FluoSEM
Integrated Fluorescence - Electron Microscope
​The FluoSEM is a custom build setup where an electron microscope and a fluorescence microscope are combined into one performant system. It allows the user to measure both structural properties and obatin information about the functionality of the sample at the same time, providing nanometer scale resolution.
Details about the instrument:
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The integrated instrument is based on a FEI Quanta 250 FEG environmental scanning electron microscope, equipped with an EDX detector (129eV, 60mm Octane Silicon Drift Detector) and the SECOM platform acquired from Delmic BV. As excitation source, an Omicron laserhub provides laser excitation with 6 different wavelengths (405, 445, 488, 532, 561 and 642 nm) as well as a 365 nm UV-LED. The excitation light is transmitted into the sample chamber through an optically transparent window in the SEM door and directed onto the sample by a high numerical aperture oil-immersion objective lens. In combination with vacuum compatible immersion oil this enables high-resolution imaging.
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The emitted fluorescence signal is captured by the EMCCD camera positioned on the outside of the SEM door. The optical pathway in our specific system differs from the standard SECOM platform, as it is in house designed to allow maximum flexibility. It is e.g. possible to introduce additional optical elements to enable polarized light experiments. Finally, the availability of a liquid sample holder that combines an optically transparent cover slide on the one side and an electron transparent silicon nitride window on the other, enables truly integrated experiments.
