Skip to main navigationSkip to main content
The University of Southampton
Biomedical Imaging Unit

Transmission Electron Microscopy

Transmission electron microscopy shoots a beam of electrons through an ultrathin sample (conventionally a very thin slice of resin-embedded material that has been stained with heavy metals like osmium, lead and uranium). Different components within the sample take up different amounts of the stain and so impede the electrons to different extents, causing contrast in the detected image. The electron beam can also be used to generate X-rays from the different chemical elements in unstained samples. Each element gives off a characteristic spectrum of X-rays so by analysing the spectrum we can map the elemental composition of the sample.

View a gallery of our transmission electron microscopy images here.

 

Hitach HT7700 TEM
Hitach HT7700 TEM

Hitachi HT7700 Transmission Electron Microscope

In 2017, and after 30 years of faithful service, we replaced our Hitachi H7000 TEM with a brand new HT7700 system.

 

 

FEI Tecnai T12 TEM
FEI Tecnai T12 TEM

FEI Tecnai T12 Transmission Electron Microscope

 

 

Leica UC7 Ultramicrotome
Leica UC7 Ultramicrotome

Transmission Electron Microscopy Sample Processing

 

Privacy Settings