The Laboratory of Electron Microscopy (LEM) focuses on the complex characterization of inorganic materials at micro/nanoscale. LEM operates scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopes with a wide range of analytical techniques, as well as instruments for advanced sample preparation for electron microscopy. We also develop CrysTBox software for automated TEM data processing and visualization.

In LEM we examine compact, powder and thin film samples. We mainly study metals and alloys, semiconductors, superconductors, oxide materials and minerals, but we can analyze almost any inorganic material.

We collaborate with scientific groups from the Institute of Physics, especially from the Division of Condensed Matter Physics, but also with other scientific institutions from the Czech Republic and abroad to address their research topics that require expertise in electron microscopy. LEM is part of the LNSM research infrastructure (from 2020 CzechNanoLab).

Do not hesitate to contact us. We offer the following types of analyses (more details in Expertise tab):

  • morphological analysis (SEM, TEM),
  • phase analysis/crystallographic orientation analysis (SEM / EBSD, TEM / ACOM),
  • mechanical properties testing (SEM-nanoindentation),
  • detection of electron beam induced current (SEM / EBIC),
  • phase analysis and morphology of individual phases (TEM / EDX / ED / EELS),
  • atomic resolution imaging of structure and structural defects (HRTEM),
  • imaging of magnetic domains and their mutual orientation (LTEM),
  • in-situ microscopy (heating, pressure/strain deformation).
odd_17_SEM_Nanoindent_in-situ.jpg
Figure: Using in-situ nanoindentation, it is possible to observe the mechanical properties of materials at microscale. Shown are the tensile twins produced in the stressed magnesium microconsoles. An SEM microscope FEI Quanta 3D was used for the experiment (nanomachining by gallium ion beam FIB, in-situ nanoindentation and electron back-scatter diffraction EBSD to analyse the crystallographic orientation of the tensile twins).