EM Laboratory
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Overview
The Electron Microscsopy (E.M.) Laboratory is one of two core laboratories that are part of the Life Sciences Bioimaging Facility.
In 1962, primarily at the behest of Professor of Microbiology (now Emeritus) William T. Northey, Arizona State University acquired a second hand Philips EM 100B transmission electron microscope.
The instrument was housed in the basement of the Life Science Building A wing and was immediately used for both teaching and research by a range of faculty in the departments of Zoology, Botany and Microbiology. Over the years, other departments and Colleges on campus established electron microscope laboratories specializing in different areas.
When a new Life Science building was completed in 1971 it included a purpose designed laboratory suite for the LSEMF in the subbasement. The EM100B along with a new and more capable Philips EM300 TEM was moved into the new facility. The new facility has vibration isolation floors, light controlled rooms and hall , a preparation laboratory, darkrooms, two ultramicrotomy rooms and a room which houses a BALZERS HPM 010 high pressure freezing instrument. The LSEMF is a place where research and teaching of principles and techniques of electron microscopy may proceed.
Progress – The LSEMF Timeline
In 1975, the development of commercially available scanning electron microscopes prompted expansion. A new AMR 1000A SEM was installed to broaden the types of research that could be pursued. Additionally, a new group of investigators and students were added as users of the lab.
In 1977 the EM100B was replaced with a new, easier to use, higher resolution Philips EM 201 for teaching and research.
In 1979, an energy dispersive x–ray spectrometer or EDS system was added to the SEM which allowed micro-elemental analysis of specimens that previously could only be imaged.
In 1988, the now aging EM300 TEM was sold to a private corporation and a new Philips CM 12S scanning transmission electron microscope or STEM with its own EDS system was acquired. This computer controlled instrument has better resolution and more modes of operation, making it much more flexible and allowing new types of research and higher quality results.
In 1996, due to old age, our first Scanning Electron Microscope was retired. The the Biological Scanning Electron Microscopy course was taught, as needed, on an instrument under the auspices of the John M. Cowley Center for High Resolution Microscopy.
In the Spring of 2003, a gift SEM from the Motorola Corp. was made available to the LSEMF. This microscope, a Leica Cambridge Stereoscan 360FE is a high resolution field emission SEM which we have retrofitted with a modern digital imaging system from IXRF.
In the spring of 2008, the Philips EM201 TEM was decommissioned and replaced with a JEOL 1200EX obtained from ASU’s Department of Bioengineering. The 1200EX will be fitted with a digital imaging system from SIA and is due to be fully on-line by summer 2008.