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LEO (Zeiss) 1550

LEO(Zeiss)1550

LEO (Zeiss) 1550: FEG-SEM equipped with EDS and EBSD

The LEO (Zeiss) 1550 is a high-spatial resolution SEM using a Schottky field emission (FEG) electron source, capable of resolution in 1-5 nm size range using an in-lens SED. It is used for high-resolution imaging of surfaces, qualitative assessment of the distribution of elements (by EDS), submicron structure analysis, and determination of crystal orientation and crystalline texture (by EBSD).


Contact: Stephen McCartney (stmccart@vt.edu)
Location: ICTAS CRC room 1016

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

  • Accelerating voltage: 1kV to 30kV
  • Detectors: 1 x In-lens secondary electron (SED), 1 x  Everhart-Thornley secondary electron (SED), 1 x Robinson-type back-scatter electron (BSED)
  • Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS): Oxford INCA E2H with INCAx-act 51-1385-005 Silicon Drift detector (SDD), Energy Resolution Mn K – 133eV, detection B - U, 0.1 - 1 at%
  • HKL Nordlys II Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) system, including a Forward Scatter Electron (FSE) detector
  • Spatial resolution
    • High-vacuum
      • 1.0nm at 20kV
      • 2.5nm at 1kV

NOTE: The effectiveness of low accelerating voltage operation depends heavily on the nature of a sample.

Sample Images

Sample fesem01
Spherulite crystallization in an amorphous polymer melt. Image courtesy of Steve McCartney.
Sample fesem02
Porous gold formed by dealloying a silver gold mixture electrochemically and then annealing at 1073K for 15 minutes to increase the pore size. Image courtesy of Aziz Dursan and Steve McCartney.
Sample fesem03
Long-stemmed rose patterned in silicon with electron beam lithography. Rose is about 25 microns long. Image courtesy of Steve McCartney.
Sample fesem04
Fractal crystals. Image courtesy Steve McCartney.