Progress on the ANL Advanced AEM Project [Advanced Electron Microscope (AEM)]

Conference · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5514129

Zaluzec, Nestor J. ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Commercial instrumentation on the market today, although labeled as "analytical electron microscopes'', are in fact transmission or scanning transmission electron microscopes with analytical attachments. While the manufacturers always optimize their instruments, they inevitably do so at the expense of analytical performance, and instead optimize for the best possible image resolution. In 1980 the Electron Microscopy Center (EMC) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) began a development project to specify and acquire a true analytical electron microscope (AEM). The instrument specifications were devised with the primary goal of attaining the best possible analytical sensitivity, resolution and versatility consistent for state of the art materials research and still provide moderate imaging capabilities. Early in the conceptual design it was determined that the instrument was sufficiently involved that it would not be built by the research staff at ANL alone, and the decision was made to enter a development contract with a commercial manufacturer. After spending 3 years raising funds, 2 years visiting manufacturers to discuss and detail the specifications, and 1 year in bidding and negotiating a contract, the project was finally awarded to VG Scientific Instruments, (now VG Microscopes Ltd.) of East Grinstead, England. Progress has been slow but deliberate and it appears that the instrument is nearing completion and may actually be delivered this year. This report presents the design and projected capabilities of the AEM.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5514129
• Report Number(s): ANL/CP--72757; CONF-910870--19; ON: DE91015712
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102 -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
440800* -- Miscellaneous Instrumentation-- (1990-)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELECTRON SOURCES
FABRICATION
GONIOMETERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MICROSCOPES
MICROSCOPY
OPTICS
PARTICLE SOURCES
PLANNING
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIATION SOURCES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ULTRAHIGH VACUUM