Electron Microscopy
Evgenia Pekarskaya, Director
Louis Raboin, Technical Specialist

The Polymer Morphology Laboratory provides microscopy instrumentation and related sample preparation equipment to the University of Massachusetts community, and workers from outside the University, for use in teaching and research endeavors. The laboratory has capabilities in the area of TEM imaging and high resolution TEM imaging of surfaces, and spatially resolved composition mapping and analysis. In recognition of a substantial Keck Foundation contribution for capital equipment, the facility is named the W.M. Keck Polymer Morphology Laboratory. This laboratory encompasses eight rooms on the ground floor of the Conte Polymer Research Center which are specifically designed for vibrational stability and electromagnetic field shielding. This space includes five electron microscope rooms, a dark room, a computer and data anaylsis room, and a sample preparation room.

Major instrumentation include:

• JEOL JEM 3010, 300 kV transmission electron microscope (TEM)/ scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with GATAN electron energy loss imaging filter (GIF) and an ultra thin window, 60 square mm, light element energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) from Princeton Gamma Tech. This instrument is particularly useful for high resolution imaging, electron diffraction and spatially resolved composition analysis.
  
  
• Ultra high resolution Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG SEM) capable of imaging polymer surfaces to better than 50A resolution. The JEOL JSM 6320F instrument features a semi-in-lens close working distance configuration which is optimal for low accelerating voltage imaging of polymers, and is fitted with light element EDS for spatially resolved composition analysis.
  
  
• JEOL 2000 FX MARK II, 200kV transmission electron microscope (TEM)/scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with light element EDS. This instrument is also a high resolution instrument for TEM imaging and electron diffraction as well as composition analysis.
  
  

The following three instruments are general instruments which see heavy use for routine research and teaching work: JEOL JSM 5410 SEM, JEOL 100CX 100KV TEM, and a JEOL 35 CF SEM.

Additionally the Center has the following sample preparation equipment: Reichert-Jung Cryoultramicrotome; Sorvall Room Temperature Ultramicrotome; Balzers Evaporator, Gatan Ion Beam Sputter Coater; Vacuum Ovens.