Incandescent light bulbs are very inefficient in transforming energy into light. Since about 20% of the world’s total electricity consumption is used for lighting, a new and more efficient light source has to be developed. One solution is solid-state lighting, which employs light-emitting diodes (LEDs) made from semiconducting materials. The image shows the cathodoluminescence (CL) from an LED excited by the electron beam of an FEI Quanta 250. CL imaging helps to understand the properties of these LEDs and gives valuable insight into prevalent defects, such as the ring-shaped defect in the image, in order to improve the devices.

Courtesy of Dr. Jochen Bruckbauer , University of Strathclyde, Department of Physics

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Zinc Oxide crystals grown by Aqueous Chemical Bath method.

Courtesy of Mr. Witold Adamkiewicz , Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS

Taken by Nova NanoSEM microscope

A: Ladybug eggs (45x), (top view) B: The same eggs after hatching (45x), (top view) C: Ladybug eggs (90x), (side view) D: The same eggs after hatching (90x), (side view)

Courtesy of Riccardo Antonelli

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Deprocessing 2x node zoom contact layer, Helios G4 PFIB

Taken by Helios G4 PFIB microscope

SiO2 pillars grown using IDEP3 GIS with the electron beam in parallel deposition mode. The growth mode allowed the pillars to look like pine trees.

Courtesy of Lynne Gignac

Taken by Helios NanoLab microscope

Ceramic particles imaged at low vacuum in Ultra-High Resolution mode.

Courtesy of Paul Gunning, Smith and Nephew

Taken by Nova NanoSEM microscope

Coralline Algae

Courtesy of John Perry

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Tartaric acid crystals growth

Courtesy of Mr. Bertrand Schmitt , Nestlé (Nestec SA)

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Order: Juglandales Family: Juglandaceae (walnut family) Genus_species: Juglans nigra Glandular tricomes on lower leaf surface from a Walnut tree

Courtesy of Louisa Howard

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Prostate carcinoma cells from cell culture.

Courtesy of Mrs. Nicole Ottawa , eye of science

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

The sample is the Ni SAPO crystal layer grown on alumina as a catalyst

Courtesy of Dr. Louwrens Tiedt , North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Human blood cells: Lymphocyte

Courtesy of Louisa Howard

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Na-Ca-Silica structures in sedimentary rocks - Crystal Structures Vermicular 2012

Courtesy of Mariano Davoli

Taken by Quanta 3D microscope

Shot peening of Ti-45Al-10Nb in air leads to partial amorphisation of the outermost layer and to the formation of a contaminant nanocrystalline (T, Al)N phase, presumably Ti2N. The figure shows dislocation recovery within a nano-crystalline grain embedded into the amorphous phase of the shot peened surface layer, as observed in situ. Three dislocations are marked by symbols. Stage (i): The isolated dislocation on the left hand side is relatively immobile. The two other dislocations are in a dipole configuration and propagate towards each other and are about to annihilate in stage (ii). Stage (iii) shows the situation after annihilation of the dipole dislocations; this is indicated by the continuous trace of the lattice planes. Observations made at room temperature with an acceleration voltage of 300 kV. It should be noted that the micrographs were sligthly compressed along the vertical direction in order to make the dislocations readily visible. The figure demonstrates the high electrical, thermal and mechanical stability of the instrument.

Courtesy of Fritz Appel

Taken by Tecnai microscope

Gold flakes and nanoparticles

Courtesy of wadah mahmoud

Taken by Inspect microscope

Mammacarcinoma Cell attacked by Natural Killer Cell

Courtesy of Mr. Oliver Meckes , eye of science

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

ZnO micro-flowers obtained by hydrothermal synthesis using microwave heating.

Courtesy of Mr. FRANCISCO RANGEL , MCTI/INT

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Dendrite on Prickly Gold Sample

Courtesy of Ashley Anderson

Taken by Inspect microscope

Automotive light bulb filament.

Courtesy of FRANCISCO RANGEL

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

A small colony of bacteria was found proliferating on the surface of a newly developed bio-polymer. While the presence of bacteria was unintentional, the bacterial growth provides evidence for the bio-compatibility properties of the polymer.

Courtesy of Dr. Mark McClendon , Northwestern University

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

copper crystals on copper surface

Courtesy of wadah mahmoud

Taken by Inspect microscope

Cross-Section of a 3 Die Stack

Courtesy of FEI

Taken by Vion Plasma microscope

Reconstitution of a membrane protein into liposomes

Courtesy of Jennifer Wingard

Taken by Tecnai microscope

Image of black pepper flake; courtesy of student Sylvana Sawires.

Courtesy of Alyssa Calabro

Taken by Quanta 3D microscope

The picture shows the terraces formation in the surface of the semiconductor Cu(In,Ga)Se2 used in the manufacture of solar cells. Co-authors: Isidoro Ignacio Poveda, Enrique Rodríguez Cañas, Esperanza Salvador, from SIDI UAM.

Courtesy of Eberhardt Josue Friedrich Kernahan

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope