BIOLOGY Volume 1 - A Guide to General Biology - 2004

5. CELLS

5.6. Electron microscopy

5.6.4. Scanning electron microscope

Another type of Electron microscope is the scanning electron microscope, in which an electron beam is swept point by point across The surface of the specimen, and electrons reflected from the surface are collected to form an image similar to that produced on a television screen.

Advantages:

1) surface structural details are visible;

2) details are seen with a greater depth of field, i.e., a larger portion of the specimen is in focus at the same time. This creates a striking three-dimensional effect (Fig. 5.8);

3) larger specimens can be handled compared to the transmission electron microscope.

Disadvantage:

1) resolving power (5–20 nm) is lower than that of the transmission electron microscope (0.5 nm).

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Fig. 5.8. Scanning electron micrograph of a spider's HEAD.



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