Scientific Center for Optical and Electron Microscopy

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Microscopy Training SEM 1

Course Overview

This 5-day introductory block course on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) emphasizes hands-on learning. Using ScopeM SEMs, students have the opportunity to study their own samples (or samples provided) and solve practical problems by applying knowledge acquired during the lectures. At the end of the course, students will be able to apply SEM for their (future) research projects.

During the course, students learn through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on sessions how to setup and operate SEM instruments, including low-vacuum and low-voltage applications

This course gives basic skills for students new to SEM. At the end of the course, students are able to align an SEM, to obtain secondary electron (SE) and backscatter electron (BSE) images and to perform energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) semi-quantitative analysis. Emphasis is put on procedures to optimize SEM parameters in order to best solve practical problems and deal with a wide range of materials.

The course content

Lectures:

  • Introduction on Electron Microscopy and instrumentation
  • Electron sources, electron lenses and probe formation
  • Beam/specimen interaction, image formation, image contrast and imaging modes
  • Sample preparation techniques for EM
  • X-ray micro-analysis (theory and detection), qualitative and semi-quantitative EDX and point analysis, linescan and spectral mapping

Practicals:

  • Brief description and demonstration of the SEM microscope
  • Practice on image formation, image contrast (and image processing)
  • Student participation on sample preparation techniques
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy lab exercises: setup and operate the instrument under various imaging modalities
  • Practice on real-world samples and report results

The SEM I course runs twice per semester. 

ECTS points

2 credits for full course.

Course fee

Full course for Master Students of ETH Zurich: no fee
Full course for Academia: 400 CHF
Full course for all other participants 1600 CHF
Lectures only: no fee

Number of Participants

The number of seats is limited, however, the lectures are open to all ScopeM users - registration is required, please use the SEM I application form below to register your interest. Please note that there will be no credit for the lectures only course.

Dates for upcoming course

17.03.2025--21.03.2025

How to apply

external page SEM I application form (application deadline: 2 weeks before the course starts). Master and PhD students are required to register on myStudies, course number 327-​2125-00L.

Contact

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Peng Zeng
HPM D48
Tel: +41 44 633 8034
Email: peng.zeng@scopem.ethz.ch