The Electron Microscope Laboratories Transmission Electron Microscope (Fig. 1A): A Zeiss EM-10C Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) was purchased ($25,000), delivered, tested, and evaluated for connection to the Keck D.R.I.L.L. system. It was assembled and calibrated in preparation for use. The EM-10 was chosen because of the relative ease of retrofitting it with digital imaging hardware (e.g. CCD Camera) as well as a proven history of operational stability. The Zeiss 10C TEM has been in use now for more than a year to train students tha techniques involved with transmission electron microscopy. Future plans are to outfit this microscope with a solid-state camera that will allow microscopic images to be transmitted to classrooms and laboratories in real time. Electron micrographic negatives will be digitized with a high resolution scanner and archived onto CD-ROMs for later classroom use. Transmission Electron Microscope Accessories: The electron microscopy prep labs are equipped with a sputter coater (Rm 8-34), Balzer's freeze fracture machine (Rm 8-31A), two MT2-B ultramicrotomes (Rm 8-34A), an LKB glass knifemaker (Rm 8-34A), curing oven (Rm 8-34A), and fume hood (Rm 8-34) for processing embedding resins and preparing samples for transmission electron microscopy.
Fig. 1A B Scanning Electron Microscope (Fig. 1B): A used Hitachi S-530 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was recently purchased and delivered for $25,000. This piece of scientific instrumentation is important for the Keck DRILL system because of its overall usefulness to researchers and students from a variety of disciplines including such diverse fields as Agricultural Science, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Geology, Forensics Science, Entomology, Botany, Zoology, and Microbiology. The instrument will be set up soon after the room (8-34B) is rewired for 220 (208) volts. When it is set up it will eventually be hooked up to capture and send digital images to a remote computer for archiving in an SEM digital library to be used for classroom instruction.
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