Electron Microscopy Equipment

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The following list gives a brief description of the equipment available for use at Microscopy Otago. It is a useful starting point when planning an investigation. For a more detailed discussion of what the equipment can, and can not, do please contact a member of staff.

For more information about what each microscope is capable of, visit our Capabilities webpage. If you are looking for confocal microscopy equipment, you can find more information on the OCCM's website.

You are not permitted to use any of the equipment unless you have been trained to a suitable level and understand any health and safety issues associated with each item. You will not be expected to remember everything after one training session; a staff member will be available to assist you at most times. When you have shown you are competant at using an item of equipment, you will be allowed after-hours access to the facility.


Writing up? This equipment list is useful for finding the name, manufacturer and other specifications when you're writing up a thesis or paper. All company names and addresses are listed as they were at the time of equipment purchase. If you notice something missing which you could have used, please let us know so we can add it.


JEM-2200FS Cryo-TEM

JEOL 200KV CryoTEM

JJEOL 2200FS field emission scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with omega energy filter (JEOL Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). It is fitted with a TVIPS F416 CMOS camera (TVIPS, Gauting, Germany) and a Direct Electron DE-20 detector (Direct Electron LP, California, U.S.A). HAADF and bright field modes are available for STEM electron detection.
Specimen holders include a standard JEOL holder, a JEOL double-tilt holder and a Gatan model 914 high tilt cryo holder (Gatan, Inc, California, USA) for cryo specimens.
Image acquisition software includes: SerialEM (University of Colorado, Boulder, USA), TVIPS EM-Menu and DE Imaging Manager.

Book the JEOL 2200FS Cryo-TEM

Philips CM100 TEM

Zeiss Upright confocal

Philips CM100 BioTWIN transmission electron microscope with LaB6 emitter (Philips/FEI Corporation, Eindhoven, Holland). Fitted with MegaView lll digital camera (Olympus Soft Imaging Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany).
A high-contrast transmission electron microscope designed for biological specimens.

Book the Philips CM100 TEM

Zeiss Sigma VP FEG SEM

Zeiss Sigma VP FEG SEM

Zeiss Sigma VP variable-pressure scanning electron microscope (Carl Zeiss Inc, Oberkocken, Germany) fitted with a HKL INCA Premium Synergy Integrated ED/EBSD system (Oxford Instruments, Oxfordshire, UK) and modified Emitech K1250 cryo stage (Emitech, UK).
The Zeiss Sigma is able to perform high resolution imaging with secondary and back scatter electrons (up to 1.7nm at 15 kV and 3.0nm at 1 kV). It is able to operate under variable pressure conditions (from 2 to 133 Pa) and is good for imaging specimens that are poorly conductive or specimens that cannot be imaged under vacuum. The chamber is able to accommodate specimens up to 250mm in diameter and 145mm tall.

Book the Zeiss Sigma SEM

JEOL 6700F FE-SEM

Jeol FE-SEM 6700

Field emission scanning electron microscope (JEOL Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) fitted with a JEOL 2300F EDS system (JEOL Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) and a Gatan Alto 2500 cryo preparation chamber/cryo stage (Gatan Inc, Pleasanton, California, USA).
Our main research scanning electron microscope, capable of preparing and viewing frozen-hydrated specimens and undertaking elemental analysis and mapping.

Book the JEOL 6700 FESEM

TEM Sample Preparation Equipment

SEM Sample Preparation Equipment

Supply Companies