Electron Microscopy - A vital tool for materials characterization

In a conventional optical microscope, the wavelength of light limits the smallest size of objects that can clearly be seen. Using a beam of electrons to create an image of a specimen allows much higher magnifications and greater resolving power than a light microscope, allowing much smaller objects to be seen in finer detail. Modern electron microscopes can resolve individual atoms, and help provide a fascinating insight into the world of the very small. 

Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) techniques used in conjunction with electron microscopes provide further details regarding the elemental composition and a variety of other material characteristics, including bandgap, oxidation states etc. In-situ electron microscopy can also be used to study real-time sample dynamics. I will provide a brief overview of the TIFR electron microscopy facility in this talk and show a few significant findings made possible by these microscopes.

About the Speaker:
Ms. Bhagyashree Chalke joined TIFR in 1994 after earning a Diploma in Electronics and Radio Engineering from St. Xavier's Technical Institute in Mumbai. She has been working with Electron microscopes for the past 22 years. She has played a key role in installing, running, and maintaining five electron microscopes over this time. Ms. Chalke has co-authored 34 publications that have appeared in international journals.