» SEM Image Gallery

Fishy Scales and Ecphora Shell Under a PSEM

jeff — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:05:15 +0000

John Nance sent in two samples to be scanned by ASPEX’s elemental analyzer PSEM eXplorer.

A Ecphora Shell is actually a subspecies of a ferocious predator sea snail which is now an extinct member of rock snail family, Muricidae. Pretty cool stuff.

Included in this sample were fish scales. Don’t they look like grains of rice under our scanning electron microscopes?

Manual image analysis was performed on the sent samples and the customer had requested to provide images of the above scans. Reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Secondary electron detector (SED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV. The sample was gold coated to eliminate sample charging.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

Mini Minerals Under A SEM

jeff — Wed, 19 May 2010 03:27:19 +0000

Jim Lehane from the University of Utah sent in minerals to ASPEX to be scanned under our Scanning Electron Microscopes. The scans shown below are magnified up to 1000x!

The customer had requested that ASPEX provide an elemental analysis, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Secondary electron detector (SED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

A New Perspective: Fossil and Minerals Under a Scanning Electron Microscope

jeff — Wed, 19 May 2010 03:05:49 +0000

Not only limited to studying science, Scanning Electron Microscopes can be used by geologists to get a really up close look of their fossils and other minerals. The use of SEMs in different industries like this has recently become an increasing trend due to the always emerging technology and the drive to always pursue more information.

Miichael Popp has sent ASPEX two fossils to be scanned by ASPEX’s elemental analyzer PSEM eXplorer. The lighter samples are Fluroite, a mineral which is used in the production of stainless steel and refrigerants. The darker scans are Cornulites which are commonly referred to as “worm tubes.”

The customer had requested that ASPEX provide images, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Backscatter electron detector (BSED) images were collected using Variable Pressure Conditions (.15Torr) and 20 KeV.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

Bird Feathers Look Like String Under SEM

jeff — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:04:40 +0000

Not what you first expected eh?

Its hard to imagine that something this soft looks like a hard pieces of string under ASPEX’s Scanning Electron Microscopes .

The scan was done by using our sem edx analysis and the reports were prepared by using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Secondary electron detector (SED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV. The sample was gold coated to eliminate sample charging.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

NAME THAT SAMPLE! – WEEK 4

kara — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:11:52 +0000

Great guesses last week! Again, congratulations to Bryan for guessing Halls cough drops.

Our prizes are getting bigger and this time we are giving away a Brand New Apple iPod Touch!

Since the stakes are higher, this week’s sample is a bit harder than last week’s, so it’s important to be as specific as possible in your guesses.

Comment below with what you think is under our Scanning Electron Microscope.

Update: June 4, 2010 WE HAVE A WINNER! Congratulations to Bryan who guessed the correct answer, Solder Bumps. Clearly he has a gift for guessing images by scanning electron microscopes. He will be receiving his brand new iPod Touch shortly. Don’t worry, we will be giving away another brand new Netbook for week 5 of Name That Sample! Stay tuned.

The winner will be contacted via email.

The contest will be open for the next 2 weeks.

This scan was done by using our SEM EDX Analysis.

System Configuration
Product: PSEM® eXpress
Operating Parameters: VP–BSED Detector,
Accelerating Voltage 20.0 kV,
Working Distance 14.4 mm
Reporting Software: Personal Image Print™

Personal SEM Analysis of a Plastic Robot Arm

kara — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:23:45 +0000

Aaron Saenz of Singularity Hub sent a plastic robot arm to ASPEX Corporation for image analysis using the ASPEX’s Scanning Electron Microscopes.

ASPEX manually analyzed the sample with the PSEM eXplorer.

Saenz had requested to provide images of the plastic robot arm, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Backscatter electron detector (BSED) images were collected.

The image on the left was taken under variable pressure at .35 torr.

The image on the right was taken under high vacuum after the sample was gold coated to eliminate charging.

To enjoy more PSEM images, browse through the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

Fuzzy Wuzzy Wasp?! under a Scanning Electron Microscope

kara — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:34:13 +0000

Wasps aren’t exactly cuddly creatures, but you’d never know that looking under our Scanning Electron Microscopes.

With its fur and eye magnified, the wasp Aaron Thompson from Nanjing International School submitted to ASPEX may make you reconsider your traditional feelings toward wasps.

ASPEX Corporation performed a manual image analysis of a wasp using the ASPEX Personal SEM eXplorer.

The customer had requested that ASPEX provide images, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Secondary electron detector (SED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV. The sample was gold coated to eliminate sample charging.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

Is Your Day Dragon? Check Out a Dragonfly Scanned Under a Personal SEM

kara — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:23:57 +0000

The image of the dragonfly represents a variety of things across traditional cultures. While Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people’s souls, for example, dragonflies had been used for traditional medicinal purposes in China and Japan.

These swift creatures are quite elusive, so it is no wonder Aaron Thompson from Nanjing International School submitted a dragonfly sample to ASPEX for a close up inspection under our Scanning Electron Microscopes.

ASPEX Corporation performed a manual image analysis of the dragonfly using the ASPEX Personal SEM eXplorer.

The customer had requested that ASPEX provide images, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Secondary electron detector (SED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV. The sample was gold coated to eliminate sample charging.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

All We Are Is Dust in the…Scanning Electron Microscope?

kara — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:05:23 +0000

Dust. It’s everywhere, or as Kansas sings, it’s everything.

Yet it’s something everyone is always looking to clean up and get rid of.

Daniel Lund from Glenwood Intermediate School got rid of some dust by sending it to ASPEX Corporation for image analysis using the ASPEX Personal SEM.

Manual image analysis was performed on the dust using the ASPEX PSEM eXplorer. The customer had requested that ASPEX provide images, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Backscanner electron detector (BSED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV. The sample was gold coated to eliminate sample charging.

Like what you see? Check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.

SEM Analysis of a Lucky Ladybug

kara — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:03:27 +0000

If spotting a ladybug is considered good luck, seeing one zoomed in under our Scanning Electron Microscopes probably magnifies its luckiness by 50,000X!

That makes today your lucky day.

Daniel Lund from Glenwood Intermediate School sent in a ladybug to ASPEX Corporation for image analysis using the ASPEX Personal SEM.

Manual image analysis was performed on the ladybug using the ASPEX PSEM eXplorer. The customer had requested that ASPEX provide images, so reports were prepared using ASPEX Personal Image Print II (PIP^TM).

Backscanner electron detector (BSED) images were collected under high vacuum conditions and 20 KeV. The ladybug sample was gold coated to eliminate sample charging.

Compare this image to the SEM image of a fly’s head. And be sure to check out the rest of our Personal SEM Image Gallery.