The Scanning Transmission Electron Holography Microscope promises to be the most powerful microscope every built by a manufacturer to date. It is supported by a high-resolution analytical SEM, FIB, Ion Mill and Plasma Cleaner. It will be used by researchers at the University of Victoria and by researchers locally, regionally, nationally and internationally and puts the University of Victoria on the map as a center of excellence for microscopy.
The proposal
In the near future this section will contain a description of the proposal process.
The people
The first manager of the facility is Dr. Elaine Humphrey who has experience in a wide field of electron and light microscopy. The first laboratory engineer and trainer is Adam Schuetze, who has much experience in the materials side of electron microscopy.
Construction
Construction of the Advanced Microscopy Facility began in 2008 with the laying of the isolated foundation on which the facility rests, as shown below.
By April 2009 installation of the metal wall framing had begun.
By May 2009 framing, piping, followed by drywall installation were completed.
By the beginning of June 2009, the suspended ceiling and paint were complete.
S-4800 SEM and FB-2100 FIB Installation
Installation of the equipment began on June 23, 2009.
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The microscope crates on the loading dock, courtesy of Dr. Elaine Humphrey |
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The crates unpacked, courtesy of Dr. Elaine Humphrey |
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The crates unpacked, courtesy of Dr. Elaine Humphrey |
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Moving the unpacked microscopes into the instrument room, courtesy of Dr. Elaine Humphrey |
Preliminary installation was completed in July 2009, with the Hitachi S-4800 SEM ready for operation September 2009, and the Hitachi FB-2100 FIB ready for operation August 2009.
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The Hitachi S-4800 SEM in place, courtesy of Dr. Elaine Humphrey |
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The Hitachi FB-2100 FIB in place, courtesy of Dr. Elaine Humphrey |
STEHM development
Below are the first photographs of the STEHM, in Hitachi's Naka Works in Japan. At this time, the system had already exceeded the guaranteed resolution specification, and was on its way to Germany to get its Cs + Cc corrector for STEM and Cs + coma corrector for TEM, which will improve its resolution further.
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Rodney Herring and Hitachi HF-33XX STEHM |
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John Braybrook and Hitachi HF-33XX STEHM |
STEHM installation
Installation of the HF-3300V Scanning Transmission Electron Holography Microscope began on May 22nd, 2012. The following images show the unpacking of some of the 22 crates, and loading of some of the equipment into the Bob Wright Science Centre. All images taken by Adam Schuetze.
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Unloading the first crate. |
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Dr. Rodney Herring (UVic), Nobuhiro Saito (Hitachi), Dharminder Laul (Hitachi), David Hoyle (Hitachi), and Chris Secord (UVic) examining the first uncrated section of the STEHM. |
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The partially unloaded truck containing the majority of the 22 crates. |
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Crate label. |
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Preparing to slide a crate to the truck door in preparation for unloading. |
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Unloading a crate from the truck. |
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John Braybrook (UVic) examining the electron gun section. |
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Waiting for the next crate. |
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The empty truck. |
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Removing the temporary flooring over the entry hole used to lower the larger STEHM sections into the Bob Wright Centre. |
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The crane truck used to lower the larger STEHM sections into the Bob Wright Centre. |
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Chris Secord (UVic) and Jed (Pro-Tech Industrial Movers) prepare crane for STEHM installation. |
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The crane with cable attached to lifting framework, ready for lowering. |
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The cable attached to the lifting framework. |
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The STEHM section is over the hole, and the lowering is about to begin. |
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The STEHM section being lowered into the Bob Wright Centre. |
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Skillings Industrial Movers wheeling the STEHM section down the hallway and into the laboratory. |
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From left to right, in front of the first installed STEHM section: Dr. Rodney Herring (UVic), Dharminder Laul (Hitachi Canada), Nobuhiro Saito (Hitachi Japan), and David Hoyle (Hitachi Canada). |
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Peter Skillings of Skillings Industrial Movers, who coordinated the moving of the crates from the truck into the Bob Wright Centre. |
STEHM assembly
The following images were taken in the weeks after the STEHM first arrived at UVic, during the assembly process.
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Second module of the STEHM on the shipping holder, contains STEM corrector, objective pole piece, and image correctors. |
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Second module of the STEHM being lifted into place, by Dharminder Laul (Hitachi Canada), Nobuhiro Saito (Hitachi Japan), and David Hoyle (Hitachi Canada). |
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David Hoyle (Hitachi Canada) with the assembled STEHM column. |
