ESEM

The Business Line  Automotive has a total of 3 scanning electron microscopes, each with integrated electron probe microanalysis; the latest improvement is an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM). All these devices provide images and spectra in digital format and are directly incorporated into our EDP network.

Thus our customers have all their analysis results for problem resolution and individual tests available in a timely manner, evaluated by highly qualified staff members. ESEM provides a new quality in scanning electron microscopy. SGS at the cutting edge. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with integrated Electron-Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) is a vital test instrument for fault and damage analysis. In conventional devices, the samples are examined in a high vacuum; they have to conduct electricity and must not exhale gas.

Now, with the ESEM, insulating wet, oily or fatty samples can be imaged and analyzed without prior prerequisite treatment in the same way as prepared samples in conventional devices. The device is also equipped with newly developed detectors with additional ESEM mapping possibilities and, like a conventional device, it can also be operated in normal high vacuum mode.

Several performance parameters XL 30 ESEM with EPMA system (EDAX):

• Modes: High vacuum, LowVac (to 1.3 mbar), ESEM (to 26 mbar).
• Detectors: Standard SE, GSED, BSE (element resolution 0.1 Z).
• X-ray detector: UTW-Si-(Li)
• Microanalysis: in all modes; point analyses, line scans, multi-element mapping, quantitative analyses; all elements including boron.
• Motorised sample stage: (x, y, z, r, t), path x, y: 100mm.
• High voltage: 0.2...30kV (cont.)
• Magnification: 5x...400.000x
• Resolution at 30kV: 3.5nm in all modes.
• Precise longitudinal measurement in all directions in the x-y plane.