While optical microscopy (OM) employs light to detect objects, electron microscopy (EM) employs electrons.  Sample preparation and handling for EM are more time and labor consuming than those for OM; however, the much higher resolution of the resulting image justifies the effort.   In fact, EM can provide x-y resolution in the Angstrom level (1A = 0.1nm) while OM resolution limit is one order of magnitude lower (~100nm).
Special magnification requirements for biological samples or semiconductor applications are met only by EM.  Transmission (TEM) and Scanning (SEM) are two types of EM which are used to answer different questions about the sample of interest.

A JEOL JSM-35 scanning electron microscope is available at the Center for multi-purpose high resolution (60 Angstrom) scanning of specimen. The system is provided with automatic focus and magnification compensation while covering from 0 to 39kV in 1kV step. Magnification can be changed from 10x to 180,000x with magnification reading being digitally displayed. The system is equipped with a digital Nikon D50 camera for image acquisition.

A Polaron Sputter Coater (E5100) is available within the Center for fine grain “cool” coating of SEM samples.