Desktop Scanning Electron Microscopy (Desktop SEM)

Since the introduction of electron microscopes in the 1930s, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has developed into a critical tool within numerous different research fields, spanning areas from materials science, to forensics, to industrial manufacturing, and even to the life sciences. SEM becomes a necessary tool whenever microscopic information about the surface or near-surface region of a specimen is needed. This is the reason why the method finds applications in nearly every branch of science, technology and industry. Desktop SEM instruments have enhanced ease of use, democratizing SEM technology. Moreover, they have the added benefit of a reduced frame size. While traditional “floor model” SEM instrumentation can require a specialized room or facility, desktop instrumentation is far more robust. Some desktop SEMs have even been brought on the road, providing on-site electron microscopy analysis via mobile laboratories.