Electron Microscopy Facility

Electron Microscopy – MicroLab
Scanning Probe Microscopy

Electron Microscopy – MicroLab

Deputy Director: Amélia Almeida

Contact Persons:
Amélia Almeida, ext. 3176
Isabel Nogueira, ext. 1882

Description

MicroLab is the Electron Microscopy Facility of IST dedicated to provide service and training in materials characterization by scanning and transmission electron microscopy to the entire community. CeFEMA is a member of the facility.

MicroLab is the MERIL infrastructure 3502 (MERIL-Mapping of the European Research Infrastructure Landscape) database since August 2013.
MERIL provides access to an inventory of the most excellent research infrastructures (RIs) in Europe across all scientific domains, considered of more-than-national relevance. According to this platform’s requirements, research infrastructures included in the database have been evaluated through a national or European process on the basis of commonly agreed criteria and recognized as being of the highest standards and relevance to research in Europe. Inclusion in the database is a label of quality.

Objectives

MicroLab is a specialised facility of IST dedicated to provide service and training in materials characterization by scanning and transmission
electron microscopy to the entire community.

Activities

The laboratory performs structural and chemical analysis of a wide range of materials and biological samples using secondary electrons and backscattered electrons imaging scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis including EDS X-ray mapping, crystallographic and texture analysis by electron-backscatter diffraction, particle sizing and counting, image analysis and specialized sample preparation. In transmission electron microscopy bright-field and dark-field imaging, phase identification by electron diffraction, elemental analysis with EDS and specialized sample preparation can be done.

Main Scientific Areas

This laboratory provides support for a wide range of scientific research activities, including bulk materials and thin film characterization, nanoparticles analysis, studies of laser processed materials, etc. In the biological field studies malaria-affected cells, bacteria research, characterization of biomaterials, study of laser ablated human and animal hard-tissues, tissue engineering, magnetic materials for biomedical applications, and calcified structures within the oral cavity are being investigated.

Training Activities

MicroLab organises personalized training sessions for intensive users who wish to become independent operators of specific equipment.
Training includes a theoretical component and practical sessions, with the support of the laboratory technician. If the training is successful the laboratory technician will authorise the user to have operate the equipment by himself and to access the laboratory off working hours at a reduced cost. In addition, MicroLab support teaching and training within the framework of the University curricular activities. SEM and TEM courses are provided to the Materials Engineering BSc, MSc and PhD degree students as well as to the Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering and Nanosystems Engineering MSc students. We also receive regular visits from BSc and MSc degree students of Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa and Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
The laboratory regularly organizes training courses for those interested in learning more about microscopy, including practical equipment operation training.

Main Equipment

• Hitachi H-8100, 200 kV, LaB6 filament, analytical transmission electron microscope with ThermoNoran model SystemSix energy
  

  Polaron Quorum Technologies sputter coater and evaporator (Au/Pd, Cr, C films).

  dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) with light elements detector and digital image acquisition

• JEOL 7001F analytical FEG-SEM, with Oxford INCA 250 PREMIUM EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) with light elements detector
• Hitachi S-2400 analytical SEM, with a Bruker Quantax energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and light elements detector
• Technoorg Linda IV7 Pro Ion Mill for transmission electron microscopy thin foil preparation
• Dimpler VCR D500i for transmission electron microscopy thin foil preparation
• Technoorg-Linda electroerosion unit for transmission electron microscopy thin foil cutting
• Polaron Quorum Technologies sputter coater and evaporator (Au/Pd, Cr, C films)
• Olympus optical microscope
• Nikon binocular microscope

Location: IST-Alameda, Pav. Mecânica II, room 1.40a

Further information is available in http://microlab.tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Access conditions:

MicroLab is available for all undergraduates, graduates, professors and researchers of CeFEMA as well as from other departments of Instituto Superior Tecnico, other universities, research institutes and private companies.
The Facility is available both as user-run for authorized independent users and as a service with technical assistance.
This Facility has a full-time technician, responsible for the operation of all equipment, maintenance, online booking and support to independent users.
Intensive users of the Facility are encouraged to become independent operators, being authorized to use the equipment in off-peak hours (before 9h00, after 17h00 and on weekends and holidays) after appropriate training by the responsible technician.

Independent authorized users: please use the online booking system available.

Other users: please contact Isabel Nogueira.

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Scanning Probe Microscopy

Contact person: Alberto Ferro, tel: 21 8419989, ext 9989

Equipment:

• Scanning probe microscope NanoSurf Easyscan 2 (tip-scanning type) with controlled temperature liquid cell and electrochemical cell
• Inverted optical microscope: Inverted Epi and Diascopic Optical Microscope Olympus IX5

Location: IST-Alameda, Mecânica II building, floor 0, NanoStructured Materials Laboratory

Access conditions: through the contact person above.