Investigating the small

It is necessary for scientists to make observations in their daily work. But what if their research occurs on a scale that is not visible to the naked eye?

This presentation will introduce you to four instruments which aid scientists for this type of research.

Nanospectrometer

How it works: This instrument uses light interference maxima and minima to measure thicknesses.

It looks like this..

Inner workings

Resolution, size, and cost

Resolution is on the order of 10^-10 (Angstroms)Fits on a table topApproximately $10K

Scanning Electron Microscope

How it works: An electron beam scans over a sample that creates various signals made of emitted electrons off the surface. This allows for an image to form and magnifies the specimen.

It looks like this..

Inner workings

Images produced by SEM

Silicon Valley Ant

Blood cell

Resolution, size, and cost

Features observed on an SEM are as small as 1-50 nanometersThe size of the instrument itself is about 3x5 ft.Expect to pay between $100K-$300K for this instrument

Atomic Force Microscope

How it works: A sharp tip touches a sample and forces between the atoms in the sample affect a lever on the tip. This creates a topographical map image for the user.

It looks like this..

Inner workings of AFM

Image produced by AFM(Chromium)

Resolution, size, and cost

Vertically, this instrument can “see” down to 0.1 x 10^-10 meters! Laterally, it can “see” 1 nanometer.The AFM fits on a table topThis instrument can be obtained at $65K-$200K

Optical microscope

You have probably used this instrument before. White light is used to illuminate a sample and lenses magnify the sample.

You’ve probably seen it before..

Inner workings

Resolution, size, and cost

Microscopes, like the name implies, “see” down to 0.2 micrometers.The size ranges from pocket size to a large table top$5-$5K

Images used 

1. Ant. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/. ../section4/sem.asp2. Termite. alfa.ist.utl.pt/~cvrm/ staff/vramos/SIP05.html3. Blood cell. history.nasa.gov/ SP-368/s3ch3.htm4. SEM Diagram. www.weizmann.ac.il/ home/garty/scanning_electr...5. SEM. darkwing.uoregon.edu/ ~oimb/equip.htm6. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/on-line/electron/images/ant.jpg7. AFM Diagram. http://www.almaden.ibm.com/vis/models/images/afm.gif8. AFM pic. www1.cems.umn.edu/research/ frisbie/Dimension3...9. chromium dots. http://physics.nist.gov/Divisions/Div841/Gp3/Projects/Atom/images/nanodots.gif10. light microscope. http://www.cas.muohio.edu/~mbi-ws/microscopes/images/LightMicroscope.GIF11. Nanospectrometer. http://www.thtlab.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/MEMS_Equipment/NanoSpec.jpg12. plant cell. www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/ b-online/e04/04a.htm13. thin film colors . http://electron9.phys.utk.edu/phys136d/modules/m9/images/colors.jpgI14. nterference diagram. newton.ex.ac.uk/.../ images/thin_film1.jpg