is sold in hardware stores for uses such as cleaning lime scale from food service items like coffee makers and for removing lime scale in water wells. It is a granular solid (therefore no fumes), soluble in water up about 10%. I have no experience with using this in chiller lines but it has worked in a very controlled way in other cleaning roles and and has a lot of advantages over liquid or volatile alternatives.
John Twilley
Frank.Karl-at-degussa.com wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------- } } Hi everyone, } I have a poor cooling water flow in my Philips TEM. I cleaned strainers, } filter lines, but alas, I still have poor flow. } } On a previous position the TEM crew use to clean the pipes with some sort } of phosphoric acid cleaner. Any information would be welcome as well as } non-acid suggestions. I can use the scope until i get some flow through } it. It's a Phillip's 400 and its a bit sluggish right now..... } } Frank Karl } Degussa Corporation } Akron Technical Center } 3500 Embassy Parkway } Suite 100 } Akron, Ohio 44333 } } 330-668-2235 Ext. 238
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 11:06:19 2004
On Jul 21, 2004, at 8:29 PM, Sergey Ryazantsev wrote:
} I just figured out that I started last box of tungsten filaments (type } K, JEOL) from my 10+ years old "savings". I need to consider: should } I buy native JEOL's filaments or other vendors are good as well (what } is your own experience?). Another consideration I need to do: should } I try re-built filaments, what company? Any input would be greatly } appreciated. Thanks in advance, Sergey } Dear Sergey, Back in Albany on the HVEM we got the best results with both new and rebuilt filaments from Energy Beam Sciences and new filaments from Agar. I have no affiliation with either of these companies except as a satisfied customer. The rebuilt filaments worked as well as the new ones as long as the bases were not damaged or heavily coated with tungsten. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 11:30:08 2004
You can use almost any standard embedding medium, as far as I know. We routinely use Epon-Araldite or Epon-Spurrs, but any resin should work.
Just in case you're not aware of it, you have a couple options for dealing with plated cells on coverslips. With Thermonox coverslips you can indeed embed them directly into the resin and cut thin sections. This will give you a cross section of the cells on the surface of the slip, appearing as a line of cells along the straight edge of the plastic.
The other option is to fill an embedding capsule to the brim with resin with the open end up, then lay the cover slip on top with the cells down (after processing the coverslip through the pure resin stage, of course). Polymerize as usual, but stop before the resin is 100% hard---it can still be a little sticky, usually 12 hours or overnight will do it. Then drop the capsule with attached coverslip into liquid nitrogen until it quits fizzing, pick it up and snap off the coverslip. Usually it will snap off fairly cleanly, leaving a layer of cells in the wide end of the resin block. If not, dunk it again. (Occasionally, the resin may crack, but I've only had this happen once and was able to get good sections anyway.) Put the blocks back in the oven and finish polymerizing, and make sure you save the coverslips as backups. Now all you have to do is use a microscope to find a good area with cells on the block, trim your block face, and start cutting thins.
You have to start cutting ultrathins immediately, no thicks!, since you only have a monolayer of cells, but there should be enough material for lots of grids. This method has the advantage of giving you top-down overall views of the cells, instead of itty-bitty edge-on cross sections.
Apologies if you already knew about this, but we find this technique very useful.
Good luck,
Randy
Randy Tindall EM Specialist Electron Microscopy Core Facility---We Do Small Well! W122 Veterinary Medicine University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 Tel: (573) 882-8304 Fax: (573) 884-5414 Email: tindallr-at-missouri.edu Web: http://www.biotech.missouri.edu/emc/
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 12:29:29 2004
Can anyone suggest an embedding epoxy for 200kV TEM? Thanks in advance.
Ling
===== Ling Pan, Ph.D. 195 Materials Research Institute The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Tel: (814) 863-1096 Fax: (814) 863-8561
__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 13:00:17 2004
We are looking for CL capability (in a SEM) for probing electronic materials with a bandgap range of 350 to 200 nm. We need to measure a small number of samples and would prefer, if possible, a facility in the CT area.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Cheers! Ann
**************** Ann H. Lehman Trinity College EM Facility Hartford, CT 06106 v. 860-297-4289
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 13:00:56 2004
There are a number of do-it-yourself formulas, check John Kiernan's website, any good histotechniques book, or you can buy a commercial product. Making your own has several advantages, cheaper, you can make just the amount you need, and you know exactly what is in it so you can repeat your successes and not repeat your failures. Aqueous mounts usually won't give as "crisp" an image as a dehydrated and cleared specimen, due to different indices of refraction between glass and aqueous materials.
Geoff
Andre Dufresne wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } Hi everyone, } I received a request from a the staff members of our department for a } water soluble mounting medium. He is working with algae and wants to } know if such a product exists. I am only familiar with Permount, } Harleco Synthetic Resin and Canada Balsam used with tissue that has } been processed and sectioned. } Does anyone have experience with such a product? Can you skip the } tissue dehydration process (just fix and cover slip)? What do your } slides look like? How stable is the product and how long does it } last? etc... } Once again I thank all the list supporters in advance for your } knowledgeable responses. If you wish, you may contact me directly at } dufresne-at-ms.umanitoba.ca. Merci. } } André Dufresne } --
********************************************** Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D. Neuroscience and Cell Biology Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029 mcauliff-at-umdnj.edu **********************************************
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 15:06:15 2004
We are considering adding UPS units to our instruments. All of the systems I'm familiar with contain a number of lead-acid gel cell batteries. Right now, we are considering putting the whole instrument (rather than just the computer) on a UPS.
If you power the entire instrument through the UPS, the power draw is significant. Since the gel-cells generally operate a 12 volts, there will be a high current draw if all the power goes through the 12v circuit i.e. a double-conversion system. This suggests that a UPS could be a significant magnetic field generator.
Has anyone experienced problems of this sort? Also since we will need to budget for battery replacement, what kind of lifetime do the battery packs have?
Thanks, Henk Colijn
Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University (614) 292-0674 http://www.ceof.ohio-state.edu Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all at once. Lately it doesn't seem to be working.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 19:08:31 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (subramss-at-email.uc.edu) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Thursday, July 22, 2004 at 18:38:51 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] M&M 04 Conference accomodations help
Question: Dear Friends,
I am a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering. I will be presenting my research at the Savannah conference.
Travel expenses and registration fees have severely my available funds.I would like to request assistance in obtaining economical accomodation due to the limited finances at my disposal. Any suggestions which can help in procurring economical stay would be greatly appreciated. I am also open to sharing lodging expenses with interested persons.
I would be greatful for any help in this matter.
Sincerely,
Jimble
Srinivas Subramaniam Chemical & Materials Engineering University of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH 45221-0012
} From: Alberto Diaspro {diaspro-at-fisica.unige.it} } Date: 23 luglio 2004 5:04:32 CET } To: Confocal List Microscopy {CONFOCAL-at-LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU} , } 'Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com' community } {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com} } Subject: [Microscopy] Villa Gualino School on Single Molecule Biophysics, Turin, } Italy Sept 6-12 } } Dear friends, } in September will be held a SIngle Molecule Biophysics School in Turin. } See you there! } All my best } Alby } } } } SINGLE MOLECULE BIOPHYSICS } Villa Gualino, Turin, September 6-12 } } } } Directors of the School : } } Franco Conti CNR-Istituto di Biofisica Via dei Marini, 6 16149 Genova } Tel. 010-6475577 Fax 010-6475500 E-mail conti-at-ge.ibf.cnr.it } } Alberto Diaspro Universita' di Genova Dipartimento di Fisica Via } Dodecaneso 33 16146 Genova Tel. 010-3536426/480 E-mail } diaspro-at-fisica.unige.it } } } } Lecturers: } } M. Bolognesi (Università di Genova) } } G. Chirico (Universita’ di Milano Bicocca) } } D. Dunlap (Istituto Scientifico San raffaele, Milano) } } L. Finzi (Universita' Statale di Milano) } } A. Gliozzi (Università di Genova) } } E. Gratton (University of Illinois, Urbana, USA) } } J. Langowski (German Cancer Research Center,Heidelberg, Germany) } } C. Miller (Brandeis University, Waltham,USA) } } O. Moran (Istituto di Biofisica CNR, Genova ) } } F. Pavone (Università di Firenze) } } B. Samorì (Università di Bologna) } } S. M. Simon, (Rockefeller University, New York, USA) } } H. Vogel (Institute de Science Biomoleculaire, Lausanne, Switzerland) } SISTEMI DI NON } } } } Scientific Advisory board: Guido Boffetta (Universita' di Torino), } Franco Conti (CNR- Istituto di Biofisica), Alberto Diaspro } (Universita' di Genova) Francesco Pegoraro (Universita' di Pisa), } Mario Rasetti (Politecnico di Torino), Elena Tresso (Politecnico di } Torino), Angelo Vulpiani (Universita' di Roma) } } Organization: Fondazione I.S.I., c/o Villa Gualino Viale Settimio } Severo, 65 - 10133 Torino Tel. +39-011-6603090 Fax. +39-011-6600049 } E-mail:segreteria-at-isi36a.isi.it } } website: http://www.isi.it/42/events_detail.html } } Sponsored by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, del Politecnico } di Torino e della Regione Piemonte. } } } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ---------------------------- } Alberto Diaspro, Department of Physics, University of Genoa } Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy } facsimile +39-010314218 - voice +39-0103536426/480/309 } URL: http://www.lambs.it } http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471409200.html } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ---------------------------
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 22 22:15:08 2004
Hello Jonathan, Personnaly, I like the calendar published by the american registry of pathology. I do not remember who had sent an e-mail to this list concerning this calendar, but I have ordered it (it is free) and love it. (website : www.afip.org ) Could be an idea ... Danièle
-----Message d'origine----- De : Jon Krupp [mailto:jmkrupp-at-cats.ucsc.edu] Envoyé : jeudi 22 juillet 2004 00:10 À : microscopy-at-microscopy.com Objet : Microscope souvenirs ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Hi:
We are having a new TEM installed in our lab. The PI in charge wants to thank the staff who have helped with the project by having a 'scope warming' event and pass out some kind of microscope souvenir, like a keychain, miniature microscope, or something equally cheap, but thoughtful.
Probably fewer than 10 would be needed, anybody have ideas and/or where such things could be found?
Thanks
Jonathan Krupp Microscopy & Imaging Lab University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (831) 459-2477 jmkrupp-at-cats.ucsc.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 08:08:51 2004
-----Original Message----- } From: Hendrik O. Colijn [mailto:colijn.1-at-osu.edu] Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 4:16 PM To: Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com
Hendrik,
This may not answer you whole need, but the turbo pump power on our Hitachi S-900 has a battery back up that uses lead-acid cells. The pump uses a magnetically levitated bearing, and the batteries are only to maintain this for a brief power outage, or to spin down the pump in case of a longer outage. For us, the batteries are recommended to be replaced every year, but actually last 18 months, maybe 2 years, if we're feeling adventurous.
Phil
} Hi all, } } We are considering adding UPS units to our instruments. All of the } systems I'm familiar with contain a number of lead-acid gel cell } batteries. Right now, we are considering putting the whole } instrument (rather than just the computer) on a UPS. } } If you power the entire instrument through the UPS, the power draw } is significant. Since the gel-cells generally operate a 12 volts, } there will be a high current draw if all the power goes through the } 12v circuit i.e. a double-conversion system. This suggests that a } UPS could be a significant magnetic field generator. } } Has anyone experienced problems of this sort? Also since we will } need to budget for battery replacement, what kind of lifetime do the } battery packs have? } } Thanks, } Henk Colijn } } } Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu } Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University } (614) 292-0674 http://www.ceof.ohio-state.edu } Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all } at once. Lately it doesn't seem to be working.
-- Philip Oshel Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility Department of Animal Sciences University of Wisconsin 1675 Observatory Drive Madison, WI 53706 - 1284 voice: (608) 263-4162 fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 09:27:45 2004
Dear All, I suspect I am not alone in spending much of my time measuring dimensions from micrographs. As we will soon have a new TEM with digital image capture, I am starting to wonder whether there is some software which will automate this to some extent. I am thinking of something which will be able to recognise bands of (fairly) constant contrast, determine its orientation (Hough transform?), determine how many different bands there are, extract a line profile by averaging and measure the width of each based on some criterion (e.g. mid-way between the two contrast levels). The same of course applies to SEM, optical or indeed any other kind of image where dimensions are measured. I know this is asking a lot from image processing, but it seems quite feasible. Or I can just carry on using a ruler..
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 10:23:42 2004
My system currently runs with two Toshiba 1400xl Plus 6KVA dual conversion UPS units. These run from 120/208/240 VAC and output same voltages during run and backup.
One unit runs the SEM and its pumps while the other unit runs the chiller and compressor. The PCs and all other 120VAC units are run from the SEM's UPS. Output voltage is regulated to +- 2% and can handle over voltage and brownouts.
These UPS units use 18 12VDC 7.2Amp sealed lead acid batteries all connected in series. There is a large transformer in the UPS which is used to invert the rectified line AC or directly from the batteries. I find no stray magnetic interference from these systems either when in AC operation or backup operation.
Battery life is between three to four years. From Digikey, the batteries are about $16 each. With care, they can be user replaced. Outside service typically charges $30 per battery plus $125 per hour labor.
That said, I would not recommend the Toshiba units as they are now difficult if not impossible to repair. Battery replacement is OK but if an electronic problem occurs, I have not located anyone who will service the units. Perhaps check into Liebert units. They seem to be more predominant in the states.
gary g.
At 05:11 AM 7/23/2004, you wrote:
} -----Original Message----- } } From: Hendrik O. Colijn [mailto:colijn.1-at-osu.edu] } Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 4:16 PM } To: Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } Subject: [Microscopy] UPS systems and magnetic fields } } } } Hi all, } } We are considering adding UPS units to our instruments. All of the systems } I'm familiar with contain a number of lead-acid gel cell batteries. Right } now, we are considering putting the whole instrument (rather than just the } computer) on a UPS. } } If you power the entire instrument through the UPS, the power draw is } significant. Since the gel-cells generally operate a 12 volts, there will } be a high current draw if all the power goes through the 12v circuit i.e. a } double-conversion system. This suggests that a UPS could be a significant } magnetic field generator. } } Has anyone experienced problems of this sort? Also since we will need to } budget for battery replacement, what kind of lifetime do the battery packs } have? } } Thanks, } Henk Colijn } } } Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu } Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University } (614) 292-0674 http://www.ceof.ohio-state.edu } Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all at } once. Lately it doesn't seem to be working. } --------------------------------------- } } Hello Henk, } } I have (only) my computers on 1kVA UPS systems, so cannot speak from direct } experience about one large enough to power the entire EM system. Some } generalizations... } } While most small UPS systems do run on 12 volts, I think you will find that } one of sufficient capacity to run your entire system will use a higher } voltage - 24, 48, 120, or more. ...An obvious attempt to reduce current for } a given power. } } Never the less, the systems employ "switching" technology which generates } significant high frequency EMI. If properly designed, using steel cases } (...possibly Mu metal shielding) and appropriate I/O filtering, they can be } rather "quiet". Without proper shielding and filtering, they can be pretty } good broadband transmitters. } } I would consult with the application department of the UPS suppliers you are } considering and specifically ask about EMI radiation specifications for the } units under consideration. } } Good Luck, } Woody }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 11:02:41 2004
Jonathan, This is a beautiful calender I agree however a donation was requested to cover the costs if they are still available. It was quite some time ago that I had received mine. Pat Connelly U of P , Biology psconnel-at-sas.upenn.edu ++++++++++++++++++ } We are having a new TEM installed in our lab. The PI in charge wants to } thank the staff who have helped with the project by having a 'scope } warming' event and pass out some kind of microscope souvenir, like a } keychain, miniature microscope, or something equally cheap, but thoughtful. } } Jonathan Krupp } Microscopy & Imaging Lab } University of California } Santa Cruz, CA 95064 } (831) 459-2477 } jmkrupp-at-cats.ucsc.edu } ================== } Hello Jonathan, } Personnaly, I like the calendar published by the } american registry of pathology. I do not } remember who had sent an e-mail to this list } concerning this calendar, but I have ordered it } (it is free) and love it. (website : } www.afip.org ) } Could be an idea ... } } Danièle Spehner, INSERM EPI 99-08 - EFS-Alsace } 10 rue Spielmann - 67065 STRASBOURG } tel : 03 88 21 25 25 - fax : 03 88 21 25 44 } e-mail : daniele.spehner-at-efs-alsace.fr
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 12:05:59 2004
Hello Everyone, Thanks for your advice with our new(ish) XL30 ESEM W TMP from FEI. The microscope was working for a week with the new power supply, but voltage problems in our building I think killed the power supply and power distribution board in the ESEM computer. I'm faced with either replacing the power supply and distribution board or rebuilding the whole system.
I was wondering if anyone knew what systems I could go up to that the XL30 software would support? Anyone ever upgrade their computers? I was thinking of going with Pentium 3 or 4 system and trying to reinstall the software.
Again, any advice will be appreciated. We are setting up a Sola voltage system to correct voltage problems. Thanks, Gordon
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 13:03:35 2004
Henk; We have our JEOL 2010F on a UPS to protect the FEG tip, and the UPS needs to be located a LONG distance from the TEM due to magnetic fields. Something like 30 feet.
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Hendrik O. Colijn [mailto:colijn.1-at-osu.edu] Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 1:16 PM To: Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com
Hi all,
We are considering adding UPS units to our instruments. All of the systems I'm familiar with contain a number of lead-acid gel cell batteries. Right now, we are considering putting the whole instrument (rather than just the computer) on a UPS.
If you power the entire instrument through the UPS, the power draw is significant. Since the gel-cells generally operate a 12 volts, there will be a high current draw if all the power goes through the 12v circuit i.e. a double-conversion system. This suggests that a UPS could be a significant magnetic field generator.
Has anyone experienced problems of this sort? Also since we will need to budget for battery replacement, what kind of lifetime do the battery packs have?
Thanks, Henk Colijn
Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University (614) 292-0674 http://www.ceof.ohio-state.edu Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all at once. Lately it doesn't seem to be working.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 14:25:32 2004
We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane with alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know if there is any other way to do it faster?
Thank you
Jafar
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 16:01:35 2004
On Jul 23, 2004, at 3:32 PM, Jafar Al-Sharab wrote:
} We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane } with alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know } if there is any other way to do it faster? } Dear Jafar, Are you using W or LaB6 filaments? The former requires an abrasive and I've used Pol and Wenol, which are pastes and may be faster than Cl3F3Et + Al2O3. NH4OH will dissolve LaB6 without abrasive, and it is a lot less work than using abrasive. Since NH4OH is easier to remove than Al2O3, the total process should be quicker even though you will have to leave the Wehnelt in the NH4OH for longer than it takes to polish it with abrasive; furthermore, there is no chance of leaving scratches with NH4OH. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 16:27:33 2004
Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. What I want to do is to embed my powder sample in some kind of epoxy and then section it after it is cured. M-bond 610 is usually used to make cross section samples, right?
Ling
--- Karin Pruessner {kpruessn-at-uno.edu} wrote: } } Hi Ling, } } it depends what you actually want to do and what } your material is, but both } M-Bond AE 15 and M-Bond 610 from Vishay (Measurement } Group) in Raleigh, NC } are suitable for use in a 200 kV TEM. } } Karin } } } } } At 10:30 AM 7/22/2004 -0700, you wrote: } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The } Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } } Hi, } } } } Can anyone suggest an embedding epoxy for 200kV } TEM? } } Thanks in advance. } } } } Ling } } } } ===== } } Ling Pan, Ph.D. } } 195 Materials Research Institute } } The Pennsylvania State University } } University Park, PA 16802 } } Tel: (814) 863-1096 } } Fax: (814) 863-8561 } } } } } } } } } } __________________________________________________ } } Do You Yahoo!? } } Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam } protection around } } http://mail.yahoo.com } }
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 17:46:07 2004
My advisor, Will Bigelow, taught me over 30 years ago (geez, has it been that long?) that if you want to clean stainless steel, use stainless steel cleaner. Revere Ware stainless steel cleaner is still available in Home Depot, is aqueous, so it leaves no oily residue to outgas, and the wehnelt ends up clean enough to eat off of..............
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Bill Tivol [mailto:tivol-at-caltech.edu] Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 2:15 PM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
On Jul 23, 2004, at 3:32 PM, Jafar Al-Sharab wrote:
} We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane } with alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know } if there is any other way to do it faster? } Dear Jafar, Are you using W or LaB6 filaments? The former requires an abrasive and I've used Pol and Wenol, which are pastes and may be faster than Cl3F3Et + Al2O3. NH4OH will dissolve LaB6 without abrasive, and it is a lot less work than using abrasive. Since NH4OH is easier to remove than Al2O3, the total process should be quicker even though you will have to leave the Wehnelt in the NH4OH for longer than it takes to polish it with abrasive; furthermore, there is no chance of leaving scratches with NH4OH. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 19:15:23 2004
1. Get spare Wehnelt, clean it and store in the hermetically sealed plastic bag. Use pre-cleaned wehnelt to service the instrument and clean used one at your convenience.
2. To ease cleaning, soak the used Wehnelt overnight in diluted solution of the cleaner used for surgical SST instruments, like Alconox or other. Rinse thoroughly in DI water and then clean or polish as you do usually. Concentration for the soaking solution will have to be found empirically, as it depends on the particular cleaner you use and contaminants.
3. Use high quality DI instead of tap water to dilute your cleaner, works much better.
4. "Handbook of electron tube and vacuum techniques" by Fred Rosebury, AVS Classics series, lists on page 15 few acid-based recipes for SST cleaning. SS-3, based on HF and HNO3 at room temperature should dissolve any contaminants, including tungsten, quite rapidly, but I would rather prefer to use milder cleaner and some polishing then deal with HF.
Hope it helps,
Valery Ray Particle Beam Systems & Technology, PBS&T www.partbeamsystech.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} Dear All, }
We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane with alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know if there is any other way to do it faster?
Thank you
Jafar
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 23 20:09:58 2004
We are looking for a new epoxy for wedge prep to replace our G2 and M-Bond. The epoxy should have high penetrating ability so that it can flow into some 90nm trenches, can cure at room temperature, and will not be softened by acetone. If there are any suggestions, please post them. Thank you.
John Mardinly Intel
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sat Jul 24 09:46:47 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (chenhong-at-mailst.xjtu.edu.cn) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/Ask-A-Microscopist/Ask-A-Microscopist.html on Saturday, July 24, 2004 at 03:29:24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: chenhong-at-mailst.xjtu.edu.cn Name: Chen Hong
Organization: Xi'an JiaoTong Univ.
Education: Graduate College
Location: XI'an ShaanXi P.R.China
Question: Hello, I am searching for a microscope to observe the specimen put in the middle of a 20*30*20cm water tank, the working distance should be about 7cm and the magnification should be about 150X.
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Caroline
-- Caroline Schooley Project MICRO Coordinator Microscopy Society of America Box 117, 45301 Caspar Point Road Caspar, CA 95420 Phone/FAX (707)964-9460 Project MICRO: http://www.msa.microscopy.com/ProjectMicro/ Intertidal invertebrates: http://www.fortbragg.k12.ca.us/AG/marinelab.html
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sat Jul 24 16:45:18 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (taylor-at-research.ge.com) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Saturday, July 24, 2004 at 16:11:28 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: taylor-at-research.ge.com Name: Seth Taylor
Organization: GE Research
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: Embedding media for hydride particles
Question: Hi folks,
Can anyone suggest appropriate embedding media for room temperature microtomy of metal hydride particles? The hydride particles are highly reactive and foam extensively when placed in epoxy (presumably due to reaction with oxygen). I have also tried using paraffin as an embedding medium (for cryo-microtomy), but unfortunately that material is highly beam sensitive in the TEM. Ideally, I'd like to use something that won't react with the hydrides, can be microtomed at room temperature, and won't damage extensively under the electron beam. If carbon coating the microtomed sections is necessary, that won't be a problem.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.
We are in the final phase of construction of a new material science and chemical engineering building that will also accommodate a TEM facility (JEOL-2010F & Topcon-002B). Much work and thought has gone into the design of the facility; such as isolating the concrete foundation/floor slab, as well as distancing 3-phase electrical services, large current devices, e.g. motors, etc. and large vibration sources, e.g. elevator. However, there remain a few areas of concern for which we are soliciting feedback.
1) Regarding TEM room air temperature stability, we noticed exhaust ducts in lieu of the traditional return air ducts that are coupled with room air supply ducts. We presented the JEOL installation requirements to the building engineers prior to the ground breaking. However, we are concerned whether sufficient attention to the necessary HVAC details have been addressed. Subsequently, we are considering obtaining the services of a consultant with the appropriate HVAC qualifications pertaining to room air delivery and control for a TEM facility. Does anyone have a recommendation?
2) We have requested that any metal work (electrical systems, conduit, ducts, fire sprinklers, etc.) not directly associated with the TEMs be removed from within a 12-foot diameter floor-to-ceiling cylinder centered on the TEM column. The question was raised whether the conduit for electrical, smoke/fire detection systems attached to the 12-foot ceiling (concrete floor above the column) would also need to be relocated. Can any one share their knowledge and/or experience in this area?
3) Is anti-static flooring in a TEM room necessary? Is this more important to those servicing the TEM compared to it being necessary for the TEM operator?
We are requiring that JEOL perform a site survey to qualify the rooms before relocating the TEMs to this new facility.
Thank you in advance for your responses.
Thomas A. Rawdanowicz North Carolina State University Department of Materials Science & Engineering 2142 Burlington Engineering Lab., Box 7916 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7916
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 25 09:26:40 2004
} } } } The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York invites applications for } } the Director of the Microscopy Shared Research Facility. The facility } } is one of 10 institutional Shared Research Facilities that bring } } state-of-the-art instrumentation and methodologies crucial to modern } } biomedical research within the reach of all faculty and graduate } } students. The director will have a faculty appointment and advancement } } in either the Research or Academic Track. } } } } This institutional multi-user, microscopy facility includes: a BioRad } } Radiance multi-photon laser scanning microscopy system, 2 confocal } } laser scanning microscopes (Zeiss 510 META and Leica TCS-SP-uv), a TEM } } equipped with a CCD camera, ultramicrotomes, a cryoultramicrotome, 3 } } widefield fluorescence microscopes, a live-cell imaging system and } } several computers with various image analysis and digital deconvolution } } programs. } } } } The director will oversee and participate in microscopy-based projects, } } consult with research scientists for experimental design and review of } } results, train facility users in microscope operation & image analysis, } } participate in grant writing, and supervise 2 full time technicians. } } Teaching in the medical & graduate schools is also possible. } } } } Applicants should send a cv or resume including the names of two } } references to } } } } Sandra K. Masur, PhD } } Faculty Coordinator Shared Research Facilities } } Dean for Faculty Development } } Professor of Ophthalmology } } } } Mount Sinai School of Medicine } } Box 1183 } } 1 Gustave Levy Place } } New York NY 10029-6574 } } telephone: 212-241-0089 } } fax: 212-289-5945 } } } } sandra.masur-at-mssm.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 25 14:26:09 2004
2 cents on metal conduits in EM lab: keeping them away from the TEM will only help in any case. More important however is to make sure that conduits will not carry any ground loop currents. In some areas code requires to connect ground of electrical loads and ground pins of the electrical outlets not only to the dedicated ground wire, but ALSO to the metal conduits. If this is a case in your area, the conduit may carry significant AC currents and become a source of strong EMI.
Cheers,
Valery Ray Particle Beam Systems & Technology } www.partbeamsystech.com
--- "Thomas A. Rawdanowicz" {tarawdan-at-unity.ncsu.edu} wrote:
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The } Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } We are in the final phase of construction of a new } material science and } chemical engineering building that will also } accommodate a TEM facility } (JEOL-2010F & Topcon-002B). Much work and thought } has gone into the design } of the facility; such as isolating the concrete } foundation/floor slab, as } well as distancing 3-phase electrical services, } large current devices, e.g. } motors, etc. and large vibration sources, e.g. } elevator. However, there } remain a few areas of concern for which we are } soliciting feedback. } } 1) Regarding TEM room air temperature stability, we } noticed exhaust ducts in } lieu of the traditional return air ducts that are } coupled with room air } supply ducts. We presented the JEOL installation } requirements to the } building engineers prior to the ground breaking. } However, we are concerned } whether sufficient attention to the necessary HVAC } details have been } addressed. Subsequently, we are considering } obtaining the services of a } consultant with the appropriate HVAC qualifications } pertaining to room air } delivery and control for a TEM facility. Does anyone } have a recommendation? } } 2) We have requested that any metal work (electrical } systems, conduit, } ducts, fire sprinklers, etc.) not directly } associated with the TEMs be } removed from within a 12-foot diameter } floor-to-ceiling cylinder centered on } the TEM column. The question was raised whether the } conduit for electrical, } smoke/fire detection systems attached to the 12-foot } ceiling (concrete floor } above the column) would also need to be relocated. } Can any one share their } knowledge and/or experience in this area? } } 3) Is anti-static flooring in a TEM room necessary? } Is this more important } to those servicing the TEM compared to it being } necessary for the TEM } operator? } } We are requiring that JEOL perform a site survey to } qualify the rooms before } relocating the TEMs to this new facility. } } Thank you in advance for your responses. } } } Thomas A. Rawdanowicz } North Carolina State University } Department of Materials Science & Engineering } 2142 Burlington Engineering Lab., Box 7916 } Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7916 } } } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 25 14:38:52 2004
The easiest way of measuring high resistivity is to use picoammeter and a voltage source to measure leakage current flowing through high-resistivity sample. I like Keithley 6487 model (no commercial interest here), since it combines the picoammeter and a voltage source in one unit. See this page:
and also a "Low Level Measurements" book from Keithley Instruments (it is a free literature) for the details on high resistivity measurement techniques.
On the other note, I am not sure that mixing conductive powder with the resin will reduce resistivity before impacting the transparency. To affect resistivity, conductive particles should be close enough so some current will start tunneling between them. By that time optical transparency could be significantly impacted... .
Does anyone of listers aware of optically transparent conductive glue? I'd be very interested to know if it exists.
Back to the charging issue, why can't you use a FIB to deposit a narrow conductive stripe (C, Pt, W, or Au, whatever is available to you) between the die and a sample holder? Use low current for deposition close to the die to minimize overspray. If distance from the sample holder to the die is prohibitive for FIB deposition, use some sliver-paint, applied under a microscope, to get close to the die first, and then FIB deposition to connect the die to a silver paint. Thin layer of carbon can also be deposited by imaging in oil-contaminated SEM. Other approach to deal with charging would be to image a die by ESEM in a water vapor atmosphere.
Hope it helps,
Valery Ray Particle Beam Systems & Technology www.partbeamsystech.com
The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America {BR} To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver {BR} On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html {BR} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- {BR} {BR} Hi all! {BR} {BR} To solve the charging phenomenon problem of HR FESEM observations, in my {BR} application (polished cross-sections of Silicium dies samples, coated in {BR} epoxy resin, i'm trying to chargea very little quantity of resin with a {BR} very little quantity of metal powder (copper, silver graphite), in {BR} order to keep the resin transparent, just enough to evacuate charges. {BR} {BR} Is there a way to measure the very high resistivity of this charged {BR} resin? {BR} {BR} My goal is to obtain resistivities { 10e12 ohm*cm... {BR} {BR} thanx in advance {BR} {BR} Sylvain MAURY {BR} {BR} {BR} {/BLOCKQUOTE} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV}
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 25 15:19:11 2004
Wow! That sounds really laborious, as I imagine you will be battling with the evaporation of the tric while you're doing it.
I sonicate mine in a concentrated ammonia solution (about 30% of the lab 'concentrated') for about 10 minutes. This dissolves much of the deposit and softens the rest.
Then I polish with household silver cleaner ('Silvo' brand). This is a slightly abrasive runny cream. I have been told that the one for silver is less abrasive than the one for brass ('Brasso').
Then I wash it under the hot tap, rinse with methanol, and dry it with tissues.
Takes about 30 minutes from go to whoa.
cheers
rtch
Date sent: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 15:32:14 -0700 To: microscopy-at-ns.microscopy.com } From: Jafar Al-Sharab {jafarhan-at-rci.rutgers.edu}
So far I have received 8 automated 'Out of Office' replies to my posting of about two hours ago, and I guess I'll receive a similar number from this one.
Guys, this is not reasonable, and it's a decided inhibition to making a posting.
On the XRF and Plasma listservers, subscribers who clutter the ether and posters' inboxes with "Out of Office Auto Reply" messages are summararily unsubscribed.
If you're going away, how about temporarily unsubscribing from the list?
Nestor, do you have any policy/recommendations on this?
While I'm at it, I suppose I may as well make myself really unpopular ------ I think that everyone who posts should identify themselves, as a courtesy.
Signatures are real easy to do.
Happy Monday morning, from one whose Mondays start before anyone else's.
cheers
rtch
-- Ritchie Sims Ph D Phone : 64 9 3737599 ext 87713 Microanalyst Fax : 64 9 3737435 Department of Geology email : r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 25 18:51:36 2004
In short, the reason for the DP valve is: How do you know what is plugged if you can't eliminate the DP line as a possible cause of lower flow? Yes, you could install three branch flow meters with individual shutoffs to isolate the cause. With three meters you can instantly tell which line or lines are plugged.
You now know where the blockage is. What do you do next? If the lens lines are plugged, then how do you apply full or low partial back pressure with an open DP line bypassing most of the flow? Isolating the DP line means you can forward or backwards flush the lens lines without loss of pressure or bypass through the DP line.
If you apply nitrogen, like you can on a Philips, then an open DP line will again bypass the gas.
The DP valve gives your serviceman more options to control how he is going to try to dislodge or cleanout the blockage. He can use nitrogen or water. He can flush all lines or eliminate the DP line. He can vary the bypass amount in the DP line with a partially closed DP valve.
Ditto all that with the lens end caps that fit onto the bulkhead union water fittings on a Philips.
The DP valve is a clean install and easy to do. A Nupro brass valve with tubing port connections works fine in the DP line.
Paul
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Sun Jul 25 19:45:34 2004
It deals both points that you raise, namely - it says 1.) people should identify themselves and 2.) not to use " Out of the Office", but unsubscribe.
Unfortunately, (for you) the out of office replies only go to the poster they don't go to the list. This was they only way I can manage the system. I can't realistically police this one. Unless I get reports of abuse, or mail loops start. If this happens, then I step in and remove the individual. But I have to know about the problem.
So... by making this posting I'll presumably get the same number of Out-of-the-Office posting you just got.
Sigh...
Nestor Your Friendly Neighborhood SysOp
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 04:47:35 2004
We used to use cleaning paste etc until a service engineer showed me an easier method. Now I sonicate in about 5% Decon 90, rinse and sonicate in acetone.
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } } Dear All, } } } } We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane with } alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know if there } is any other way to do it faster? } } Thank you } } Jafar } } } } } This incoming email to UWE has been independently scanned for viruses and any virus detected has been removed using McAfee anti-virus software }
---------------------------------------- Patton, David Email: David.Patton-at-uwe.ac.uk "University of the West of England"
This email has been independently scanned for viruses and any virus detected has been removed using McAfee anti-virus software
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 07:03:49 2004
If you use abrasive polishing, here is a labor saving hint.
Wooden shaft cotton swabs will fit a 3/32" collet for a "Dremel Tool" (small rotary grinder). Cut the swab so that only a very short piece of shaft protrudes from the collet or it will break off. Wear safety glasses.
I use POL or Wenol with the "high speed rotary q-tip" and it is very effective.
Hint 2: To clean the ID of the hole, break (or cut) the swab shaft to a taper and use only the tapered wooden shaft and some polishing compound.
Woody
Woody White BWXT Services: http://www.bwxt.com/bwxt.html My Site: http://woody.white.home.att.net
-----Original Message----- } From: Jafar Al-Sharab [mailto:jafarhan-at-rci.rutgers.edu] Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 6:32 PM To: microscopy-at-ns.microscopy.com
} Dear All, }
We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane with alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know if there is any other way to do it faster?
Thank you
Jafar
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 07:31:15 2004
One method I was taught years ago by a service tech was that any plated parts could be cleaned by immersion in plain household ammonia, (not the sudsy type) or a 5% solution of ammonium hydroxide. Depending on how contaminated the cap is, it will take 5 to 20 minutes. The plus side of this method is, a quick rinse in distilled water followed by alcohol or acetone and the cap is ready for use.
Mannie Steglich Tech Dir E M Lab U T M D Anderson Cancer Center
Jafar Al-Sharab {jafarhan-at-rci.rutgers.edu}
07/23/2004 05:32 PM
To: microscopy-at-ns.microscopy.com cc:
} Dear All, }
We normally Clean the Wehnelt of our TEM with Trichlorofluoroethane with alumina powder. The process takes some time. Does anybody know if there is any other way to do it faster?
Thank you
Jafar
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 08:03:50 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (Gervais.Sawyer-at-bcuc.ac.uk) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Monday, July 26, 2004 at 03:16:58 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: I have been asked to image 50 micron glass spheres used as filler in animal adhesive formulations to see if the adhesive has wetted the beads. Can anybody suggest a suitable microscopy technique? Any EM approach requiring drying regimes will surely only give artefacts.
Hi Gervais, It is possible that viewing the beads through phase contrast or Nomarski optics would let you distinguish beads that have been coated with adhesive from those that havent. The latter technique would be more useful if you expect that a poorly wet bead would have a patchy distribution over the surface of the beads (as opposed to all or nothing wetting). Whether these methods will actually work would depend on the refractive index of the adhesive, how thick a layer it forms, and what kind of a layer it forms, impossible for me to predict from first principles, but easy enough to have a look under the microscope. Hope this helps Tobias Baskin
} Monday, July 26, 2004 at 03:16:58 } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Email: Gervais.Sawyer-at-bcuc.ac.uk } Name: Gervais Sawyer } } Organization: Forest Products Research Centre } } Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: } } Question: I have been asked to image 50 micron glass spheres used as } filler in animal adhesive formulations to see if the adhesive has } wetted the beads. Can anybody suggest a suitable microscopy } technique? Any EM approach requiring drying regimes will surely only } give artefacts. } } Many thanks } } Gervais Sawyer } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To answer your question, I sure do know how to clean a Wehnelt! After almost 40 years in the business it seems to me that people still work with techniques that make this task far too complicated. Set out below is a technique that was developed, like many good ideas, from an initial mistake. Try this out and keep away from any technique that is going to take you hours to follow, there is no real point!
The procedure, like may other maintenance tips, is found on our "Monitoring and Maintaining the Electron Microscope" interactive CD.
There are two parts to an ideal cleaning procedure for an EM
1. Wet cleaning is by far the best route, no cotton, no particles, no fiddling, just liquids doing the job. 2. Having a solvent for the media that you wish to remove (in this case ammonia is a solvent for tungsten)
The Procedure For W The cathode assembly is placed, aperture face upwards, in a beaker of stock ammonia solution diluted 3 parts ammonia to one part water. The stock solution is normally about 40% ammonia. After a maximum of 15 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner the beaker is placed under running water and thoroughly flushed through. Care should taken to ensure that none of the clamping or alignment screws have fallen out of the cathode assembly and could be flushed away! The cathode is then washed with alcohol before being dried with a hair drier. A new filament is fitted and centred. The assembly is checked for cleanliness by observing with a 20X lens or binocular microscope prior to re installation in the microscope. Total time for this procedure less than 25 minutes.
Safety Great care was taken not to allow the ammonia solution to make contact with the skin or eyes of the operator. When flushing the solution through with water its flow should be set so as not to splash the solution over the operator prior to placing the beaker under the flow.
I know this works, try it?
Steve Chapman Senior Consultant Protrain Electron Microscopy Training and Consultancy World Wide Tel +44 (0)1280 816512 Fax +44 (0)1280 814007 Mob +44 (0)7711 606967 www.emcourses.com
----- Original Message ----- } From: "Jafar Al-Sharab" {jafarhan-at-rci.rutgers.edu} To: {microscopy-at-ns.microscopy.com} Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 11:32 PM
Another reason to NOT use the 'Out of office' feature in Outlook is that it automatically replies to randomly generated spam, and sends a signal that the address is a real, live account, in which case the address is recorded, sold to other spammers, etc., which will dramatically increase the amount of spam you get. In addition, your 'out of office' replies are typically undeliverable, which gets you another message from your server, and rapidly fill up your mailbox.
John Mardinly Intel
-----Original Message----- } From: Ritchie Sims [mailto:r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz] Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 4:27 PM To: microscopy-at-ns.microscopy.com
So far I have received 8 automated 'Out of Office' replies to my posting of about two hours ago, and I guess I'll receive a similar number from this one.
Guys, this is not reasonable, and it's a decided inhibition to making a posting.
On the XRF and Plasma listservers, subscribers who clutter the ether and posters' inboxes with "Out of Office Auto Reply" messages are summararily unsubscribed.
If you're going away, how about temporarily unsubscribing from the list?
Nestor, do you have any policy/recommendations on this?
While I'm at it, I suppose I may as well make myself really unpopular ------ I think that everyone who posts should identify themselves, as a courtesy.
Signatures are real easy to do.
Happy Monday morning, from one whose Mondays start before anyone else's.
cheers
rtch
-- Ritchie Sims Ph D Phone : 64 9 3737599 ext 87713 Microanalyst Fax : 64 9 3737435 Department of Geology email : r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 13:02:07 2004
Ritchie, I agree with you partially. If I am going out of town for a week or more, I will unsubscribe, but not for a day or two. However, I want people where I work to know that I am not in the office if they send me a message. I can't edit Outlook to not send it in response to a listserver message -I've tried. I have put "out of office" as a search item to send such messages to a junk email location and then simply delete them later. It is the best solution that I came up with.
-Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Guys Run Rd. (packages) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472 Walck-at-PPG.com (412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8515 (fax)
-----Original Message----- } From: Ritchie Sims [mailto:r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz] Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 7:27 PM To: microscopy-at-ns.microscopy.com
So far I have received 8 automated 'Out of Office' replies to my posting of about two hours ago, and I guess I'll receive a similar number from this one.
Guys, this is not reasonable, and it's a decided inhibition to making a posting.
On the XRF and Plasma listservers, subscribers who clutter the ether and posters' inboxes with "Out of Office Auto Reply" messages are summararily unsubscribed.
If you're going away, how about temporarily unsubscribing from the list?
Nestor, do you have any policy/recommendations on this?
While I'm at it, I suppose I may as well make myself really unpopular ------ I think that everyone who posts should identify themselves, as a courtesy.
Signatures are real easy to do.
Happy Monday morning, from one whose Mondays start before anyone else's.
cheers
rtch
-- Ritchie Sims Ph D Phone : 64 9 3737599 ext 87713 Microanalyst Fax : 64 9 3737435 Department of Geology email : r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 14:25:24 2004
It seems that I have raised a few hackles, but I have received (real replies, not only the inevitable Out of Office Auto Replies) roughly the same amount of support as of opposition.
Here is a possible solution.
To avoid cluttering the ether and the inboxes of others with meaningless auto replies, how's about getting your IT people to provide you with a new and different email alias for list purposes?
Thus to the business world you could remain captainjameskirk-at-starship.com, and to this and other lists you would jim-at-starship.com.
Or whatever rings your bell.
When you are out of the office, you can set your 'business' one to autoreply, while the 'list' address's inbox keeps all the list stuff accumulating until you return.
Sometimes my own brilliance terrifies me.
cheers
rtch
Date sent: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 19:56:49 -0500 To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com } From: "Nestor J. Zaluzec" {zaluzec-at-microscopy.com}
On Jul 24, 2004, at 9:28 PM, Thomas A. Rawdanowicz wrote:
} 1) Regarding TEM room air temperature stability, we noticed exhaust } ducts in } lieu of the traditional return air ducts that are coupled with room air } supply ducts. We presented the JEOL installation requirements to the } building engineers prior to the ground breaking. However, we are } concerned } whether sufficient attention to the necessary HVAC details have been } addressed. Subsequently, we are considering obtaining the services of } a } consultant with the appropriate HVAC qualifications pertaining to room } air } delivery and control for a TEM facility. Does anyone have a } recommendation? } } 2) We have requested that any metal work (electrical systems, conduit, } ducts, fire sprinklers, etc.) not directly associated with the TEMs be } removed from within a 12-foot diameter floor-to-ceiling cylinder } centered on } the TEM column. The question was raised whether the conduit for } electrical, } smoke/fire detection systems attached to the 12-foot ceiling (concrete } floor } above the column) would also need to be relocated. Can any one share } their } knowledge and/or experience in this area? } } 3) Is anti-static flooring in a TEM room necessary? Is this more } important } to those servicing the TEM compared to it being necessary for the TEM } operator? } } We are requiring that JEOL perform a site survey to qualify the rooms } before } relocating the TEMs to this new facility. } Dear Thomas, 1) We had consultants in to evaluate our A/C system, and, based on the temperature stability and maximum air flow rate requirements, they suggested ~60 ft^2 of exhaust manifold. Furthermore, the original A/C setup was designed to use a baseboard exhaust that had been proposed for the evacuation of SF6--apparently the designers thought that combining the two functions would be more efficient. Unfortunately, that design did not draw the air past the TEM column, so we had to redo the A/C exhaust completely. 2) We did not relocate the conduit for lights, fire sprinklers, or other electrical lines, but there is no measurable effect on EM stray fields, nor was there any problem meeting the specs for the EM. It is never a bad idea to move current-carrying wires away from the column, and, if your scope operates at a voltage lower than 300 kV, you may see effects from smaller fields than would affect our scope. 3) We did not put in anti-static flooring, and we have not seen any problem. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 16:39:12 2004
good idea on the surface. But I suspect that Nestor won't like it.
As I found out some many months ago, Nestor has each member's e-mail address linked to the group/list. Each person can only have one address. I had tried to get a second address subscribed but no go. perhaps identical TLDs makes a difference. But probably not.
I would suggest that when Out of Office is turned on that the Subject line include that. Not all do this. If it is in the subject line, my incoming filter will delete the whole Out of Office message. That is handy and appreciated.
gary g.
At 12:39 PM 7/26/2004, you wrote:
} It seems that I have raised a few hackles, but I have received (real } replies, not only the } inevitable Out of Office Auto Replies) roughly the same amount of support } as of } opposition. } } Here is a possible solution. } } To avoid cluttering the ether and the inboxes of others with meaningless } auto replies, } how's about getting your IT people to provide you with a new and different } email alias } for list purposes? } } Thus to the business world you could remain captainjameskirk-at-starship.com, } and to } this and other lists you would jim-at-starship.com. } } Or whatever rings your bell. } } When you are out of the office, you can set your 'business' one to } autoreply, while the } 'list' address's inbox keeps all the list stuff accumulating until you return. } } Sometimes my own brilliance terrifies me. } } cheers } } rtch } } } } } Date sent: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 19:56:49 -0500 } To: microscopy-at-microscopy.com } } From: "Nestor J. Zaluzec" {zaluzec-at-microscopy.com} } Subject: [Microscopy] Administrivia: Out of Office Replies.. } } } } } } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } } -------- The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society } } of America To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver On-Line Help } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } } --------- } } } } } } Richtie } } } } Yes there is a policy, which has been in place for over decade, it is } } in the Rules/FAQ that everyone receives, when they subscribe. } } } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } } } It deals both points that you raise, namely - it says } } 1.) people should identify themselves and } } 2.) not to use " Out of the Office", but unsubscribe. } } } } Unfortunately, (for you) the out of office replies only go to the } } poster they don't go to the list. This was they only way I can manage } } the system. I can't realistically police this one. Unless I get } } reports of abuse, or mail loops start. If this happens, then I step in } } and remove the individual. But I have to know about the problem. } } } } So... by making this posting I'll presumably get the same number of } } Out-of-the-Office posting you just got. } } } } Sigh... } } } } Nestor } } Your Friendly Neighborhood SysOp } } } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 20:15:11 2004
What you said below is not completely correct. It is true there is a problem with your particular domain(s). That, however, is only a function of how you were trying to use the system. Yours is a special case, which we never solved satisfactorially.
In any event, there are a number of people subscribed at multiple addresses. I, for example, receive Listserver Email at 3 different addresses. I do this as a monitoring as well as a convenience function, other people do it for reasons that which have been discussed previously.
If someone wishes to subscribe 2 different Email address that is perfectly acceptable. I only remind everyone that posting to the Listserver is only permitted from a user whose "Email Header/Envelope" has a return address which is on the master subscription list, and this address MUST be an EXACT match with the subscription address.
If you are forced by your Employer to use out of the office protocols, then setting up a 2nd Email address which only receives Listserver mail, could solve your problem.
The key to making this "solution" work is that these have to be 2 different "mailboxes", not aliases to the same mailbox. Email addresses which point to the same destination mailbox will not work. The reason for this is obvious, your Out of the Office message is conntect to your "mailbox" not with your Email address.
The subtleness of this difference is beyond the bounds of this list and I do not wish to bore the world with the details.
If someone has any more detailed questions, just contact me off-line
Cheers...
Nestor Your Friendly Neighborhood SysOp
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 20:59:36 2004
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (jmurray-at-rjlg.com) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Monday, July 26, 2004 at 09:24:13 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: We are looking for image software which automatically overlays information (such as scale or some other relevant info) on optical microscopy images. Are there any products out there that currently have this capability?
I know you can add info with Photoshop, but I am looking for a more automated method which adds the info as photo is taken.
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (mccaulak-at-wfu.edu) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Monday, July 26, 2004 at 12:38:18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: I am looking for any suggestions regarding the visualization of the neural tracer cholera toxin subunit B, CTB, in tissue sections.
The CTB was injected into either the eye or the cortex and allowed to transport for 2 days. The tissue was fixed and sliced and now I am attempting to label the CTB with DAB. The CTB has biotin conjugated to it already. Since it already has biotin, I have tried proceeding with an ABC reaction (Vector Kit) and then DAB. Twice, varying the time in ABC, the reaction has not worked.
Besides CTB concentration and injection issues as possible causes of the failure, I am trying to determine if the visualization reaction I am trying to perform is correct. If anybody can make any suggestions for visualizing something already tagged with biotin, I would appreciate it.
Sometimes the out of office replies are generated by an inhouse Microsoft Exchange mail server. The IT person in charge of the server can set it to send/not send out of office replies to the internet. Seems that most mail admins don't turn off Microsoft's default to send OOF replies to the whole world. The person using Outlook sometimes has no real control over this function.
Bob
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 22:08:04 2004
ImageJ and Photoshop both have methods for automation. Actually, most imaging software can do this and you may already have these features in the package you are using. However, ImageJ is both extremely powerful and free and Photoshop is extremely popular. -Michael
On Mon, 26 Jul 2004, by way of MicroscopyListserver wrote:
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (jmurray-at-rjlg.com) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Monday, July 26, 2004 at 09:24:13 } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Email: jmurray-at-rjlg.com } Name: Jeff } } Organization: RJ Lee Group } } Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: Optical Microscopy Image Software } } Question: We are looking for image software which automatically overlays information (such as scale or some other relevant info) on optical microscopy images. Are there any products out there that currently have this capability? } } I know you can add info with Photoshop, but I am looking for a more automated method which adds the info as photo is taken. } } --------------------------------------------------------------------------- } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 22:19:30 2004
Sounds like a job for AFM. It can give you a topography image to show where the adhesive is as well as an adhesive force measurement.
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me off-line.
Best regards,
At 08:14 AM 7/26/2004, Gervais.Sawyer-at-bcuc.ac.uk wrote:
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Mon Jul 26 22:35:03 2004
At 10:28 PM 7/26/2004, Barbara Foster wrote: } Dear Gervais, } } Sounds like a job for AFM. It can give you a topography image to show } where the adhesive is as well as an adhesive force measurement. } } If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me off-line. } } Best regards, } Barbara Foster
******************************************************************************************************************* We've moved! MME is now at: 313 S Jupiter Rd, Suite 100 Allen, TX 75002 P: 972-954-8011
} At 08:14 AM 7/26/2004, Gervais.Sawyer-at-bcuc.ac.uk wrote: } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 00:20:29 2004
Gervais Sawyer wrote: =========================================================== Question: I have been asked to image 50 micron glass spheres used as filler in animal adhesive formulations to see if the adhesive has wetted the beads. Can anybody suggest a suitable microscopy technique? Any EM approach requiring drying regimes will surely only give artefacts. ============================================================= This might sound a bit hairbrained, but some years ago we did something similar.
Draw down (using, for example, a tooth pick) on some rigid surface some ordinary 5 minute epoxy. When the epoxy is starting to harden but is still very very tacky, sprinkle some of your glass spheres onto the surface of the curing epoxy. The point is that the epoxy must be hard enough that the glass beads won't sink into it and become submerged.
After it is completely cured, we used our own SPI "Wet Replica Kit" which is our silicone based replication system, see URL http://www.2spi.com/catalog/spec_prep/wet_rep_kits.shtml
The silicone system is spread over the now immobilized glass spheres and when the silicone is removed (and it will lift off easily) there will be a perfect replica of the glass beads and any coatings. The disadvantage of this approach is that one can not go above 700x in the SEM before seeing structure from the replication system. But this could be high enough resolution to see the coating. I would also recommend making a "positive" of the "negative" replica since the resulting micrographs will be so much easier to understand.
If that method fails, you can Pt/C shadow the immobilized glass spheres and then remove the replica, using poly acrylic acid (PAA) if necessary in order to have an even better look. Or AFM might be useful (something we never did ourselves).
For either of these two approaches to work, however, the glass beads ideally would be submerged into the curing epoxy to their equatorial lines.
Disclaimer SPI Supplies offers the "Wet Replica Kit" to our commercial customers.
Chuck
=================================================== Charles A. Garber, Ph. D. Ph: 1-(610)-436-5400 President 1-(800)-2424-SPI SPI SUPPLIES FAX: 1-(610)-436-5755 PO BOX 656 e-mail: cgarber-at-2spi.com West Chester, PA 19381-0656 USA Cust. Service: spi2spi-at-2spi.com
Look for us! ############################ WWW: http://www.2spi.com ############################ ==================================================
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 07:53:26 2004
Hi all, I’d like to study the anatomy and histology of a land snail. I wonder how to kill or to anaesthetise the little creature without procure it any pain and do not damage the tissues. Would be important that it could not withdraw into its shell. Someone knows a web site where I could find anatomy charts and some instruction about their dissection? Thank you, Best Regards, Massimo
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 07:55:27 2004
Take a 1-3 ul droplet of your biotinylated probe and spot it on a 0.5 cm wide strip of nitrocellulose paper (get it from somebody who does western blots). block the rest of the sites on the paper by incubation in 1% bsa for several hours. incubate in your streptavidin-hrp or ABC kit and then develop. you can do these steps in a microfuge tube or small glass testtube. it should show a brown spot if it is working.
At 09:20 PM 07/26/04 -0500, you wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Thomas E. Phillips, PhD Professor of Biological Sciences Director, Molecular Cytology Core 3 Tucker Hall University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211-7400
Has anyone any experience trying to sputter coat* with pure niobium? If so, what were your results? *My coater is the common magnet loaded target, DC/argon plasma type ("magnatron", but not microwave tube) with rough pump only.
TIA, Woody BWXT Services
Woody White BWXT Services: http://www.bwxt.com/bwxt.html My Site: http://woody.white.home.att.net
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 08:22:26 2004
Is the DAB fresh? If has been around the lab more than a year I would test it or get a fresh bottle. Is the peroxide fresh? Hydrogen peroxide turns to water over time so get a fresh bottle. Call Vector and talk to them, I have found that they are an excellent source of information, they can help you trouble shoot the reaction.
Geoff
by way of MicroscopyListserver wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
-- -- ********************************************** Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D. Neuroscience and Cell Biology Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029 mcauliff-at-umdnj.edu **********************************************
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 11:04:26 2004
Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas off of the EM community.
The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC.
Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a system for $10-12K.
Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 12:44:01 2004
On Jul 27, 2004, at 9:14 AM, John J. Bozzola wrote:
} Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am } thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas } off of the EM community. } } The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under } the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a } leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A } separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed } above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a } peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the } phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary } software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC. } } Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered } by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a } system for $10-12K. } } Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. } So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated. } Dear John, Dave Barnard designed and constructed a good system for the HVEM in Albany. He investigated many different types of camera, coupling, phosphor, etc. and came up with a high-sensitivity system that would give video-rate images at very low dose. That particular system was designed for scanning grids and focussing, so you may want a different camera, but the rest of his system could be very useful to you. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 14:46:02 2004
Your estimate is correct under following conditions:
a) 2K x 2K camera is not Peltier cooled, b) no special TEM software is used, c) you labor costs $0.00.
Peltier cooled 2K x 2K home-made TEM camera will somewhat exceed $20K,
Nothing is wrong with your idea. But it is not a design yet.
Contact me off-list for further details.
Vitaly Feingold Scientific Instruments and Applications 2773 Heath Lane, Duluth GA 30096 (770)232-7785 ph. (770)232-1791 fax (678)467-0012 mobile www.sia-cam.com
This message is made of 100% recycled electrons.
This address can not receive messages larger than 15 kb without prior notification.
----- Original Message ----- } From: "John J. Bozzola" {bozzola-at-siu.edu} To: {Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com} Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 12:14 PM
Have you looked at the cameras sold by SIA, as advertised on pg 69 of the July Microscopy Today? They are at www.sia-cam.com and 770-232-7785.
No financial interest other than the fact that SIA advertises in MT.
Ron Anderson MT Editor
-----Original Message----- } From: John J. Bozzola [mailto:bozzola-at-siu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 12:15 PM To: Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas off of the EM community.
The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC.
Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a system for $10-12K.
Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 15:16:06 2004
Dear Vladimir, I have used ethylene glycol as a 'boat' solution for sectioning precipitates and small mineral grains. It worked well - sections floated off onto the liquid easily and the diamond knife edge stayed wet. The sections take longer to dry than from a water solution and I found little contamination. BUT prolonged exposure to ethylene glycol is not good for you. It can be harmful by inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption. In particular, I would be concerned about eye irritation and skin irritation. We have devised a mini-fume hood (dryer hose attached to fume hood) that stands close to the boat and I have shields in front of the boat to avoid exposure as much as possible. Subsequently we discovered that ethylene glycol is hygroscopic and absorbs water readily which made its usage not practical for our application. Regards, Susan
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Susan Belfry, Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada Phone:(506) 447-3286/453-4887, Fax:(506) 453-3583, Email: belfry-at-unb.ca www.unbf.ca/mmf
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 15:33:51 2004
This reminds me a bit of the old Phillips EM 100, which had a horizontal column, and you looked at the image through a screen at the end. It looked a bit like the (even older) Bendix washing machine (remember?)
The main problem that you might encounter is the resolution of the phosphor screen. As you know, traditional em, where the electron beam falls directly on film, allows you to make substantial enlargements with little loss of resolution. The phosphor is considerably coarser than photographic grain.
So, it depends primarily on how much resolution you need. For a class of undergraduates, I rigged up something even cruder. We mounted a commercial digital camera so that it would take pictures through the viewport. This gave us distorted images which we were able to correct with photoshop (in batch mode). Naturally, the resolution was terrible, but we were able to get a set of digital images that could be used for measurement, labels, etc. by a class of neophytes. I wouldn't think of printing them at anything larger than 3"x4", even though they were taken at 2048X1500 pixels.
If you like, I can send you some examples.
One more thought...the Zeiss EM 10 used a fiber optic plate to tranfer images through a vacuum seal so that it was not necessary to insert film. They claimed pretty good resolution, as I remember. I believe that such a plate is still available. Hmm.
Good luck with the project.
Joel
} } } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } -------- The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society } of America To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ---------------------------------------------------------------------- } --------- } } Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am } thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas } off of the EM community. } } The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under } the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a } leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A } separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed } above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a } peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the } phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary } software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC. } } Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered } by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a } system for $10-12K. } } Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. } So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated. } } Thanks. } } -- } ############################################################## } John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director } I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) } 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 } Southern Illinois University } Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. } Phone: 618-453-3730 } Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu } ############################################################## }
Joel B. Sheffield, Ph.D. Biology Department, Temple University 1900 North 12th Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 jbs-at-temple.edu (215) 204 8839, fax (215) 204 0486 http://astro.temple.edu/~jbs
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 16:00:14 2004
Hello, We may have some grounding problems in the wiring in our building. I was wondering if anyone knew of techniques to check the quality of ground, or improve its quality? I contacted the electricians here, but they said they needed to do more research to figure out how to test the ground. Thanks Gordon
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 17:45:45 2004
I have an EDS detector, Be window, about 8 years old.
} From new, its vacuum slowly but inexorably deteriorated, until, after 5 years, it would no longer make it through a weekend without a Sunday visit to top up the LN2.
So, at great expense (see where I live), I returned it to PGT, where it was pumped and baked, including leak testing, and returned.
It's been OK, but still has the slow vacuum deterioration, and can still maintain its LN2 through a weekend, but not a long one.
Tolerable for those living on the same landmass as the manufacturer, but it's a major logistical exercise for me to send it away, and the overall time (almost two months last time) is a killer.
I am a bit annoyed about this, but
1 For how long should an EDS detector maintain its Dewar vacuum so that it can go for 3 days without a topup? Does anyone know if any particular manufacturers are better or worse than others?
2 It seems that the leak must be slower than is detected by PGT's testing, so it seems unlikely that anyone will be able to find the leak and fix it. Is this assumption correct? Does anyone know of a 3rd party repairman who might succeed where the manufacturer has failed?
3 I understand that repumping can, in theory, be done by the user, using the SEM's vacuum system. Has anyone out there done this in the privacy and comfort of their own lab, and would they be able to help me figure out whether I have the skill and resources to do it myself?
Maybe I should just save my pennies to replace it.
cheers
rtch
-- Ritchie Sims Ph D Phone : 64 9 3737599 ext 87713 Microanalyst Fax : 64 9 3737435 Department of Geology email : r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 18:03:09 2004
As a manufacturer of these cameras I can tell you that there is a lot more involved than the picture you are painting in your email. It is certainly doable and with the right resources you may be able to save some money, but here are a few things that you need to take into consideration:
The phosphor itself on the glass needs to be optimized for acceleration voltage coupling of the phosphor plate to the lead glass to reduce reflections lens for the camera (as distortion-free as possible, match resolution) or fiber-optic and coupling to CCD sensor camera cooling X-ray shielding vibration shielding
On the software side you probably need:
shading correction gain correction perhaps live FFT etc.
Once you put all that in and add the cost for development and labor, you will probably end up with considerably more than 12k.
Give me a call if you want to discuss some of the details.
mike
Michael Bode, Ph.D. Soft Imaging System Corp. 12596 West Bayaud Avenue Suite 300 Lakewood, CO 80228 =================================== phone: (888) FIND SIS (303) 234-9270 fax: (303) 234-9271 email: mailto:info-at-soft-imaging.com web: http://www.soft-imaging.com ===================================
-----Original Message----- } From: John J. Bozzola [mailto:bozzola-at-siu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 10:15 To: Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas off of the EM community.
The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC.
Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a system for $10-12K.
Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Tue Jul 27 19:50:50 2004
1. I would have thought that the normal 6-7L LN2 dewar should last around 5 days.
2. Try an organisation called Gresham Scientific Instruments, they do detector repairs and I was given their name a couple of years ago. I have no affiliation with them. http://www.gsinst.com/
3. I've used a system involving a brass fitting that fits onto the sample loading port of a Gatan Dual Ion Mill. This is connected via vacuum hose to another brass fitting that slides over the evacuation port and seals with an o-ring. The brass fitting also has a sliding (sealed via an o-ring) pin with a short thread on the end that can slide upto the bung and screw in. The bung is then pulled out and the detector evacuated using the TMP on the Dual Ion mill. The process is reversed to replace the bung, the hose is then vented and the brass fitting removed. Hey presto!!...newly evacuated detector.
The problem is that you need to be very careful when putting the bung back in and unscrewing the pin, to ensure that the bung stays and only the pin is retracted. Its very difficult to check that all is in order. But then again you might prefer to leave it all permanently connected up to the EM vac system, with a suitable isolation valve.
Yes, I admit I blew the window out but it was an old detector that we used as a spare as our primary was having issues. Nevertheless I was not a happy camper!!
Hope this helps.
Regards George
-----Original Message----- } From: Ritchie Sims [mailto:r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz] Sent: Wednesday, 28 July 2004 09:00 To: MSA listserver
Dear John and Joel
On the personal note I think that it's very possible to create quite decent home-made digital camera. Everything depends from the CCD chip. On my 1 Mpix 12-bit (non-peltier) BioScan 600W camera from Gatan chip itself is about $20K on the market (a little bit outdated data, sorry). It's called "scientific grade" CCD. So, you actually could not avoid this part of total cost. From another hand, phosphor screens is used in all commercially available EM digital cameras. I assume that the quality at least commercial phosphor screens is quite good (and pricey - about $5K). So, these two components are most expensive and you could not save much on it. Perhaps, the design with "optical coupling" (like yours) is most suitable for amateur EM digital camera. I don't see any principal problems here. I was thinking about "home-made" camera a few years ago thinking similarly to you. It appeared to me that the cost of components would made such project unrealistic. Finally I got Gatan's camera (no commercial interest, happy user only) at the very (really very) good price. Talk to Gatan, they are very cooperative and helpful! Before digital, we used to use about 1000 films per year (not much, I guess). For the last few years going "digital" we did not spent any film at all. Nevertheless I am keeping film in the scope and darkroom is functioning (and technician still have his salary). The thing about digital cameras: there is not much difference between 1 and 4 M-pix camera. Because digital cameras are much more sensitive, you may use less light and shorter exposure time (0.1 sec typically), so your sample is stable under the beam. You may easily take 4 1 M-pix images and assemble them into single 4 M-pix montage. You may use automatic functions incorporated in many EM digital cameras software (like digital montage or so) to collect images and assemble them into single image. You see my point: 1 M-pix camera much, much less expensive... If so, you may find that not so fancy (but functional) commercial EM digital camera may fit your budget and you would be free from inventing the wheel. Sergey.
At 01:43 PM 7/27/2004, you wrote:
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_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
Based on how the cameras look like, it's optically coupled cameras. Modern cameras usually had direct coupling when camera attached to the phosphor directly (through fiber-optic plate usually). Direct-coupled cameras mostly distortion-free. Fiber optics provide better pixel-to-pixel separation, so images sharper. Not interesting, I am sorry. Sergey
At 01:15 PM 7/27/2004, you wrote:
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_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
I should add that I'm happy to be contacted by any 3rd-party service people who feel confident that they can solve my problem.
cheers
rtch
} From: Ritchie Sims {rsims-at-glgnov2.auckland.ac.nz} To: MSA listserver {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com}
thanx Valery for these informations...
i have to explain a little my work...
i'm studying a method to make SEM samples conductive, like polished/sectionned silicium dies, coated in (insulating and polymerizing) epoxy resin and stuck with some thermo-fusing (at T} 80°C) glue (insulating too) on an aluminium SEM holder.
My first idea was to mix the resin with metal powder like copper, silver or graphite powder...but these powders don't work very well when we want to keep the resin transparent enough to see the die, at 10-20% mixing rates. Now i would try the Tin oxyde powder...but i can't preview the result.
We don't need a transparent glue so it's not as difficult as it can be for the resin.
This study complements the fine metal coatings with Au/Pd or Pt...because the charging phenomenon is still a little influent on SEM observation of this kind of prepared samples, in spite of fine metal sputter coating...
Any suggestions, listers?
Thanx in advance
Sylvain MAURY
Valery Ray a écrit : } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Hi Sylvain, } } The easiest way of measuring high resistivity is to } use picoammeter and a voltage source to measure } leakage current flowing through high-resistivity } sample. I like Keithley 6487 model (no commercial } interest here), since it combines the picoammeter and } a voltage source in one unit. See this page: } } http://www.keithley.com/servlet/Data?id=4645"} http://www.keithley.com/servlet/Data?id=4645 } } and also a "Low Level Measurements" book from Keithley } Instruments (it is a free literature) for the details } on high resistivity measurement techniques. } } On the other note, I am not sure that mixing } conductive powder with the resin will reduce } resistivity before impacting the transparency. To } affect resistivity, conductive particles should be } close enough so some current will start tunneling } between them. By that time optical transparency could } be significantly impacted... . } } Does anyone of listers aware of optically transparent } conductive glue? I'd be very interested to know if it } exists. } } Back to the charging issue, why can't you use a FIB to } deposit a narrow conductive stripe (C, Pt, W, or Au, } whatever is available to you) between the die and a } sample holder? Use low current for deposition close to } the die to minimize overspray. If distance from the } sample holder to the die is prohibitive for FIB } deposition, use some sliver-paint, applied under a } microscope, to get close to the die first, and then } FIB deposition to connect the die to a silver paint. } Thin layer of carbon can also be deposited by imaging } in oil-contaminated SEM. Other approach to deal with } charging would be to image a die by ESEM in a water } vapor atmosphere. } } Hope it helps, } } Valery Ray } Particle Beam Systems } & Technology } www.partbeamsystech.com } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy } Society of America {BR} To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver {BR} On-Line } Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html {BR} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- {BR} {BR} Hi } all! {BR} {BR} To solve the charging phenomenon problem } of HR FESEM observations, in my {BR} application } (polished cross-sections of Silicium dies samples, } coated in {BR} epoxy resin, i'm trying to chargea very } little quantity of resin with a {BR} very little } quantity of metal powder (copper, silver graphite), } in {BR} order to keep the resin transparent, just enough } to evacuate charges. {BR} {BR} Is there a way to measure } the very high resistivity of this } charged {BR} resin? {BR} {BR} My goal is to obtain } resistivities { 10e12 ohm*cm... {BR} {BR} thanx in } advance {BR} {BR} Sylvain } MAURY {BR} {BR} {BR} {/BLOCKQUOTE} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV}
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 03:29:55 2004
I have in mind to kill the snail, to dissect it, to extract the interested parts, to fix them with a Bouin solution, ... ,wax inclusion, cutting by microtome, dye and then to perform the histological observations with an optical microscope in transmitted light.
Best Regards,
Massimo
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 05:03:08 2004
Just a few ideas: -you could measure the quality of a certain ground point by running a new thin wire from the 'real' groundpoint (the reference which is chosen for your system, it should be a star point where all gnds of your system come together) to the point you want to invesitate and then put an osciloscope or spectrum analyzer between the new wire and the gnd under test. Just make sure that the thin wire follows exactly the path of the real ground wire, otherwise you create a loop which picks up all B-fields. (for safety you may want to use a battery powered portable scope or a safety transformer at the input of a normal scope (not sure this is required))
-all ground problems arise from not adhering to the star earth philosophy. Each device should have its own gnd cable to the reference gnd. This is very uncommon in electric installations since usualy (like in your home) it doesn't matter too much and its expensive and creates bulky cable booms. If for instance a dimmed light is attached to an outlet on the microscope somewhere it might use the same ground as the microscope and all the high frequency gnd current created by the lamp will also flow trough the gnd wire of the microscope creating a voltage due to the impedance of that wire. For higher frequencies this impedance can be high and the effect could be a very bad ground. So making an up to date (usually they are not) schematic and checking for gnds that are connected in other places than the star point seems like the best but most tedious solution to me.
-a dirty solution would be to decrease the high frequency impedance of the problematic gnd wire by paralling it with a gnd wire with a lot of strands (like shielded Litze wire, better in terms of skin effect), making again sure that it exactly follows the path of the main gnd wire (less critical as in 1). Replacing the ground wire with a considderable bigger cross section could also help for low frequency problems.
-Most ground problems also create magnetic field problems (and vice versa, a bad grounding scheme is susceptible to magnetic fields). A handy and inexpensive way to sniff around for these fields is by constructing a loop (say diam 10cm) in solid shielded copper wire and soldering it to a BNC connector (you could also create a multi loop but single works quite well). Attach this to a scope or spectrum analyser and 'sniff' around for fields. If your gnd wires are creating a lot of B-field this also means that they are carrying a lot of (high freq) current. By studying the frequency pattern it is sometimes possible to detect where they are coming from (e.g. 50Hz multiples from dimmers etc, TV monitors have their typical freq., switching power supplies of computers have their own freq)
Hopefully this gives some ideas in general to solve those nasty gnd problems.
kind regards, Jo
************************************************************* * Dr. Jo Verbeeck * * University of Antwerp * * Dept. EMAT (Electron Microscopy for Materials Research) * * Groenenborgerlaan 171 * * B-2020 Antwerpen * * e-mail: jo.verbeeck-at-ua.ac.be * * tel: +32(0)3 265 32 49 * * fax: +32(0)3 265 32 57 * *************************************************************
On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, Gordon Vrololjak wrote:
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } Hello, } We may have some grounding problems in the wiring in our building. I was } wondering if anyone knew of techniques to check the quality of ground, or } improve its quality? I contacted the electricians here, but they said } they needed to do more research to figure out how to test the ground. } Thanks } Gordon } } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ } Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab } ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall } gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley } phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 } fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793 }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 07:27:47 2004
Jo gave a rather comprehensive reply, but to comment on one point... Building line power grounds are "safety" grounds only. That is, they are "ground" from DC to above 60 HZ, but not much above. As frequency increases, the wavelength of any "noise" becomes shorter. This means that at higher frequencies, the ground may not be ground at all.
For example, at 100 MHz (3 meter wave): If a wire is "ground" at one end and is 0.75 (or any odd multiple * 1/4 wave) meters long, the other end is the equivalent of an open circuit.
Regards, Woody
Woody White BWXT Services: http://www.bwxt.com/bwxt.html My Site: http://woody.white.home.att.net
-----Original Message----- } From: Gordon Vrololjak [mailto:gvrdolja-at-nature.Berkeley.EDU] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 5:11 PM To: microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Hello, We may have some grounding problems in the wiring in our building. I was wondering if anyone knew of techniques to check the quality of ground, or improve its quality? I contacted the electricians here, but they said they needed to do more research to figure out how to test the ground. Thanks Gordon
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ \ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak Electron Microscope Lab ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja 26 Giannini Hall gvrdolja-at-nature.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley phone (510) 642-2085 Berkeley CA 94720-3330 fax (510) 643-6207 cell (510) 290-6793
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 09:21:42 2004
I recently posted a response to this note on TEM cameras referring people to the SIA ad in the July issue of Microscopy Today.
What I should have done is refer the writer to ALL of the MT advertisers that sell add-on cameras for TEMs. These include, based on their ads: 4pi Analysis, Advanced Microscopy Techniques, EVEX, GATAN, and Soft Imaging Systems. Other advertisers may well sell TEM cameras but did not mention them in their July ads and there are also a number of advertisers offering light-optical cameras.
As you might imagine, I have received a number of well-deserved, appropriate, scoldings. I apologize to all of these fine manufacturers! I shall have my head examined!
Ron Anderson, Editor Microscopy Today
-----Original Message----- } From: John J. Bozzola [mailto:bozzola-at-siu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 12:15 PM To: Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas off of the EM community.
The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC.
Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a system for $10-12K.
Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 09:39:18 2004
Indium-Tin Oxide powder is transparent, conductive, and available commercially:
http://www.reade.com/Products/Oxides/indium_tin_oxide.html (no commercial interest here).
Try mixing nanoparticles grade with your epoxy resin. Since this powder is inherently transparent, you should still be able to see the die with quite high mixing ratios.
} } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The } Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } thanx Valery for these informations... } } i have to explain a little my work... } } i'm studying a method to make SEM samples } conductive, like } polished/sectionned silicium dies, coated in } (insulating and } polymerizing) epoxy resin and stuck with some } thermo-fusing (at T} 80°C) } glue (insulating too) on an aluminium SEM holder. } } My first idea was to mix the resin with metal powder } like copper, silver } or graphite powder...but these powders don't work } very well when we want } to keep the resin transparent enough to see the die, } at 10-20% mixing } rates. } Now i would try the Tin oxyde powder...but i can't } preview the result. } } We don't need a transparent glue so it's not as } difficult as it can be } for the resin. } } This study complements the fine metal coatings with } Au/Pd or } Pt...because the charging phenomenon is still a } little influent on SEM } observation of this kind of prepared samples, in } spite of fine metal } sputter coating... } } Any suggestions, listers? } } Thanx in advance } } Sylvain MAURY } } } } } Valery Ray a écrit : } } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The } Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } } Hi Sylvain, } } } } The easiest way of measuring high resistivity is } to } } use picoammeter and a voltage source to measure } } leakage current flowing through high-resistivity } } sample. I like Keithley 6487 model (no commercial } } interest here), since it combines the picoammeter } and } } a voltage source in one unit. See this page: } } } } } http://www.keithley.com/servlet/Data?id=4645"} http://www.keithley.com/servlet/Data?id=4645 } } } } and also a "Low Level Measurements" book from } Keithley } } Instruments (it is a free literature) for the } details } } on high resistivity measurement techniques. } } } } On the other note, I am not sure that mixing } } conductive powder with the resin will reduce } } resistivity before impacting the transparency. To } } affect resistivity, conductive particles should be } } close enough so some current will start tunneling } } between them. By that time optical transparency } could } } be significantly impacted... . } } } } Does anyone of listers aware of optically } transparent } } conductive glue? I'd be very interested to know if } it } } exists. } } } } Back to the charging issue, why can't you use a } FIB to } } deposit a narrow conductive stripe (C, Pt, W, or } Au, } } whatever is available to you) between the die and } a } } sample holder? Use low current for deposition } close to } } the die to minimize overspray. If distance from } the } } sample holder to the die is prohibitive for FIB } } deposition, use some sliver-paint, applied under a } } microscope, to get close to the die first, and } then } } FIB deposition to connect the die to a silver } paint. } } Thin layer of carbon can also be deposited by } imaging } } in oil-contaminated SEM. Other approach to deal } with } } charging would be to image a die by ESEM in a } water } } vapor atmosphere. } } } } Hope it helps, } } } } Valery Ray } } Particle Beam Systems } } & Technology } } www.partbeamsystech.com } } } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The } Microscopy } } Society of America {BR} To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver {BR} On-Line } } Help } } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html {BR} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- {BR} {BR} Hi } } all! {BR} {BR} To solve the charging phenomenon } problem } } of HR FESEM observations, in my {BR} application } } (polished cross-sections of Silicium dies samples, } } coated in {BR} epoxy resin, i'm trying to chargea } very } } little quantity of resin with a {BR} very little } } quantity of metal powder (copper, silver } graphite), } } in {BR} order to keep the resin transparent, just } enough } } to evacuate charges. {BR} {BR} Is there a way to } measure } } the very high resistivity of this } } charged {BR} resin? {BR} {BR} My goal is to obtain } } resistivities { 10e12 ohm*cm... {BR} {BR} thanx in } } advance {BR} {BR} Sylvain } } } MAURY {BR} {BR} {BR} {/BLOCKQUOTE} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} {/DIV} } }
===== Valery Ray
Particle Beam Systems & Technology www.partbeamsystech.com
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 10:38:41 2004
Sergey, I took liberty to address couple of technical issues in point- I trust most subscribers will find it useful. More information is available at http://www.gatan.com/ , http://www.tvips.com/ , http://www.amtimaging.com/ , http://www.soft-imaging.com/ , http://www.sia-cam.com/
} Based on how the cameras look like, it's optically coupled cameras.
Yes, they are.
} Modern } cameras usually had direct coupling when camera attached to the phosphor } directly (through fiber-optic plate usually).
Historically, TEM cameras started with fiber optic plate coupling (FOP). Lens coupling is more recent development. First CCD sensors had too low S/N (signal-to-noise) specifications, demanding every possible photon to be used, not wasted. FOP has 2+ times efficiency of the lens coupling. CCD sensors specifications improved dramatically over recent years. Of course, efficiency ratio of both couplings remains the same. Yet lens coupling is working very well with modern sensors- low noise, short exposures.
} Direct-coupled cameras mostly distortion-free.
Decent aspherical lens has distortions less than 1% at the edge of the sensor (which is smaller than the lens maximum possible field of view- that would make for 1% to 2 %, but is outside of the sensor). Distortion in the center is near zero. I believe that fits definition "mostly distortion free" as well.
} Fiber optics provide better pixel-to-pixel separation, so images sharper.
This issue is not so straight forward. Fiber optics could do that ideally, if there was a way of attaching every fiber individually to a single pixel, and fabricate defect free fibers. That would make for MTF = 100%. In addition, it would be nice to have pixels and fibers as small as possible, and as many of them, as possible. Such device would have an advantage of both very high spatial resolution (direct readout), and very high sensitivity (binned readout). But in reality, the array of square pixels is coupled with the array of circles (well, hexagons), which is how FOP looks like. Doesn't fit very well... The compromise is to use fibers much smaller than the pixels. Minimum practical diameter of fibers is 6 um at the present time (could be twice less, but number of defects becomes prohibitive). I am confident that it will be improved in short order, though. And maximum practical size of the pixels (between image resolution and available sensors) is 24um. By combining these two, a good compromise is achieved: MTF is elevated enough, and resolution is not reduced too much. Of course, many fibers feed light to adjacent pixels (fibers which happened to be positioned on pixels borders). Thus, MTF will be much less than ideal 100%, but high enough to acquire good image.
Good quality lens does not have such a severe problem - it is capable of much higher MTF than FOP coupling, especially with 24um pixels, in which case MTF is around 80% to 90%. Because of that, much smaller pixels can be used with the lens coupling, This provides flexibility described above- high spatial resolution in direct readout mode, and high sensitivity in the binned readout mode. With 9um pixels good lens delivers MTF about 35% to 60% depending on the size of the filed of view. Of course, lens coupled camera will require exposures about twice longer than FOP coupled camera, that uses identical sensor. But, with exposures durations from fractions of a second to several seconds, this is perfectly acceptable for many applications.
} Not interesting, I am sorry. Sergey
Between all TEM camera manufacturers which advertise (I counted 6) only one does not make lens coupled cameras. Others 5 do. That could not be the case if this technology wasn't interesting, wouldn't it?
Vitaly Feingold Scientific Instruments and Applications 2773 Heath Lane, Duluth GA 30096 (770)232-7785 ph. (770)232-1791 fax (678)467-0012 mobile www.sia-cam.com
This message is made of 100% recycled electrons.
This address can not receive messages larger than 15 kb without prior notification.
----- Original Message ----- } From: "Sergey Ryazantsev" {sryazant-at-ucla.edu} To: {Microscopy-at-microscopy.com} Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 9:46 PM
Hi Listers,
Our lab my be in the position (in a year or two) to purchase a new SEM. I'd be interested in hearing from those who have purchased a new scope in the last two years or so - likes dislikes, etc. I'm particularly curious about the "newer" scope manufacturers and your experiences with them. If you could provide some feedback (offlist) regarding the following items, I'd be grateful:
Brand and Model: Ballpark purchase price: Major use (discipline) of instrument: Yearly service contract cost: Reliability and performance of instrument: Quality of service: Cost of upgrades (i.e. computer acquisition section, if known):
Thanks in advance,
Jim
--
James M. Ehrman Digital Microscopy Facility Mount Allison University Sackville, NB E4L 1G7 CANADA
Dear John, Before you dive too deep into your project, why not have a chat with Hans Tietz (TVIPS, Munich) who is coming your way soon. i.e.: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2004 1-5 August, 2003 Savannah, Georgia, USA www: www.microscopy.com/MSAMeetings/MM04/MMHomePage.html
He knows a lot about the design and possible pitfalls associated with TEM digital cameras and should have helpful comments regarding your proposed design. In the end perhaps, he might manage to sell you one of his own! Disclaimer: I have no commercial interest in TVIPS. Cheers,
Jim
-----Original Message----- } From: John J. Bozzola [mailto:bozzola-at-siu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 6:15 PM To: Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas off of the EM community.
The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC.
Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a system for $10-12K.
Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 12:20:11 2004
Hello, does anybody know of the possibility to get the magnification and the high tension values out of an Zeiss EM 10C and a Philips TEM EM 420 and to make them available to a PC? I would like to have these old TEMs interfaced with digital imaging and need these values for the calibration of the images.
Yours, Timo
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 12:20:33 2004
Before you dive too deep into your camera project, why not have a chat with Hans Tietz (TVIPS, Munich) who is coming your way very soon. i.e.: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2004 1-5 August, 2003 Savannah, Georgia, USA
He does know a lot about the design and possible pitfalls associated with TEM digital cameras and should have helpful comments regarding your proposed design. In the end, perhaps, he might manage to sell you one of his own! Disclaimer: I have no commercial interest in TVIPS. Cheers,
Jim
-----Original Message----- } From: John J. Bozzola [mailto:bozzola-at-siu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 6:15 PM To: Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com
Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas off of the EM community.
The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC.
Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such a system for $10-12K.
Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
-- ############################################################## John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. Phone: 618-453-3730 Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu ##############################################################
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 12:39:22 2004
Hello, does anybody know of the possibility to get the magnification and the high tension values out of an Zeiss EM 10C and a Philips TEM EM 420 and to make them available to a PC? I would like to have these old TEMs interfaced with digital imaging and need these values for the calibration of the images.
Yours, Timo
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 14:05:44 2004
Sylvain: one of the tricks I use to ground samples encapsulated in epoxy is to run a thin line of carbon paint (from somewhere on the surface you wish to exam but not in the field of view) down the side of the mount to the bottom of the mount. I also paint most of the exposed surface epoxy with carbon paint, just leaving a small margin of unpainted epoxy around my sample. I let this dry, usually in a 50º C oven for about 15 minutes. Then I flash the sample with my material of choice and mount the whole block with carbon tape or carbon paint, making sure the strip I painted from the top is in contact with this mounting media. Now there is a conductive path from your sample surface to the SEM stage. If I'm in a rush mode, I will take the flashed sample, mount it on a stub, and then run a strip of carbon or copper tape from the sample surface to the SEM stub. This method is less elegant and not as efficient, but gets the job done.
I have one question: why are you using insulating glue to mount your samples?
sylvain maury wrote:
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From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 14:13:08 2004
} I have an EDS detector, Be window, about 8 years old.
} } From new, its vacuum slowly but inexorably deteriorated, until, after } } 5 years, it would no } longer make it through a weekend without a Sunday visit to top up the } LN2. } } So, at great expense (see where I live), I returned it to PGT, where } it was pumped and } baked, including leak testing, and returned. } } It's been OK, but still has the slow vacuum deterioration, and can } still maintain its LN2 } through a weekend, but not a long one. } } Tolerable for those living on the same landmass as the manufacturer, } but it's a major } logistical exercise for me to send it away, and the overall time } (almost two months last } time) is a killer. } } I am a bit annoyed about this, but } } 1 } For how long should an EDS detector maintain its Dewar vacuum so that } it can go for 3 } days without a topup? Does anyone know if any particular manufacturers } are better or } worse than others? } } 2 } It seems that the leak must be slower than is detected by PGT's } testing, so it seems } unlikely that anyone will be able to find the leak and fix it. Is this } assumption correct? } Does anyone know of a 3rd party repairman who might succeed where the } manufacturer has failed? } } 3 } I understand that repumping can, in theory, be done by the user, using } the SEM's } vacuum system. Has anyone out there done this in the privacy and } comfort of their own } lab, and would they be able to help me figure out whether I have the } skill and resources } to do it myself? } } Maybe I should just save my pennies to replace it. } Dear Ritchie, We had a Be window EDS detector on the HVEM in Albany for ~20 years, and the vacuum in the dewar deteriorated in a time frame of ~1 mo. The LN2 always lasted at least a week, but the resolution would deteriorate when the vacuum got bad. It sounds like your vacuum leak is much larger than ours. The detector was a Kevex, and, after pumpout the resolution always returned to spec (148 eV) or better. I have no experience with other detectors, so I can't say which is better. toward the end of my stay in Albany, we had resolution problems and sent the detector to a non-Kevex service person--I don't remember the name, and, in any event, he is just as far from you as PGT would be. We tried him because he was significantly cheaper than Kevex, and after he baked out the system, the resolution returned to spec. Again, I can't speak for other service companies, but in this one case, a third party service was completely satisfactory. 1. With routine pumpout every few months or so our detector always held LN2 for a week or longer. 2. We could find the occasional leak with a leak detector, and none of those we found were sufficient to cause LN2 problems, so I'm surprised that PGT couldn't find yours. I would hook your system up to a leak detector and see what turns up--assuming you have the equipment. If you can find someone on your land mass who provides third party service, give it a try. 3. We installed a permanent branch off the column vacuum to pump our detector, and we could definitely pump out the detector to the point that resolution was restored--a much more stringent test than retaining LN2--so you should be able to do this also. You may, however, have to have the detector baked out once before you can do this, since there may have been contaminants introduced through your leak. Since our detector functioned quite well for 20 years (and still may be working AFAIK), you shouldn't need to replace it. Of course, since the newer systems have better functionality in many respects, you might want to replace it for that reason. Good luck. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 14:27:47 2004
On Jul 27, 2004, at 6:36 PM, Sergey Ryazantsev wrote:
} I assume that the quality at least commercial phosphor screens is } quite good (and pricey - about $5K). So, these two components are } most expensive and you could not save much on it.
Dear Sergey, I am not as certain about commercial phosphor screens--especially since gain correction software can compensate for heterogeneities, there is no pressure to produce homogeneous screens. At Albany we poured our own by suspending phosphor, letting the larger grains settle, then using the smaller grains for the screen. We had a mylar film stretched and glued to a frame and poured the phosphor on than, rather than on glass. The camera was lens-coupled, and the phosphor was on the side of the mylar facing the lens. Fabrication of the frame and mylar was ~$1000, and after that recoating was very cheap and took only a few hours of labor, so the cost of the frame could be amortized over many coatings. Yours, Bill Tivol, PhD EM Scientist and Manager Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility Broad Center, Mail Code 114-96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 (626) 395-8833 tivol-at-caltech.edu
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 14:38:46 2004
Vitaly We had discussion on digital camera many times on this ListServer in the past, so I could not add much new in this discussion. I am not good in theory of digital imaging in EM and do believe there is not much theory there. When I was shopping for my digital camera I ordered demos from potential candidates, took pictures of the same sample at the same conditions and compared them side-by-side. I do find that optically-coupled cameras even having all advantages you described have more blurry image than fiber-optic coupling. I don't know why, but this is just a fact: with my particular sample, at my particular conditions. As a user, I don't worry much about theory, I need practical results and results were surprisingly vary in my test. Finally I bought the camera, which satisfied my particular needs the best and had very good price/quality ratio. This is a way how I usually shop.
As for MFT business, I would be happy to see what other vendors think about it. In my particular camera, there are about 10 fibers per pixel according to Gatan. Because each pixel separated from other, there is less fiber's overlapping than you could think. I think the very important thing is what is happening in the gap between sensor (fiber-optic plate) and phosphor screen. Phosphor has granules which emit light in all directions. If light from individual granules will overlap, it'll decrease spatial resolution (and contrast). The ideology of fiber-optic system is to keep this gap as smaller as possible, so to have less overlapping from neighbor grains. Ideally you could put phosphor on top of the fiber-optic plate. I am not quite sure how optical coupling system could handle this issue. I think, when you are talking about MFT in optically coupled systems, you are talking mostly about efficiency between lens and sensor, not counting the specificity of EM - existence of phosphor screen with it's own MFT if you permit me to call it so. I would think that MFT in optical systems is quite good between lens and sensor but lens and screen. It would be nice to discuss this issue with specialists.
As for why optical systems are still manufactured, I think this is because such systems are much cheaper in production and manufacturer could make more money from it. This is actually addressed to the original John's question: why to pay so much money for such simple thing (OK, OK not such simple). The answer (to me) is because manufacturers overpriced the optical systems. FOP systems are much more expensive in production (mostly because of price for the CCD chip), so they are less profitable. Nevertheless, I think, most top-end systems for EM are FOP now. I would guess that manufacturers even cover FOB system's production cost selling optical systems at high price. Have a good day, Sergey.
At 08:45 AM 7/28/2004, you wrote: } Sergey, I took liberty to address couple of technical issues in point- I } trust most subscribers will find it useful. More } information is available at http://www.gatan.com/ , http://www.tvips.com/ } , http://www.amtimaging.com/ , } http://www.soft-imaging.com/ , http://www.sia-cam.com/ } } } Based on how the cameras look like, it's optically coupled cameras. } } Yes, they are. } } } Modern } } cameras usually had direct coupling when camera attached to the phosphor } } directly (through fiber-optic plate usually). } } Historically, TEM cameras started with fiber optic plate coupling (FOP). } Lens coupling is more recent development. First CCD sensors } had too low S/N (signal-to-noise) specifications, demanding every possible } photon to be used, not wasted. FOP has 2+ times } efficiency of the lens coupling. CCD sensors specifications improved } dramatically over recent years. Of course, efficiency ratio of } both couplings remains the same. Yet lens coupling is working very well } with modern sensors- low noise, short exposures. } } } Direct-coupled cameras mostly distortion-free. } } Decent aspherical lens has distortions less than 1% at the edge of the } sensor (which is smaller than the lens maximum possible field } of view- that would make for 1% to 2 %, but is outside of the sensor). } Distortion in the center is near zero. I believe that fits } definition "mostly distortion free" as well. } } } Fiber optics provide better pixel-to-pixel separation, so images sharper. } } This issue is not so straight forward. Fiber optics could do that ideally, } if there was a way of attaching every fiber individually } to a single pixel, and fabricate defect free fibers. That would make for } MTF = 100%. In addition, it would be nice to have pixels } and fibers as small as possible, } and as many of them, as possible. Such device would have an advantage of } both very high spatial resolution (direct readout), and } very high sensitivity (binned readout). But in reality, the array of } square pixels is coupled with the array of circles (well, } hexagons), which is how FOP looks like. Doesn't fit very well... The } compromise is to use fibers much smaller than the pixels. } Minimum practical diameter of fibers is 6 um at the present time (could be } twice less, but number of defects becomes prohibitive). I } am confident that it will be improved in short order, though. And maximum } practical size of the pixels (between image resolution and } available sensors) is 24um. By combining these } two, a good compromise is achieved: MTF is elevated enough, and resolution } is not reduced too much. Of course, many fibers feed } light to adjacent pixels (fibers which happened to be positioned on pixels } borders). Thus, MTF will be much less than ideal 100%, } but } high enough to acquire good image. } } Good quality lens does not have such a severe problem - it is capable of } much higher MTF than FOP coupling, especially with 24um } pixels, in which case MTF is around 80% to 90%. Because of that, much } smaller pixels can be used with the lens coupling, This } provides flexibility described above- high spatial resolution in direct } readout mode, and high sensitivity in the binned readout } mode. With 9um pixels good lens delivers MTF about 35% to 60% depending on } the size of the filed of view. Of course, lens coupled } camera will require } exposures about twice longer than FOP coupled camera, that uses identical } sensor. But, with exposures durations from fractions of a } second to } several seconds, this is perfectly acceptable for many applications. } } } Not interesting, I am sorry. Sergey } } Between all TEM camera manufacturers which advertise (I counted 6) only } one does not make lens coupled cameras. Others 5 do. That } could not be the case if this technology wasn't interesting, wouldn't it? } } Vitaly Feingold } Scientific Instruments and Applications } 2773 Heath Lane, Duluth GA 30096 } (770)232-7785 ph. } (770)232-1791 fax } (678)467-0012 mobile } www.sia-cam.com } } This message is made of 100% recycled electrons. } } This address can not receive messages larger than 15 kb without prior } notification. } } ----- Original Message ----- } From: "Sergey Ryazantsev" {sryazant-at-ucla.edu} } To: {Microscopy-at-microscopy.com} } Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 9:46 PM } Subject: [Microscopy] Re: RE: TEM: home made digital camera question } } } } } } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } } } Based on how the cameras look like, it's optically coupled cameras. Modern } } cameras usually had direct coupling when camera attached to the phosphor } } directly (through fiber-optic plate usually). Direct-coupled cameras } } mostly distortion-free. Fiber optics provide better pixel-to-pixel } } separation, so images sharper. Not interesting, I am sorry. Sergey } } } } At 01:15 PM 7/27/2004, you wrote: } } } } } } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ------- } } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } -------- } } } } } } Have you looked at the cameras sold by SIA, as advertised on pg 69 of the } } } July Microscopy Today? They are at www.sia-cam.com and 770-232-7785. } } } } } } No financial interest other than the fact that SIA advertises in MT. } } } } } } Ron Anderson } } } MT Editor } } } } } } -----Original Message----- } } } } From: John J. Bozzola [mailto:bozzola-at-siu.edu] } } } Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 12:15 PM } } } To: Microscopy-at-msa.microscopy.com } } } Subject: [Microscopy] TEM: home made digital camera question } } } } } } } } } } } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ----- } } } -- } } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- } } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- } ----- } } } --- } } } } } } Not having $100K to purchase a TEM digital camera system, I am } } } thinking of making my own. I would like to bounce these design ideas } } } off of the EM community. } } } } } } The basic design would involve removing the bottom cover plate under } } } the film camera and having a machinist mill a port to accommodate a } } } leaded glass window (for example, a viewing port from a TEM). A } } } separate, thin glass plate coated with a phosphor would be placed } } } above the leaded glass (inside the vacuum). We would use a } } } peltier-cooled CCD (such as the Q Imaging system), focused on the } } } phosphor, to capture the image. The camera system has the necessary } } } software to capture the 2k x 2k image on a PC. } } } } } } Obviously, this camera would lack all the wonderful features offered } } } by the TEM camera manufacturers, but I feel that we could build such } } } a system for $10-12K. } } } } } } Something must be wrong with this design, since it seems too simple. } } } So, any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated. } } } } } } Thanks. } } } } } } -- } } } ############################################################## } } } John J. Bozzola, Ph.D., Director } } } I.M.A.G.E. (Integrated Microscopy & Graphics Expertise) } } } 750 Communications Drive - MC 4402 } } } Southern Illinois University } } } Carbondale, IL 62901 U.S.A. } } } Phone: 618-453-3730 } } } Email: bozzola-at-siu.edu } } } ############################################################## } } } } _____________________________________ } } } } Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. } } Electron Microscopy } } UCLA School of Medicine } } Department of Biological Chemistry } } 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 } } Los Angeles, CA 90095 } } } } Phone: (310) 825-1144 (office) } } (310) 206-1029 (Lab) } } FAX (departmental): (310) 206-5272 } } mailto:sryazant-at-ucla.edu } } } } } } } }
_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
Ron I hate "political" (toward manufacturers in this context) correctness. You have your own personal opinion and have rights to express this opinion on this ListServer as long as you don't have anything to do with SIA financially. If you really like SIA - why you could not share this information with us? I think, this is very important to know good and bad about manufacturers. Moreover, I think, this is a purpose of this forum - to share useful information in microscopy area. Good or bad experience with some vendors IS very valuable information. First, it helps us to avoid mistakes somebody already done (I am too lazy to repeat other's mistakes, I am sorry). Secondly, such feedback may help vendors to increase the quality of product/service/etc. It seems to me that this forum drifted towards pure "correctness". As a result I do notice that people just afraid to present their own opinion on this forum anymore. I don't feel it's right if I have to apply strict self-censure on every posting (honestly, I just don't have time for censure). I think the posting should be correct "factually" and ethically, that's it. I, also, think manufacturers are "people" too. They have rights (as an individual, not representing company's interest) to comment any posting. For instance, I am quite sure that my postings contain a lot of factual mistakes because lack of knowledge. I would be very glad if specialist will correct me, so I'll understand better (and others will not be mistaken by my info). It seems to me that "poor manufacturers" afraid to say any "word" at this forum because of strict regulations... Too bad, the purpose of ANY public forum is to SHARE knowledge and information, not restrict it. This is my personal opinion. Sergey
At 07:31 AM 7/28/2004, you wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
_____________________________________
Sergey Ryazantsev Ph. D. Electron Microscopy UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry 10833 Le Conte Ave, Room 33-089 Los Angeles, CA 90095
Our research focuses on the structure determination of macromolecular complexes and their conformational changes by three-dimensional electron microscopy. Currently one of our main projects is the determination of structure of complexes in the mitochondrial respiratory chain by cryo-electron microscopy and image processing. A second topic is the localization of their subunits within the complexes by immunolabeling. The candidate we are looking for should have a working knowledge of biochemistry and should carry out antibody binding experiments, electron microscopy and image processing. To date the samples are kindly provided by our collaborators; however, if the candidate shows interest in protein purification some parts of the purification could be transferred to our laboratory.
Our laboratory is equipped with a Tecnai 12 electron microscope equipped for cryo-electron microscopy. Computing facilities include a 4-processor HP alpha computer with several Tb of disk space, and access to an Opteron cluster.
Please send an application including CV to Dr. Michael Radermacher, University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Dept. Mol. Physiol. and Biophysics, HSRF Bldg. Rm 120, Burlington VT 05405. e-mail: mraderma-at-physiology.med.uvm.edu. Please arrange for three letters of reference to be sent.
The University of Vermont is an equal opportunity employer.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 16:53:14 2004
I don't think Ron intended to express any opinion that favoured SIA over the others, but it was brought to his attention (by his other advertisers) that his first posting could have been interpreted as such.
As editor of Microscopy Today, he is in a rather different position than you or me, and quite properly can't be seen to endorse or denigrate products, even if he does have an opinion. Which it didn't seem to me that he did have, in this case.
I agree with you about excessive political correctness, I live in a country which suffers a great deal from it.
But this isn't a case of it.
cheers
rtch
Date sent: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:29:28 -0700 To: Microscopy-at-microscopy.com } From: Sergey Ryazantsev {sryazant-at-ucla.edu}
It sounds like you are trying to image cross sections of integrated circuits. Depending on the minimum feature size, this is a routine process using either Buehler mechanical polishing (} = .35u) or FIB (0.5u or less). The mechanical polished specimens are mounted on a 90 degree mount (e.g., Pella #15359) using mounting wax and a #1 cover slip glass. Then, the edge of the die is contacted using coloidal silver epoxy and the sputter coating with Au/Pd or Pt. This works fine up to 350KX using FESEM and can be done with VPSEM without coating.
I do not see the point of embedding the specimen in a large non-conductive mount. Are there other issues that are not known?
gary g.
At 01:05 AM 7/28/2004, you wrote:
} thanx Valery for these informations... } } i have to explain a little my work... } } i'm studying a method to make SEM samples conductive, like } polished/sectionned silicium dies, coated in (insulating and } polymerizing) epoxy resin and stuck with some thermo-fusing (at T} 80°C) } glue (insulating too) on an aluminium SEM holder. } } My first idea was to mix the resin with metal powder like copper, silver } or graphite powder...but these powders don't work very well when we want } to keep the resin transparent enough to see the die, at 10-20% mixing } rates. } Now i would try the Tin oxyde powder...but i can't preview the result. } } We don't need a transparent glue so it's not as difficult as it can be } for the resin. } } This study complements the fine metal coatings with Au/Pd or } Pt...because the charging phenomenon is still a little influent on SEM } observation of this kind of prepared samples, in spite of fine metal } sputter coating... } } Any suggestions, listers? } } Thanx in advance } } Sylvain MAURY }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Wed Jul 28 19:58:23 2004
Ritchie is exactly correct in all regards. I was wrong to make my original posting the way I did. Can we please end the thread?
Thank you,
Ron
-----Original Message----- } From: Ritchie Sims [mailto:r.sims-at-auckland.ac.nz] Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2004 6:07 PM To: Sergey Ryazantsev; Microscopy-at-microscopy.com
Sergey
I think you have misunderstood.
I don't think Ron intended to express any opinion that favoured SIA over the others, but it was brought to his attention (by his other advertisers) that his first posting could have been interpreted as such.
As editor of Microscopy Today, he is in a rather different position than you or me, and quite properly can't be seen to endorse or denigrate products, even if he does have an opinion. Which it didn't seem to me that he did have, in this case.
I agree with you about excessive political correctness, I live in a country which suffers a great deal from it.
But this isn't a case of it.
cheers
rtch
Date sent: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:29:28 -0700 To: Microscopy-at-microscopy.com } From: Sergey Ryazantsev {sryazant-at-ucla.edu}
Fellow Listmembers,
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but the location for the upcoming Cryoultramicrotomy for Materials Science Workshop, originally scheduled at The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, has been moved to **The University of California-Irvine.**
The Workshop will be held on the same dates and times as previously posted.
Some of the original attendees can't make it to the new location. There are five open positions for people who would like to attend. Please see below for instructions on how to RSVP.
Following is the modified posting with the new venue information:
***********************************************
Our Mini-Workshop Series on "Cryoultramicrotomy for Materials Sciences" is coming to Irvine, California!
**When**: Wednesday, August 18 through Thursday, August 19, 2004, 9:00am-4:00pm
**Where**: University of California - Irvine Henry Samueli School of Engineering Dept. of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Building 303 (Engineering Tower) Sixth Floor Irvine, CA 92697
**Local contact for directions and UCI information.**: Wen-an Chiou Director, Materials Characterization Center Tel. (949) 824-1567 Fax (949) 824-2541 {wchiou-at-uci.edu}
**Parking Notice**: All vehicles on campus require permits! Please see the UCI Parking Page for details at: {http://www.parking.uci.edu}
**What**: A two-day mini-workshop with presentations, demonstrations and hands-on sessions for cryoultramicrotomy, including toolmaking (wire loops and hair probes), glass knife making, evaluation of glass knives, care and cleaning of diamond knives and operation of the cryoultramicrotome.
If you wish to bring specimens, please let us know the nature of your specimens when you RSVP and reserve a place in the workshop.
**Background**: These techniques are of special interest to anyone working with polymers or other materials which could benefit from sectioning or surface "polishing"at low temperatures (no embedding required). The sections may be used for TEM, optical microscopy, IR spectroscopy and FTIR. The polished surface of the bulk material is suitable for AFM, SEM, X-ray microanalysis and elemental mapping.
**Important Info**:
1. There is no charge for this workshop.
2. Meals and refreshments will be served!
3. Attendance is open to everyone for the presentations and demonstrations on the first day. However, attendance is limited for the cryoultramicrotomy hands-on sessions on the second day.
**RSVPs and Reservations**: To RSVP and to reserve a spot for the hands-on sessions, please contact Kim Megaw at Boeckeler Instruments, Inc. ( {kim-at-boeckeler.com} , 800.552.2262).
**Sponsors and Organizers**: University of California-Irvine Henry Samueli School of Engineering Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Materials Characterization Center RMC Products Group, Boeckeler Instruments, Inc.
See you in Irvine!
Bob Chiovetti Senior Product Specialist Boeckeler Instruments, Inc.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 29 08:33:26 2004
This project involves the development of fundamental, underlying mechanisms to understand the concepts of self-assembly, as they pertain to the development of processed foods. Structure development in processed foods is a complex and multi-stage process that requires cooperative changes in molecular conformation of key food constituent (e.g., lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, water, etc.) to facilitate the coordinated association of individual molecules into arrangements with a well-defined three-dimensional order. Key techniques used include atomic force microscopy, Raman confocal microscopy and multiphoton laser scanning confocal microscopy.
The applicant must be a highly motivated individual with no more than 2-3 years of prior postdoctoral experience who has demonstrated the ability to organise, execute and interpret complex experiments. A Ph.D. in food science, physics, chemistry or related fields is desired; as is a working understanding of atomic force microscopy or related microscopy technique. Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team are required. The post is available from September 1st, 2004, initially for a one year period, with a 1-year extension possible.
For all enquiries, please email Dérick Rousseau (rousseau-at-ryerson.ca). To apply, please send your application, comprising a full CV and contact details for at least 2 referees to Dr. Dérick Rousseau, School of Nutrition, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 2K3. Fax number is 416-979-5204.
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 29 08:52:50 2004
Embedding the specimen in a non-conductive mount protects it against all external "agressions" due to operator manipulations, like acidistic treatments that reveal particular structures of the cross-sections, like transistors, SiO2 layers.
i must tell that we grind the large epoxy mount until we obtain a tiny "sandwitch" that looks like this ASCII cross-section :
___________________ {-- the glass plate (thickness ~150µm) =================== {-- a small layer of epoxy resin (~5-10µm) - - - - - - - - - - {-- active side (microelectronics) / / / / / / / / / / / {-- specimen of silicon die (silicon substrate) (~100-300µm) / / / / / / / / / / ------------------- + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + {-- the rest of the mounting resin charged or not with metal powder + + + + + + + + + + ------------------- thermo-fusing glue that permit to correct the cross-section ___________________ {-- orientation before and during polishing...that be replaced by a tripod holder
this "sandwitch" is stuck on an 90° aluminium holder with the glue, and then is mechanically polished until we find the cross-section of interest. the very fine resulting layer of epoxy resin, charged with silver powder (for example) may be enough fine to keep a good transparency in order to see the sample active surface. I did some experiments of resistance measurements of this mix today between 2 disk electrodes of 1cm² , with a mixing ratio of 30% in 0.015ml of resin+silver powder : We obtained 5 Mohms ... of 40% in 0.015ml of resin+silver poxder : 1.6 kOhms...
good results, i think if we are not considering the transparency...
please, be free to give any suggestions...
cheers!
Sylvain MAURY
Gary Gaugler a écrit : } } It sounds like you are trying to image cross sections } of integrated circuits. Depending on the minimum feature } size, this is a routine process using either Buehler } mechanical polishing (} = .35u) or FIB (0.5u or less). } The mechanical polished specimens are mounted on } a 90 degree mount (e.g., Pella #15359) using mounting } wax and a #1 cover slip glass. Then, the edge of the } die is contacted using coloidal silver epoxy and the } sputter coating with Au/Pd or Pt. This works fine } up to 350KX using FESEM and can be done with VPSEM } without coating. } } I do not see the point of embedding the specimen in } a large non-conductive mount. Are there other issues } that are not known? } } gary g. } } At 01:05 AM 7/28/2004, you wrote: } } } thanx Valery for these informations... } } } } i have to explain a little my work... } } } } i'm studying a method to make SEM samples conductive, like } } polished/sectionned silicium dies, coated in (insulating and } } polymerizing) epoxy resin and stuck with some thermo-fusing (at T} 80°C) } } glue (insulating too) on an aluminium SEM holder. } } } } My first idea was to mix the resin with metal powder like copper, silver } } or graphite powder...but these powders don't work very well when we want } } to keep the resin transparent enough to see the die, at 10-20% mixing } } rates. } } Now i would try the Tin oxyde powder...but i can't preview the result. } } } } We don't need a transparent glue so it's not as difficult as it can be } } for the resin. } } } } This study complements the fine metal coatings with Au/Pd or } } Pt...because the charging phenomenon is still a little influent on SEM } } observation of this kind of prepared samples, in spite of fine metal } } sputter coating... } } } } Any suggestions, listers? } } } } Thanx in advance } } } } Sylvain MAURY } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 29 16:17:29 2004
To avoid others having radically different results if trying to duplicate your conductive epoxy mix: it's worth pointing out that the silver powder morphology has a great deal to do with the conductivity than may be achieved. Silver for conductive pastes can be flake or spherical or something in between. Unless one knows which to use, the results may have as much to do with the type as the proportions of silver to resin. One can always buy a commercial silver-filled epoxy and have predictability.
John Twilley
sylvain maury wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- } } thanx for all replies, listers... } } Embedding the specimen in a non-conductive mount protects it against all } external "agressions" due to operator manipulations, like acidistic } treatments that reveal particular structures of the cross-sections, like } transistors, SiO2 layers. } } i must tell that we grind the large epoxy mount until we obtain a tiny } "sandwitch" that looks like this ASCII cross-section : } } ___________________ } {-- the glass plate (thickness ~150µm) } =================== {-- a small layer of epoxy resin (~5-10µm) } - - - - - - - - - - {-- active side (microelectronics) } / / / / / / } / / / / / {-- specimen of silicon die (silicon substrate) } (~100-300µm) } / / / / / } / / / / / } ------------------- } + + + + + + + + + + } + + + + + + + + + {-- the rest of the mounting resin charged or not } with metal powder } + + + + + + + + + + } ------------------- thermo-fusing glue that permit to correct the } cross-section } ___________________ {-- orientation before and during polishing...that } be replaced by } a } tripod holder } } } this "sandwitch" is stuck on an 90° aluminium holder with the glue, and } then is mechanically polished until we find the cross-section of } interest. } the very fine resulting layer of epoxy resin, charged with silver powder } (for example) may be enough fine to keep a good transparency in order to } see the sample active surface. } I did some experiments of resistance measurements of this mix today } between 2 disk electrodes of 1cm² , with a mixing ratio of 30% in } 0.015ml of resin+silver powder : We obtained 5 Mohms ... } of 40% in 0.015ml of resin+silver poxder : 1.6 kOhms... } } good results, i think if we are not considering the transparency... } } please, be free to give any suggestions... } } cheers! } } Sylvain MAURY } } Gary Gaugler a écrit : } } } } It sounds like you are trying to image cross sections } } of integrated circuits. Depending on the minimum feature } } size, this is a routine process using either Buehler } } mechanical polishing (} = .35u) or FIB (0.5u or less). } } The mechanical polished specimens are mounted on } } a 90 degree mount (e.g., Pella #15359) using mounting } } wax and a #1 cover slip glass. Then, the edge of the } } die is contacted using coloidal silver epoxy and the } } sputter coating with Au/Pd or Pt. This works fine } } up to 350KX using FESEM and can be done with VPSEM } } without coating. } } } } I do not see the point of embedding the specimen in } } a large non-conductive mount. Are there other issues } } that are not known? } } } } gary g. } } } } At 01:05 AM 7/28/2004, you wrote: } } } } } thanx Valery for these informations... } } } } } } i have to explain a little my work... } } } } } } i'm studying a method to make SEM samples conductive, like } } } polished/sectionned silicium dies, coated in (insulating and } } } polymerizing) epoxy resin and stuck with some thermo-fusing (at T} 80°C) } } } glue (insulating too) on an aluminium SEM holder. } } } } } } My first idea was to mix the resin with metal powder like copper, silver } } } or graphite powder...but these powders don't work very well when we want } } } to keep the resin transparent enough to see the die, at 10-20% mixing } } } rates. } } } Now i would try the Tin oxyde powder...but i can't preview the result. } } } } } } We don't need a transparent glue so it's not as difficult as it can be } } } for the resin. } } } } } } This study complements the fine metal coatings with Au/Pd or } } } Pt...because the charging phenomenon is still a little influent on SEM } } } observation of this kind of prepared samples, in spite of fine metal } } } sputter coating... } } } } } } Any suggestions, listers? } } } } } } Thanx in advance } } } } } } Sylvain MAURY } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 29 16:33:13 2004
I believe you are making your sample prep more complex than necessary. I have, for years, mounted the bare IC chip to my 90 deg. cross sectioning block with mounting wax. I then grind/polish the cross section, with full top view of the circuitry to see my site of interest approach the plane of the section. I have used various wet and dry chemistries to "stain", or delineate, structures of the transistors and wiring. The only time I have attached a cover glass to the top surface, is when I had delamination problems during the grind/polish operation. That usually only happens when there are very large metal bus lines in the section plane. The exposure to the chemistry is so short, that there is no "collateral damage" to my sample. For SEM inspection, I carefully apply some carbon paint to the outside corners of the polished section, away from the site of interest, and down to the stub. That provides a path for the charge from the circuitry, across the mounting wax, to the stub, and then the SEM stage. Most of my imaging is done at low accelerating voltages these days, but if needed, I will then apply a carbon, or metal, coating for further charge control. I have often imaged without the carbon paint or coating, when I did not need super fine detail.
Good Luck, Darrell
sylvain maury {sylvain.maury-at-thalesgroup.com} wrote on 07/29/2004 10:02:11 AM:
} The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- http://www.msa.microscopy. } com/MicroscopyListserver } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
} } thanx for all replies, listers... } } Embedding the specimen in a non-conductive mount protects it against all } external "agressions" due to operator manipulations, like acidistic } treatments that reveal particular structures of the cross-sections, like } transistors, SiO2 layers. } } i must tell that we grind the large epoxy mount until we obtain a tiny } "sandwitch" that looks like this ASCII cross-section : } } ___________________ } {-- the glass plate (thickness ~150µm) } =================== {-- a small layer of epoxy resin (~5-10µm) } - - - - - - - - - - {-- active side (microelectronics) } / / / / / / } / / / / / {-- specimen of silicon die (silicon substrate) } (~100-300µm) } / / / / / } / / / / / } ------------------- } + + + + + + + + + + } + + + + + + + + + {-- the rest of the mounting resin charged or not } with metal powder } + + + + + + + + + + } ------------------- thermo-fusing glue that permit to correct the } cross-section } ___________________ {-- orientation before and during polishing...that } be replaced by } a } tripod holder } } } this "sandwitch" is stuck on an 90° aluminium holder with the glue, and } then is mechanically polished until we find the cross-section of } interest. } the very fine resulting layer of epoxy resin, charged with silver powder } (for example) may be enough fine to keep a good transparency in order to } see the sample active surface. } I did some experiments of resistance measurements of this mix today } between 2 disk electrodes of 1cm² , with a mixing ratio of 30% in } 0.015ml of resin+silver powder : We obtained 5 Mohms ... } of 40% in 0.015ml of resin+silver poxder : 1.6 kOhms... } } good results, i think if we are not considering the transparency... } } please, be free to give any suggestions... } } cheers! } } Sylvain MAURY } } } Gary Gaugler a écrit : } } } } It sounds like you are trying to image cross sections } } of integrated circuits. Depending on the minimum feature } } size, this is a routine process using either Buehler } } mechanical polishing (} = .35u) or FIB (0.5u or less). } } The mechanical polished specimens are mounted on } } a 90 degree mount (e.g., Pella #15359) using mounting } } wax and a #1 cover slip glass. Then, the edge of the } } die is contacted using coloidal silver epoxy and the } } sputter coating with Au/Pd or Pt. This works fine } } up to 350KX using FESEM and can be done with VPSEM } } without coating. } } } } I do not see the point of embedding the specimen in } } a large non-conductive mount. Are there other issues } } that are not known? } } } } gary g. } } } } At 01:05 AM 7/28/2004, you wrote: } } } } } thanx Valery for these informations... } } } } } } i have to explain a little my work... } } } } } } i'm studying a method to make SEM samples conductive, like } } } polished/sectionned silicium dies, coated in (insulating and } } } polymerizing) epoxy resin and stuck with some thermo-fusing (at T} 80° C) } } } glue (insulating too) on an aluminium SEM holder. } } } } } } My first idea was to mix the resin with metal powder like copper, silver } } } or graphite powder...but these powders don't work very well when we want } } } to keep the resin transparent enough to see the die, at 10-20% mixing } } } rates. } } } Now i would try the Tin oxyde powder...but i can't preview the result. } } } } } } We don't need a transparent glue so it's not as difficult as it can be } } } for the resin. } } } } } } This study complements the fine metal coatings with Au/Pd or } } } Pt...because the charging phenomenon is still a little influent on SEM } } } observation of this kind of prepared samples, in spite of fine metal } } } sputter coating... } } } } } } Any suggestions, listers? } } } } } } Thanx in advance } } } } } } Sylvain MAURY } } } }
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Thu Jul 29 19:24:44 2004
Hi all - we run this course every year or so, most participants are from within Australia, but anyone from further afield would be very welcome. cheers Sally
The Australian National University Electron Microscopy Unit and Anaspec Australia are offering two SEM Courses with Steve Chapman(Protrain):
Course 1 Monday 13th September until Wednesday 15th September 2004 A Basic Introduction to Scanning Electron Microscopy (3 days)
The course is based firmly upon the practical side of the instrument, with theory introduced as and when it is required.
Cost AUS$300.00 plus GST
Course 2
Advanced Techniques in Scanning Electron Microscopy (2 days) Thursday 16th September until Friday 17th September 2004
For scientists who need an introduction to high resolution SEM and energy dispersive x-ray analysis or who have some experience but need to brush up their skills. This is not a course for the SEM novice, however the Basic SEM course should prepare the less experienced. Students are invited to bring along one of their own problem specimens for investigation.
Cost AUS $200.00 plus GST
Or both Courses (5 days)
Monday 13th September until Friday 17th September 2004
Cost AUS$450.00 plus GST
Accommodation and meals are NOT included
For further information please contact
Ruth Grinan Anaspec cc Australia ruth-at-anaspec.co.za Mob: 0438632470
or
Dr Sally Stowe ANU EMU Australian National University sally.stowe-at-anu.edu.au
From MicroscopyL-request-at-ns.microscopy.com Fri Jul 30 11:53:40 2004
University of Connecticut Institute of Materials Science
Postdoctoral Position SPM manipulation of carbon nanotubes and biological systems
A post-doctoral position is available immediately within the Institute of Materials Science at UConn to work on SPM imaging, manipulation, and lithography of carbon nanotubes and biological systems. The ideal candidate will have experience with AFM measurements in liquid, SPM lithography, and or SPM technique development. Experiments will be conducted in the newly constructed NanoMeasurement labs, featuring two new AFM systems for in vitro and air measurements with simultaneous confocal microscopy, as well as a UHV AFM/STM.
This position is a one-year appointment, with funding available for further years. To apply, please send a complete resume, together with a list of publications and contact details for 3 references, to Prof. Bryan Huey (bhuey-at-ims.uconn.edu). Screening of applications will begin immediately, and will continue until the position is filled. Applications are encouraged from under-represented groups, including minorities, women, and people with disabilities.
Bryan D. Huey The Institute of Materials Science University of Connecticut 97 N. Eagleville Road, unit 3136 Storrs, CT 06269 USA office: (860) 486 3284 fax: (860) 486 4745 http://www.ims.uconn.edu/ bhuey-at-uconn.edu
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (juan-at-nanostellar.com) from http://microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Friday, July 30, 2004 at 22:47:04 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I took some EDX spectrum by using EDAX Phoenix 1998 Revision 3.1, but I can not export the spectrum into a data file. Does anybody know the method? Any suggestion would be highly appreciated.
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (gazzzoman-at-yahoo.com) from http://www.microscopy.org/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Thursday, July 29, 2004 at 09:21:46 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question: I am trying to set up a hybrid microscope in order to use AFM (atomic force microscope) along with light microscopy(phase) on unstained biological samples.
The AFM that I am using adds two lenses to the optical path just above the sample. Unfortunately I neither know the specifications of those lenses, nor the characteristics of the other optical elements. I know that the plane of the sample is conjugated to a plane 32mm above the top lens. The whole AFM is practically a tube about 10cm long and 1cm of diameter.
I am trying to get informations about the optical elements of a long working distance condenser. Can anyone please send me a diagram?
I think that the AFM will add one conjugate focal plane to the system. Do you think that this will be a problem? What about using reflected light (for brightfield, phase, or DIC)?
I would like any comment or idea about this. thanks a lot, daniele
Below is the result of your feedback form (NJZFM-ultra-55). It was submitted by (Frida.Maiers-at-co.hennepin.mn.us) from http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/MLFormMail.html on Friday, July 30, 2004 at 08:32:06 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title-Subject: [Microscopy] [Filtered] MListserver: TEM photographic supplies available
Question: Due to digital camera installation we have the following available for a nominal fee: 1 case of D19 developer, 11 boxes of EM film (Kodak 4489, new formulation), 15 liquid kits of Kodak fixer, and 17 boxes Kodak Polymax II RC photographic paper (100 sheets each). Thank you.