Summary of Facilities
ERA offers a computer controlled combined system of the research grade Zeiss “EVO 50XVP eXtended Variable Pressure” SEM and the Oxford Instruments “INCA Energy+ Analysis System”, the latter being interfaced to both EDX and WDX detectors.

SEM specification
	Sample size: up to 250mm diameter or multiple smaller samples
	Sample weight: up to 0.5Kg (tilted), 1Kg (not tilted)
	Magnification: x5 to x1,000,000
	Maximum field of view: 6mm diameter at analytical working distance
	Beam voltage: 200V – 30kV
	Resolution: 2nm at 30kV
	Display: Two screens with exceptionally clear imaging (plus a third screen for analysis)
	Electron gun: LaB6 for high brightness imaging
	Preparation: Highly insulating samples can be imaged and analysed without coating
	Positioning: High precision 5-axes motorised stage. Infra-red camera in chamber enables precise positioning of sample during investigation.
Analysis system specification
	Element range: All elements from Beryllium (Be) upwards can be detected at all times
	Visualisation: Element maps and linescans can be made of any number of elements at one time, together with Secondary Electron (SE) or Back-Scattered Detector (BSD) images of the same area.
	Analysis: Any element can be called up for mapping retrospectively, without revisiting the sample.
Data output
	Image capture and storage in common electronic formats
	Image output to paper, removable disk (CD, Zip) or USB memory stick.

Examples of system functionality

Enhanced depth of field
In the SEM the depth of focus is ~300 times better than in an optical microscope.

Optical microscopy of this wire bonded circuit can focus on the wires or the circuit not both. (click on image to enlarge)	SEM image enables whole of sample to be in focus. (click on image to enlarge)
Imaging of insulating samples In a conventional SEM, insulating samples need to be coated in a thin conducting layer to stop them charging up and blurring the image. ERA has an “environmental” SEM which incorporates a variable pressure mode of imaging and removes the need for coating.
A conventional SEM cannot image this cotton bud satisfactorily - the conductive coating is not continuous (click on image to enlarge)	Using variable pressure mode, ERA’s SEM can image it properly, even down between the fibres. (click on image to enlarge)
EDX – energy dispersive X-ray analysis Microanalysis can be used to reveal the composition of a sample and false colour added to highlight true compositional variation.
Backscatter image of corrosion product reveals differences in atomic weight (bright = heavy). (click on image to enlarge)	EDX analysis provides a spatial map of the sample composition. Blue = oxygen, green = chlorine, red = copper (click on image to enlarge)