Contact information:
Robert Oscarson
(650) 329-5117
roscarson@usgs.gov

The LEO 982 Digital field emission SEM can produce images in high and/or low energy secondary electron, backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence mode. The instrument has the ability to acquire high-resolution images in the accelerating voltage range of 200 to 30,000 volts. Surface detail is enhanced at lower voltages. Images can be saved as TIF files on a PC server for network transfer or on CD or ZIP disk. The system has an Oxford energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) for chemical identification of samples. .

2050mala

These zircon grains have been analyzed by the Ion Microprobe and show the raster area.

480-06

This is the surface of a partially dissolved diatom.

Bone 13

These mineral grains show depth average-topography of near surface information at high accelerating voltage, 15 KV. Note the absence of detail.

Bone 12

This image shows the same minerals as Bone 12 only at low accelerating voltage, 2 KV. Note increase in surface detail. This is closer to the true surface topography.