Biological Sciences
Scanning Electron Microscope Facility

Instrumentation & Supplies FEI XL30 ESEM wet mode and high vacuum secondary electron detectors wet mode and high vacuum backscatter detectors specimen chamber pressures up to 20 Torr Scandium image analysis & editing software package digital or Polaroid image capture Pelco CPD2 critical point dryer Anatech Hummer 6.2 sputter coater Anatech carbon evaporator Specimen mounting supplies
	Hydrated, uncoated flower petal (false color image)

Samples

The ESEM can be used to examine:

• Fully hydrated (not frozen) samples
• Liquid surfaces (note: submerged samples cannot be seen)
• Uncoated, non-conductive samples
• Conventionally dried and coated samples

Pathogenic samples must be killed prior to their arrival in the ESEM lab.

Location

The ESEM lab is located in the Biological Sciences Building in room 0072. For detailed instructions, select directions.

User Policy

• This facility is available for use by researchers and students both within and outside of Duke University. Please bring your own CD, DVD or flash drive for recording digital images.
• Researchers have the option of having their samples processed by the technician, or of being trained by the technician to use the instrumentation themselves.
• Once thoroughly trained, researchers are free to use the lab at their convenience. Charges are listed below.
• No-shows: If you need to cancel an apppointment, please contact the technician and/or delete your appointment on the calendar. Users that fail to do so will be charged for a minimum of three hours time.
  

Charges (academic users & non-profits)

• ESEM time: $20.00/hr.
• Technical assistance: free
• Critical point dryer: $5.00/run
• HMDS treatment: $10.00/run
• Sputter coater/carbon coater: $4.00/min.
• Polaroid 55 P/N film: $2.75 each
  

Charges (commercial users)

• ESEM time (assisted): $100.00/hr.
• Other charges: same as for academic users
  

Contact Information

Please feel free to contact Leslie Eibest for more information concerning instrumentation, scheduling, or specimen preparation.  I can be reached in the mornings at (919) 684-2547, or at leibest@duke.edu. To reach the sign-up calendar, select ESEM sign-up (but first-time users should contact me first).

For frequently asked questions, please select FAQs.

Researchers requiring exceptionally high (2 - 100 nanometer) resolution imaging may wish to contact the Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility (http://smif.lab.duke.edu/) for information concerning the use of their field emission XL30 SEM.

We gratefully acknowledge National Science Foundation support (award # DBI-0098534) for the acquisition of the ESEM.

Dinoflagellate	Gore-tex (TM)	Lactarius (mushroom) spores

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