Electron microscope

An electron microscope is an electron-optical instrument in which a beam of electrons is used to produce an enlarged image of a minute object on a fluorescent screen or photographic plate. Electron microscopy is used when items or features are too small to be imaged by light. In this case, the image is created by the bending/reflection of an electron beam rather. It can magnify very small details with high resolving magnifying at levels up to 500,000 times.

Transmission electron microscope
The transmission electron microscope is much like the light microscope, but generates in image by sending an electron beam through a very thin slice of the specimen. The resolution limit is around 0.05 nanometer.

Scanning electron microscope
The scanning electron microscope is used to produce images with a characteristic three-dimensional quality. The method is for determining the surface structure of a solid by measuring the angle and energies of electrons scattered by the atoms on the surface of a sample.

Electron micrographs sources

 * Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility Publishable images by Dartmouth College
 * Beltsville Electron Microscopy Unit Publishable images by Beltsville Agricultural Research Unit (USDA)
 * National Center for Electron Microscopy by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Microscópio eletrônico