Next week, Oxford will be on campus to improve the connection between SEMTech and Oxford. If you have experienced any issues using the ESEM, please let me and Isabella Jaszczak know.
ESEM in Electron Optics
The ESEM is functioning well. However, the instrument is not connecting to the internet. IT is aware of the problem and working to resolve it.
October 4
This issue is resolved. If you have any trouble with the ESEM please let me know.
October 3
Due to alignment issues with the beam on the esem we are not able to get high enough counts for EDS. Please take this into consideration while planning your usage. I am working with SEMTech to resolve this issue.
The ESEM is back online.
September 13, 2023
I’m pleased to report that the ESEM repairs will be completed today and the instrument is available as soon as tomorrow morning.
September 8, 2023
Unfortunately, the power supply did not fix this issue. I’ve done as much remote troubleshooting as possible. We will have a service technician on campus next week to look into the issue.
If anyone has any urgent samples, please contact me and we can make other arrangements.
September 7, 2023
Just a quick update. It looks like the filament is not the issue. I have been working with SEMTech to diagnose the problem. They are overnighting me a power supply. We are going to replace it tomorrow. I will have an update at that point.
I know many of you are eager to get back on the instrument. I thank you for your patience.
September 6, 2023
The ESEM is down due to an issue with the filament. We are working on this and hope to have the issue resolved by tomorrow.
The upgrades on the ESEM will be extending into next week. If anyone has set up an appointment with us for training I will contact you individually to reschedule those.
Just a reminder, a brief training will be required before you can operate the instrument without supervision.
The ESEM is back online. We have a temporary fix. The issue will be permanently solved by the upgrade in August. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any problems.
The ESEM is currently down. We are having issues with the vacuum control unit.
The instrument will be temporarily offline from August 1to August 18 to facilitate the installation of the SEMTech 8000 upgrade. During the upgrade period, the ESEM system will be inaccessible, and no reservations or usage will be possible. We kindly request that you plan your projects accordingly and make alternative arrangements for your imaging and analysis requirements during this period.
To ensure a smooth transition and help you familiarize yourself with the upgraded system, we will be offering training sessions for all ESEM users. These training sessions are mandatory for anyone intending to use the SEMTech 8000. The sessions will be conducted starting from August 19, once the upgrade is complete.
To schedule your training session, please sign up for training. You will be directed to our self-scheduling calendar, where you can choose a time slot that suits you best. Appointments are available starting August 19. Due to limited availability, we recommend scheduling your session at your earliest convenience.
The BSE detector has been repaired. A big thanks to Dr. Ed for resoldering it!