Program Overview

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microanalysis

Presentation

This is a non-diploma continuing education course.

• City: GRENOBLE University area
• Duration: 5 days
• Accessible in: Continuing education

Objectives

The objectives of this course are to:

• Know the physical phenomena associated with electron-matter interactions, as well as their theoretical description
• Discover the operating principles and technologies of a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and an energy-selective X-ray spectrometry system (EDS)
• Acquire the practical basics and choose the optimal operating conditions for effective use of SEM and an energy-selective X-ray spectrometry system (EDS)
• Know how to correctly interpret the images taken with the SEM and the results of the EDS

Our educational assets

This course relies on the technical means made available by Grenoble INP - UGA through its CMTC material characterization platform, which includes several MEBs, including three latest-generation MEB FEGs, all equipped with EDS analysis systems. The instructors are permanent engineers from the CMTC platform or the SIMAP laboratory.

The advantages of the training

The advantages of this course include:

• Half of the course is spent on practical work in small groups (maximum 5 people per instrument)
• Access to a wide variety of instruments (MEB at partial pressure, MEB at field effect, and environmental MEB with associated analysis systems)
• A large panel of samples is made available to familiarize students with various imaging and analysis modes
• A half-day of practical work chosen to deepen and discover other aspects

Admission

• Price: 3,600 euros per person
• Accessible in: Continuing education

Admission requirements

This course is intended for engineers, researchers, or technicians who will be implementing scanning electron microscopy and/or X microanalysis or exploiting the results. The required knowledge includes basic understanding of material structure (level bac+2).

• Staff: 5 to 15 people

Program

• Duration of studies: 5 days

Program

The course program includes:

1. Day 1

• Conventional Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM-W) and field effect microscope (SEM-FEG)
• Basis of electron-matter interactions for microscopy
• T.P.1 – Discovery of M.E.B. and secondary imaging

2. Day 2

• SEM-W and SEM-FEG: Resolution at high and low voltage, aberrations
• MEB-W and MEB-FEG: Electron detectors (SE, BSE, STEM), Automation and compensations
• SEM-W and SEM-FEG at controlled pressure: Imaging in VP, LV, ESEM modes
• T.P. 2 – Image optimization and backscattered imaging

3. Day 3

• Physical bases of microanalysis by X-ray emission
• Energy Selective X-ray Spectrometry (EDS)
• T.P. 3 – Discovery of the EDS analysis system and practice of qualitative analysis

4. Day 4

• Quantitative X-ray microanalysis (principle and applications)
• ISO standards in the field of scanning electron microscopy and associated analyzes
• EDS: choice of high and low voltage operating conditions
• Mapping X: Principle and choice of operating conditions
• T.P. 4 – Quantitative analysis by EDS and X cartography

5. Day 5

• Preparation of hard samples: Polishing, Cleaning and Metallization
• Contribution of wavelength dispersion spectrometry (WDS), implemented in the SEM and the Castaing microprobe
• 2 Workshops/practical work to choose from:
  • EBSD analysis (principle and implementation of the technique, case studies)
  • High resolution imaging and VP and/or EDS mode
  • Environmental microscopy ESEM and platinum Peltier mode
  • Introduction to particle analysis in a SEM

Knowledge check

A quiz to assess knowledge acquisition at the beginning and end of the course.

Sanction of short training courses

• Certificate of completion of training
• Certificate of presence