Electron Microscopes: How They Work

Numerous websites exist that describe the workings of the SEM and the TEM on various levels.

• www.mos.org/sln/sem (for students in grades K-12)
• http://www.unl.edu/CMRAcfem/semoptic.htm (SEM for college level students)
• http://www.unl.edu/CMRAcfem/temoptic/htm (TEM for college level students)
• www.sem.com/analytic/sem.htm (for a more complete discussion of electron guns, electron lenses, and advanced electron optics)

You can actually see an electron microscope in action with scientists looking at various samples live on the web at:

• CyberSTEM: Electron Microscopy Live! site from the University of Queensland in Australia
• The equivalent Argonne National Laboratory site in the US