scanning electron microscope

noun

1. a device in which the specimen is examined point by point directly in a moving electron beam, and electrons reflected by the specimen are used to form a magnified, three-dimensional image on a television screen. : SEM

scanning electron microscope

noun

1. a type of electron microscope that produces a three-dimensional image

scanning electron microscope

/ skăn′ĭng /

1. An electron microscope that moves a narrowly focused beam of electrons across an object and detects the patterns made by the electrons scattered by the object and the electrons knocked loose from the object. From these patterns a three-dimensional image of the object is created.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scanning electron microscope¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

When viewed under a scanning electron microscope, the powder resembles tiny basketballs with billions of holes, said study leader Zihui Zhou, a materials chemist who is working on his PhD at UC Berkeley.

From Los Angeles Times

Dr Jesum Alves Fernandes, School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, who led the research team, said: "Industries in the UK alone generate millions of tons of metal waste annually. By using a scanning electron microscope, we were able to inspect the seemingly smooth surfaces of the stainless steel, titanium, or nickel alloy swarf. To our astonishment, we discovered that the surfaces had grooves and ridges that were only tens of nanometres wide. We realized that this nanotextured surface could present a unique opportunity for the fabrication of electrocatalysts."

From Science Daily

But it had to abandon millions of dollars of equipment including a facility for synthesizing oxide nanopowders, a scanning electron microscope, and a cryogenic site for helium production.

From Science Magazine

"If you tried to image the same thing in a scanning electron microscope, you would damage it even further," Murnane said.

From Science Daily

When I zoom in on a conventional graphene aerogel with a scanning electron microscope, the structure looks very porous and tortuous, and the sheets are randomly bound together.

From Scientific American