Advanced Microscopy Facility

University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
What the facility does

The facility uses powerful microscopes and supporting instrumentation to create the highest- possible resolution images and diagnostics of specimens.

Areas of expertise

The Advanced Microscopy Facility supports a variety of areas, including researchers working on fuel cell development, the growth of protein crystals, material sciences, biology, neurobiology, optoelectronics, medicine and pharmacology. The facility specializes in electron holography, high-resolution electron microscopy and analytical electron microscopy. The centrepiece of the facility is the STEHM, the Scanning Transmission Electronic Holography Microscope, which is the most powerful microscope built by a manufacturer to date. Using STEHM, researchers will be able to take high-resolution images at the picometre level — 1,000 times smaller than nanotechnology. This next generation of electron microscopes allows researchers to measure, map and manipulate atoms. More than 100 researchers can access the facility and are available for collaboration. 

Research services
  • Transmission Electron Microscopy
  • Scanning transmission electron microscopy
  • Analytics, holography, electron vortex beams
  • 360 tomography
  • Cryo-transmission electron microscopy
  • Focused ion milling
  • Zone and plasma cleaning
Sectors of application
  • Healthcare and social services

Specialized lab

Equipment

Function

Advanced Microscopy Facility

Hitachi HF-3300V STEHM

For high-resolution imaging through specimens up to the pico range. Eels and gif for analysis. Energy-dispersive spectrometry for X-ray analysis. Holography for materials analysis. Diffraction. tomography. electron vortex beams.

 

Hitachi Field Emission S-4800 SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)

High-resolution scanning electron microscope with 1 nm resolution, energy-dispersive spectrometry for X-ray analysis, backscatter detector

 

Hitachi FB-2100 FIB (Focused Ion Beam)

Focused ion beam system with 6-nm resolution for cutting materials for scanning electron microscope or transmission electron microscopy preparation. It can weld items in the beam and  cut hardest materials.

 

Fischione 1010 Ion Mill

For cleaning and thinning surfaces of fibbed material; a precision milling and polishing system for creating high-quality specimens.

 

Fischione 1020 Plasma Cleaner

For removing hydrocarbons/contaminants from surfaces.

 

Cressington 208C Carbon Coater

For providing materials with a conductive layer of carbon before going into the scanning electron microcopy or focused ion beam

 

Anatech Hummer IV sputter coater

For providing materials with a conductive layer of gold/paladium before going into the scanning electron microscopy or focused ion beam

 

Form 1 3D Printer

For rapid prototyping
  • Hitachi High Technologies Canada
  • CEOS (Corrected Electron Optical Systems)

Title

URL

CTV News segment on STEHM

http://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=950783

Vancouver Sun article: World's most powerful microscope

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/World+most+powerful+microscope+attracts+global+interest+British+Columbia/8548477/story.html

Short movie on STEHM and Dr. Rodney Herring

http://vimeo.com/groups/focusforwardfilms/videos/51889585