The FEI Titan Themis STEM is back operational.
The microscope PC stayed on the last couple of days and everything else looks good.
Regards,
—
Erico Freitas
The FEI Philips XL 40 Environmental Scanning Microscope (ESEM) is a large chamber scanning electron microscope. It is operated by a Michigan Tech shared facility, the Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory (ACMAL). ACMAL was awarded a Shared Facility Grant from the Associate Vice President of Research Development to upgrade the ESEM electronics and software system. The upgrade is expected to offset future repair costs and minimize instrument downtime.
If you have not considered the ESEM for your research, this instrument is capable of operating in high vacuum mode for conventional scanning electron microscopy.
The ESEM supports large area montage imaging and elemental mapping (up to a few square centimeters), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS)-based phase analysis, chemical contrast imaging and EDS-based particle analysis, as well as crystallographic phase mapping, texture analysis and grain size orientation distribution by electron backscatter diffraction.
Contact ACMAL Director Elizabeth Miller with questions. You may request instrument training, sample preparation or sample analysis services. Remote training and collaboration are available. Request a tour for yourself and your team. We can help you select an instrument and find expertise in developing process plans for your research.
Current users are reminded to cite ACMAL in all publications arising from research using these instruments. Help us to build a community of electron microscopists.
ACMAL recently installed new recycling infrastructure across the seven labs on the 6th and 7th floor of the M&M and the STEM lab at the ATDC.
Please review the new Recycling section in ACMAL Cleanliness under Policy.
For some reason the microscope PC on the Titan Themis STEM is shutting off intermittently.
We will have a ThermoFisher engineer come to the STEM Lab to get it fixed.
Also, there will be two power outages next week, so the Titan Themis STEM will be unavailable from April 25th to May 5th.
Apologies,
Erico Freitas
The stage issue from January was fixed. The instrument is operational and available for use.
Erico Freitas
Research Scientist, Materials Science and Engineering
Michigan Technological University
Materials Science and Engineering Seminar
Thursday, April 13, 2023, 1 – 2 p.m.
Minerals and Materials Engineering Building (M&M) , 610
I am pleased to share that Dr. Leftwich was able to repair the Fiber-lite. The AFM is back online and available for use.
The Fiber-lite on the AFM isn’t working properly. I believe it may be a blown fuse. Unfortunately, I’m unable to find a replacement locally. I have placed an order online which is scheduled to arrive on Monday.
Play Under the Titan Lens: Microscope Takes Research to Atomic-Level video
Under the Titan Lens: Microscope Takes Research to Atomic-Level
Tiny things lead to big discoveries in the Electron Optics Facility that houses Titan, the ultra-sensitive microscope that analyzes materials at the atomic level. The Titan Themis Scanning Transmission Microscope, or S-TEM, has its own dedicated and stabilized space, complete with water-cooled temperature controls and back-up power. A powerful tool in an extensive array of electron microanalytical and X-ray instruments in Michigan Tech’s Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory (ACMAL), Titan is one of only two microscopes of its kind in the state of Michigan. In addition to high-resolution images, Titan can also perform fractional or chemical analysis. Its applications are useful in many research areas, including health, industrial, and technology. The electron optics facility is managed by Erico Freitas, a research scientist who runs the majority of samples but also trains students on how to use the equipment.
Planting the Seeds of Research
Are you a:
- Tenured, tenure-track, or research faculty?
- Post-doctoral researcher?
- Michigan Tech staff member?
Are you planning to seek funds for research elsewhere, but require start-up money to develop your proposal?
If so, you are eligible to apply for Seedling Research Funding opportunities of up to $1,000.
The Applied Chemical and Morphological Analysis Laboratory (ACMAL) at Michigan Tech has set aside $4,000 to fund pre-proposal research. These funds are designed to be granted to those who need to do preliminary investigations and data collection, which will then be used to develop a proposal for research funding from another source.