Spectral Imaging Facility: SEM Announcement

A New Addition to the NEAT ORU Spectral Imaging Facility Hitachi S-800T FE-SEM with Oxford INCA Energy EDS

Through a gift from Agilent Technologies, Inc. NEAT ORU and Thermochemistry has acquired an Hitachi S-800 Turbo FE-SEM and Oxford INCA Energy EDS attachment located in the Spectral Imaging Facility, Chemistry Building, Laboratory 0011. The SEM installation was completed in July 2006, while the final integration of the EDS attachment was completed in January 2007. This Hitachi S-800T SEM has proven itself in industry as a workhorse for over 15 years. After combining the Oxford INCA Energy EDS system with PentaFET detector and the SEM, we can expect many more years of operation in the NEAT community.

The S-800 SEM-EDS is available to students and researchers at UCD for free at present. Upon approval (most likely after April 1, 2007), this tool is available on a recharge bases: $30/hr for daytime use or training, and $20/hr for after hour usage. Prepared samples can be submitted for imaging at the assisted daytime rate or, after completing certification training, users can image samples independently.

To arrange a tour, training, or to schedule instrument time please contact the development engineer at SIF, Mr. Alan Hicklin by e-mail (sif-info@ucdavis.edu) or by phone (530-754-9033). For other inquiries regarding this SEM, you may contact Drs. Gang-yu Liu (530-754-9678) or Ting Guo (530-754-5283).

Technical specifications that may be of interest

• Cold field emission electron source allows greater resolution at lower accelerating potentials
• Low accelerating voltage option 1kV to 5kV in 1000 Volt increments allows imaging of un-coApril 20, 2007ing voltages to 25kV
• 2 nm design specification resolution (The actual resolution spec has not been determined for Chemistry Rm 0011 environment)
• Large depth of field 10-20mm and magnification from 20X to ~300 000X
• Quick 30 second sample loading through the exchange chamber
• Samples 1"x 1"x 1" for cross-section and up to 2" in diameter can be loaded for imaging through the sample exchange chamber
• Up to 4" wafers can be loaded with limited imaging coverage through direct stage mounting
• INCA Energy EDS system allows elemental detection down to Be with 132eV resolution and digital image capture for the SEM

Example images acquired using the S-800 during September 2006

The left and center images are cells prepared for confocal microscopy (stained with fluorescein labeled phalloidin) and then dehydrated and coated for SEM. They are non-differentiated PC12 cells. They were not given nerve growth factor and thus do not have neurites. The cell line comes from the pheochromocytoma of a male rat. These are non-adherent cells that were grown on a collagen IV coated carbon nano- fiber array for 8 days (cell medium changed every two days).

The image on the right represents a Calibration grating 1-D array of rectangular SiO2 steps on a Si wafer with 100nm step height and 3um period. The structure is coated with Si3N4 to prevent the Si from oxidizing. An over-etched area on the grating boundary can be seen just below the text overlay.