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Figure 1. The SNE-4500M Plus with numbers denoting the key interactions for a user. Image from the SNE-4500M Plus user manual at www.seceng.co.kr

I. Introduction

What is the SEM? What does the SEM do? What are additional resources (link them here)

Can steal some of the text out of the Hitachi User Guide (explaining how SEMs work)

The SEC SNE-4500M Plus scanning electron microscope (SEM) captures highly magnified images of a specimen by scanning an electron beam over a sample in a vacuum chamber. An electron gun produces an electron beam, which is concentrated into a fine beam by passing through a series of electromagnetic coils and condenser and objective lens. Electrons are used to bombard the specimen, which produces secondary and back-scattered electrons. These electrons are respectively detected by a secondary electron detector which produces an image of the surface of the specimen, and a back-scattered electron detector which produces an image whose pixel values correspond to the average atomic number (Z) of a given material.

Our SEC SEM is equiped with a Bruker Quantax electron dispersive spectrometer (EDS) attachment, which allows for qualitative to semi-quantitative chemical microanalysis of geological materials. To use the SEC SEM with Bruker EDS attachment, please first follow the instructions in this guide, and then proceed to the SEC SEM with Bruker EDS Quick Start Guide.

Image Added

What are additional resources (link them here)

Image AddedFor EDS, first follow this Quick Start Guide and then proceed to (link)

II. Procedure

A. Sample preparation and loading the sample

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1. 1. Use a 1.5 mm allen wrench to carefully loosen the set screw, then insert the mount with the specimen to the stage, and tighten the set screw (Figure 5).
   2. Important: Ensure that stub (+/- adapter) is seated fully into the stage mount. Use caution when loading samples to prevent accidental collision with detectors. Gloves should be worn when handling any components/sample material that goes into the vacuum chamber. IMAGE GOES HERE Skin oil and loose debris can damage the detector. Stubs should be prepared with gloves. For thin-sections and grain mounts, they should be wiped with isopropanol. It may be beneficial to leave a grain mount overnight in a vacuum or dessicator cabinet, as the larger quantity of epoxy can de-gas water vapor and other volatiles.
   3. If you lose the set-screw for the stage, there are a few spares in a small ziploc bag in the clear case with SEC SEM accessories.

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