A major challenge in the development of novel devices in nano and molecular electronics is their interconnection with larger-scale electrical circuits required to control and characterize their functional properties. Local electrical probing by multiple probes with ultimate scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) precision can significantly improve efficiency in analyzing individual nano-electronic devices without the need for full electrical integration.

The present article presents a new concept for a light optical field microscope developed after two decades of attempts to find a portable, yet versatile and capable, instrument for extra-laboratory research. Emphasis was put on a portable microscope with polarizing capabilities, yet versatile enough to perform in other configurations. After testing almost every available model made during the last century, the Goren microscope, as it is called now, was developed and tested in various field conditions. The new design, fashioned as two prototypes, is expected to be inexpensive if commercially produced. Still, it can be readily modified to perform as a bright-field, dark-field, phase-contrast, or polarizing instrument. The historical background of field microscopes is briefly presented in context of this new invention.

Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) X-ray detectors have undergone a wave of technology enhancements since the first silicon drift-based EDS detector (SDD) was commercially introduced roughly 15 years ago. The first such EDS systems featured an active area of 5 mm2, an energy resolution between 160 eV–200 eV, and a maximum collection rate approaching only 100,000 input counts/second.

The International Centre for Diffraction Data is a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to collecting, editing, publishing, and distributing powder diffraction data for the identification of crystalline materials. Our mission is to continue to be the world center for quality diffraction and related data to meet the needs of the technical community. We promote the application of materials characterization methods in science and technology by providing forums for the exchange of ideas and information. We sponsor the Pharmaceutical Powder X-ray Diffraction Symposium (PPXRD), Denver X-ray Conference; its proceedings, Advances in X-ray Analysis; and the journal, Powder Diffraction. ICDD and its members conduct workshops and clinics on materials characterization at our headquarters in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania and at X-ray analysis conferences around the world.

Failure analysis is important in determining root cause for appropriate corrective action. In order to perform failure analysis of microelectronic application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) delidding the device is often required. However, determining root cause from the front side is not always possible due to shadowing effects caused by the ASIC metal interconnects. Therefore, back-side polishing is used to reveal an unobstructed view of the ASIC silicon transistors. This paper details how back-side polishing in conjunction with laser-scanned imaging (LSI), laser voltage imaging (LVI), laser voltage probing (LVP), photon emission microscopy (PEM), and laser-assisted device alterations (LADA) were used to uncover the root cause of failure of two ASICs.

Recent advances in imaging techniques capable of light microscopy resolutions below the Abbe diffraction limit have challenged microscopy equipment designers to pursue conflicting goals for components such as sample positioning and scanning stages and focusing mechanisms. For the super-resolution light microscopy, the positions of these components must be controlled in more degrees of freedom with higher dynamic and static accuracy, yet emerging applications demand higher speeds, finer resolutions, tighter synchronization, nanoscale stabilities, and longer travels to meet scientific and optical requirements. Meanwhile the practicality of today's tight budgetary situations cannot be overlooked, both in terms of purchase price and process throughput. Furthermore, of course, compactness is prized to facilitate close working distances and dense optical configurations.

Bone is an important material in many scientific disciplines because of its unique structure-property relationships, which are intrinsically dependent on its nanoscale components, bioapatite and collagen. As a living tissue, bone has evolved over hundreds of millions of years, and most vertebrates are now extinct. However, the vast majority of the relevant literature has engaged only modern bone tissues, neglecting the deep time perspective. Why?

The increasing demand for new opto-electronics devices such as solar cells, laser diodes (LD), and high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HBLED), combined with the economic necessity to achieve lower energy consumption levels and higher device yields, is motivating researchers to develop new materials. The semiconductor industry is actively looking for alternatives to silicon, for example, to address new niche market applications in power devices. Constant efforts employed to reduce production costs are leading manufacturers to grow GaN on silicon substrate, creating new technical challenges, especially regarding the control of defect density on wafer. For all these reasons many studies are being initiated to improve understanding of the fundamental physical properties and behavior of compound semiconductor materials used in quantum wells, quantum dots and nanowire-like structures. Cathodoluminescence (CL) is a spectroscopy method that can generate reliable, quantitative, and stable data for research as well as prepare a basis for quality control during production.

Image restoration aims to make optimal use of the data provided by the light microscope to recover the object being imaged; in other words, to “figure out what the microscope is actually trying to tell us.” To achieve this, the distortions introduced by the imaging process need to be undone insofar possible.

Born in Ireland on August 13, 1819, George Stokes was the youngest of six children. His father, a rector, directed his early education before sending him to a school in Dublin. Stokes attended Bristol College in England, followed by Pembroke College at Cambridge University, where he studied mathematics. He graduated in 1841 and was bestowed with many honors, including a fellowship that enabled him to remain at Cambridge. In 1849, Stokes was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics and spent the rest of his life working at the prestigious school.

Hyperspectral imaging (also known as spectrum imaging) requires software for extracting the signatures present in every spectrum. However, commercial software available for spectrum analysis remains expensive, complicated, and often not transparent regarding the internal workings and approximations made. For user facilities, educational institutes, and other settings where multiple users on a single tool can be expected, the limited availability of software becomes the bottleneck to data analysis, user training, and throughput. The Cornell Spectrum Imager (CSI) was developed as a universal data analysis tool to be freely distributed, to run on all computers, and to minimize training. This is accomplished by using one simple interface for imaging, cathodoluminescence, Raman, Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopic (EELS), and EDX data analysis. This article demonstrates the CSI plugins for ImageJ by guiding you through the basic workflow for processing EELS maps.

Microscopy Today congratulates the fourth annual group of Innovation Award winners. The ten innovations described below move several microscopy techniques forward: light microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, electron microscopy, ion microscopy, and hybrid microscopy-analysis methods. These innovations will make imaging and analysis more powerful, more flexible, more productive, and easier to accomplish.

Central to the operation of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) (when used with crystalline samples) is the ability to go back and forth between an image and a diffraction pattern. Although it is quite simple to go from the image to a convergent-beam diffraction pattern or from an image to a selected-area diffraction pattern (and back), I have found it useful to be able to go between image and diffraction pattern even more quickly. In the method described, once the microscope is set up, it is possible to go from image to diffraction pattern and back by turning just one knob. This makes many operations on the microscope much more convenient. It should be made clear that, in this method, neither the image nor the diffraction pattern is “ideal” (details below), but both are good enough for many necessary procedures.

With advancements in aberration-corrected electron optics, the resolution in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has been significantly improved. More importantly, the reduction of the probe size and the increase of the probe current density enable the acquisition of elemental maps at the atomic scale in a fast manner using both EELS and EDS. With the latest generations of EELS spectrometers, atomic resolution compositional and chemical maps allow interfaces, oxidation state, and even single atoms to be examined with increasing detail. These improvements have also enabled elemental and chemical maps to be acquired rapidly using both low- and high-energy edges from elements across the periodic table, including heavy atoms such Au or Pt. On the EDS side, the introduction of large-area silicon drift detectors (SDD) has allowed these high-beam-current sources to be fully utilized. Improved detector area and support for higher count rates, compared to the previous generation of EDS detectors, allows the acquisition of EDS intensity maps from most types of material in the STEM, even for moderately thin samples. For the case of light elements, the reduced detector dead layer of SDD-based systems partially overcomes the very low florescence yield typical of low-energy X-ray lines. Also as reported in, atomic-level X-ray maps using fast detectors and bright sources can now be collected under some conditions. Because EDS and EELS provide complementary information about the sample, and are both generated with the electron beam, it would be wasteful to not acquire both datasets with every sample run.

In our Core Facility, we are presented with a wide variety of tissue and sample types to process for TEM observation. Some tissues, such as liver, do not present orientation problems. Other tissues such as skeletal muscle have specific orientations that must be maintained. As long as the initial dissection of the tissue is done so that the orientation or area of interest can be identified, these samples do not present a problem. Likewise, when it is not necessary to maintain orientation, cells in culture can be treated with trypsin, to release them from the plate, and pelleted. Or the monolayer can be fixed in vitro and then scraped and pelleted, and the pellet can be processed while adherent to the wall of the Eppendorf tube or handled like a small piece of tissue, among other methods.

Since its incorporation over two decades ago, IXRF Systems has proved itself as a leader in X-ray microanalysis. IXRF uses innovative design and technology for example, IXRF remains the only EDS company capable of using the SEM PC, offering a “One PC Solution.” IXRF offers a complete suite of analytical tools to all customers presenting an all-inclusive, high-end software suite package which features a myriad of X-ray spectra tools, advanced X-ray elemental mapping, and high resolution digital imaging. Features also include advanced microscope automation tools. IXRF not only offers industry standard features but, in addition, unique features no other EDS systems can offer. Offering FREE software upgrades for the life of the system, the analyst is never out of date in an ever changing software world.

K-Tek Nanotechnology, a distributor of NT-MDT, supplies the most well-known and latest technology the SPM industry has to offer. With proven quality and competitive pricing, our products—that use only the best materials—will keep your AFM equipment working smoothly. Our products are compatible with NT-MDT systems, as well as all other manufacturers.

The Microscopy Society of America, the Microanalysis Society, and the International Metallographic Society invite you to Microscopy & Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana. This meeting showcases the latest innovative applications and instrumental developments in the biological and physical sciences. This year M&M will feature two plenary lectures, more than 34 symposia, and many educational opportunities in the form of courses and tutorials.

As I have been listening to the previous speakers, I have been thinking through my slides. We easily could talk about the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program for an hour. So during my time, I will run through the rules of road and things you can do to increase your chances of success and the caveats that go with that. My big take-home message is that this is not something where you can just read the MRI solicitation beforehand and write a good proposal. You really have to think about this and do your homework. Get to know program officers and understand the program. I will try to show you enough of the nuances of the program so that it will encourage you to do that. I'll show you some of the pitfalls, and you'll be able to see you need more information. We're in Arlington, VA, and the old-fashioned way to do this was to go visit us in the NSF building; however we have technology to do that now. We have websites, webcasts (one will be held in December), phone calls, etc. There are a lot of ways to electronically reach out and get information.