Scanning Electron

Microscope
Muzaffarpur Institute of technology, Muzaffarpur
Name-Md Irfan Ali
Guided by-Proff. Md Irshad Alam
Roll No. -19MM10
Reg.No.-19121107005
Content
• What is microscopy?
• What is scanning electron microscope?
• Constructional features of SEM
• Function of SEM
• Usage of SEM
• Different modes of SEM
• Sample preparation for SEM analysis of MMC’s
• Detailed steps involved in sample preparation
• Specimen size of the SEM sample
What is Microscopy?

• Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects

and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects
that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye).
• There are three well known branches of microscopy.
(1) Optical microscopy
(2) Electron microscopy
(3) Scanning probe electron microscopy, along with the emerging field
of electron microscopy.
What is scanning electron microscopy?

• A scanning electron microscope is a type of electron microscope that

produces images of a sample by scanning the surface with a focused
beam of electrons.
• The electron interacts with the atom of the sample producing various
signals that contain information about the surface topography and
composition of the sample.
• The electron beam is scanned in a raster scan pattern and the position
of the beam is combined with the intensity of the detected signal to
produce an image.
Constructional features of SEM
• Main components of the microscope are:
(1) Coulmn for electron beam generation
(2) Specimen chamber
(3) Vaccum pump
(4) Monitor
(5) Control panel
Cross-sectional image of SEM
Function of SEM
• The upper column is used to generate an electron beam.
• The lower part consists of the specimen chamber with cover plate.
• In the longitudinal section of the flange leading to the high vaccum
pump is visible at the bottom . Therefore, high vaccum is generated
inside the whole microscope
• The round specimen stage cannot only be moved to the left or to the
right but likewise in all other direction. Itmay also be tilted or rotated.
• The specimen to be investigated are placed on the specimen stage.
• To creat an electron beam, A V-shaped tungston wire is used, so
called thermoionic cathode, heated up by lectric current emits
electron into the vaccum.
Function of SEM
• Below the cathode, a metallic disc with central bore hole is installed.
This is called anode.
• The anode is connected to the positive terminal of the high voltage
source and the thermionic cathode to the negative terminal.
• The strong electric field between cathode and anode accelerates the
electrons downwards. These electrons are called primary electrons. They
form a broad diverging beam which hits the specimen at the stage.
• An electromagnetic lense focuses it finely on the specimen surface. At
the point of incidence primary electrons knock out the electrons of the
sample material. These knocked oyt electrons are called secondary
electrons.
• The basic principle of scanning electron microscope is to detect the
secondary electrons and use them to build an image.
Usage of SEM
• SEM micrographs exhibit tge distribution of the reinforcement phases
within the continuous matrix phase of the MMC’s
• It is used to analyse the reinforcement particle size, fracture
behaviour in the composite and seen the chemistry of the compound
present on the surface.
• It can be used to look the microstructure upto nanometer size.
• It can be used to study the interface.
• It can give information about the formation of any other new
compound in the in-situ or the formation of the intermetllics in grain
boundary can be visualised.
• To ascertain the mode of failure.
Different modes of SEM
• Scanning electron microscope can work in three different modes.
(1) Secondary electron (SE) detector mode
(2) Back-scattered electron (BSE) detector mode
(3) Characteristics X-Rays (EDS) detector mode
• Each mode is used for specific purpose.
• BSE mode should be used to characterise between different phases
with various density.
• SE mode is preffere to see the topolgy like fracture surface of the
composite specimen
• BSE mode is very useful mode to differentiate between Al-Matrix and
its reinforcement.
Sample preparation for SEM
• Steps involved in the preparation of sample:-
(1) Select a representative sample of the material
(2) Cut a small specimen from the represenatative sample
(3) Mount the specimen in resin
(4) Grind it
(5) Polish it.
(6) Etch it
-Now the specimen is ready for microscopy test.
Detailed steps involved in sample preparation
(1) Selecting a representative sample of the material to properly characterise the
microstructure or the features of interest is a very important first step.
(2)Sectioning of the test sample is performed carefully to avoid altering or destroying the
structure of the material.
• Thus, If an abrasive saw is used , Itis important to keep the sample cool with lubricant or
coolant.
• However no matter how carefully abrasive sawing or electric discharge machining is
performed, Asmall amount of deformation occurs on the sample surface. Thisdeformation
must be removed during subsequent steps.
(3) After the specimen is sectioned to a convenient size. Itis mounted in a plastic or epoxy
material to facilitate handling during the grinding and polishing step.
• Mounting media must be compatible with the sample in terms of hardness and abrasion
resistance.
Detailed steps involved in sample preparation
(4) The next sample preparation step is grinding with a water lubricated
abrasive wheel to achieve a flat smooth and scratch-free surface.
• This step is required to remove the surface damage that occured during
sectioning. Thegrinding procedure includes the use of aseries of
progressively finer abrasive grit.
(5) Thepolishing step in metallographic specimen preparation removes
the last thin layer of the deformed metal for a smooth reflective surface.
• It leaves a properly prepared sample ready for examination of the
unetched characteristics such as inclusion content or any porosity that
may exist.
Detailed steps involved in sample preparation
(6) The final step involved is etching in an appropriate acidic or basic
solution in order to bring out the microstructural details of the test
sample.
• This step reveals features such as grain boundaries, twins and second
phase particles not seen in the unetched sample.
• Etching may not be necessary if just the surface of the sample is to be
revealed.
• Etching is a must if microstructural details such as grain boundaries
and twinning is to be seen.
Sepecimen size of SEM sample
• Specimen size depends on the SEM model used.
• High end microscopes can use in-lense observation for highest
magnifications;Specimen should be small in that case
• Otherwise specimen size is only limited by design of specimen stage/chamber.
• Usually specimen could be upto 50*50 mm² but much bigger
specimenchambers are available.
• However, for practical purpose much smaller specimens are used.
e. g-Polishing of small specimen can be done much easier than big ones.
So, Specimen size can be very different from a few microns to a few centimeters.
Thank You