The VG HB-5 Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) is a high resolution combination of a SEM and TEM, giving it the abilities of both. Chief among the uses of such an instrument are its excellent compositional capabilities; able to detect a single heavy atom in a spot a few nanometers wide.

Some facts about the STEM:

• Accelerating voltage: 100kV
• Room Temperature Field Emission Electron Source (high brightness)
• Vacuum system capable of 1 x 10^-12 Torr
• Sample tilting: 45°
• Heated (500°C) and cooled (liquid nitrogen) stages
• Capable of reactive gas introduction at controlled rates
• Equipped with Secondary and Backscattered detectors for SEM type work
• Capable of Bright Field, Annular Dark Field, SAED and CBED imaging
• Equipped with EDS capable of detecting Boron and forming X-ray maps of composition; composition to within 0.1 wt%
• Areas as small as 1 nm in diameter can be accurately characterized with EDS, diffraction and imaging
• Maximum sample size: 5 mm diameter, 2 mm thickness disk
• Digital imaging system capable of image capture and storage in electronic form (TIFF)
• High quality, medium cost Polaroid type 55 film output, yielding both a negative and positive image