Course Description
For scientists, engineers, technicians, and technical managers who seek an intermediate/advanced course in the techniques of SEM, energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), x-ray microanalysis, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). High-resolution SEM, low-voltage SEM, variable-pressure SEM (environmental), crystallography by EBSD, x-ray spectrometry by EDS, silicon drift detectors (SDD), digital image processing, and EDS microanalysis modeling will be discussed.
A major emphasis of the Problem Solving Course will be instruction in establishing "best practices" for processing SEM images, compositional measurements by SEM-EDS, and structural measurements by SEM-EBSD. Instruction will make extensive use of software including commercial and open source packages for SEM imaging (e.g., NIH ImageJ) and EDS x-ray microanalysis (e.g., NIST DTSA-II). Emphasis will be placed on endowing the students with the tools to extract a maximum of useful information in their own laboratories while avoiding common pitfalls that are encountered in SEM image and EDS x-ray spectrum interpretation. Students will receive copies of the open source software packages and instruction in their hands-on use, along with written guides and datasets to take away to aid them in the implementation of these tools in their home laboratories. In addition to these software exercises, there will be a few laboratories on specific techniques at the SEM.
Because the software lecture-labs will emphasize hands-on instruction, students should plan to bring a laptop to the course (Windows preferred but Macs acceptable).
Course Literature
Each registrant receives the textbook, Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis, 4th Edition, Kluwer/Springer Publishers (2018), as well as detailed lecture and laboratory notes which include experimental results and worked problems. The book and the notes are written by the lecturers.