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Basic Optical Microscopes (OMs) compared with Basic Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs)
OM
1a Uses glass lenses
1b Lenses are small & light
2a Visible or Ultraviolet (UV) light can
be used to illuminate the specimen
2b The wavelength of the illuminating
radiation is in the range of visible or
UV light.
One type of radiation (the same
before and after illumination) is
obtained after the specimen is
illuminated.
Mag. in the OM from glass lenses
is obtained by arranging the layout
between rays from object and
image planes.
Resolution in the OM is limited by
the wavelength of the incident
illumination – mainly visible light.
6a Relatively large specimens can be
mounted for OM viewing.
6b Specimens are not mounted in a
vacuum and hence can be wet or
dry.
6c Relatively large areas of specimens
can be simultaneously viewed in
OM.
6d Both surface and internal structures
of specimens are usually viewed
via OM
The OM has a small depth of field.
No high voltage required in the OM
system
OMs are mostly small and light
weight and hence are generally
portable.
SEM
1.LENSES
Uses electromagnetic (EM) lenses
Lenses are larger & heavier
2.ILLUMINATION
Electrons, not visible light, are used to
illuminate the specimen
The wavelength of the illuminating radiation
is much shorter than that of visible or UV
light.
3.Types of RADIATION
The illuminating radiation gives rise to
several different types of radiation after it selecting various radiations emanating from the
strikes the specimen.
4.MAGNIFICATION
Mag. in the SEM is obtained by so-called
“mapping” of scanned areas, or with digital
sensors.
5.RESOLUTION
Resolution in the SEM is not as limited by the
incident illumination.
6.SPECIMEN
Relatively small specimens can be mounted
for SEM viewing.
Specimens are usually mounted in a vacuum
and hence are mostly dry. (There are
Environmental SEMs that can accommodate
specimens that are not dry.
Much smaller areas of specimens are
simultaneously viewed in SEM
Surface features are usually viewed via SEM
7.DEPTH of FIELD
The SEM has a large depth of field (>100
times that of OM).
8.Operating VOLTAGE
High voltage required in the SEM system to
accelerate the illuminating electrons and to damage, hence more care is required for illuminating
give adequate brightness to the tiny areas
illuminated.
9.PORTABILITY
SEMs are mostly large and heavy and are
not portable.
Comment
EM lenses allow for greater manipulation of lenses eg
magnification increments
This affects size & portability
of each microscope
This account for coloured images in OM, but shades of
grey (black & white) images in SEM. Apparent “colour”
on SEM images is artificially created.
Higher resolution images can be obtained from the
SEM than from the OM owing to the shorter
wavelengths of the illuminating radiation.
A wider range of information can be obtained from
specimen to form SEM images.
Much higher mags., and hence better visibility, can
be obtained with SEM than with OM.
Much higher resolution is obtained in the SEM so more
detailed information can be obtained from
specimens.
This places greater restriction on which whole
specimens are viewable via SEM.
More elaborate and time-consuming preparation is
necessary for some specimens for SEM viewing; hence
turn-around time for results is longer in such cases.
Greater care has to be taken in obtaining
representative information in SEM than in OM.
In this respect the range of information obtainable from
specimens is more limited in the SEM.
Truer representation of objects being studied can be
obtained via SEM since objects in considerably distant
planes can be focussed simultaneously. This
facilitates better interpretation of results
High voltage & brightness can lead to specimen
specimens in SEM than in OM.
On site microscopy examination of specimens is
more feasible with OMs than with SEMs.
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