MICROSCOPY AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES - LABORATORY

This course is one of the core educational activities in the Master's degree in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials,
that describes some of the common approaches to characterise materials also belonging to the field of soft and bio ones.
Learning objectives involve developing an understanding of electron microscopy principles, and applying these principles to master the
underlying concepts of image interpretation. The basic principle of electron microscopy will be outlined and developed in order to understand the characteristic and properties of these modern instruments used in the characterisation of nanostructured materials. The course will start from the basic principle of geometrical optics and then the new knowledge necessary to understand the functioning of an electron microscope will be built step by step. At the end of the course the students will be able to interpret an electron microscopy image and to obtain from it the atomic and structural-morphological properties of interest. The practical part (laboratory end exercises) will be mainly focused on the study of nanoparticles and of nanostructured and hybrid materials.

The student active participation and attendance at classes (theoretical lessons and practical activities) together with independent study, will allow to reach the following abilities of learning and comprehension:
1. to learn the main methods used in materials characterisation;
2. To learn the standard methods used in electron microscopy to study nano-structured systems;
Linking material learned in class to modern structural characterisation techniques and research will be highlighted to
give you opportunities to see how electron microscopy is solving current, real-world problems.

This is a math-intensive course, and it is expected that students have previous
experience with calculus. In addition, students should be familiar with the concepts learned in calculus-based physics.

Transmission electron microscopy: types of contrast: scattering contrast, diffraction contrast. Electron diffraction; bright field and dark field images; phase contrast.
High resolution TEM.
TEM specimen preparation.
Scanning electron microscopy: operating principles, secondary electrons, backscattered electrons.
The environmental SEM; SEM specimen preparation.
Analytical electron microscopy.

Fultz Brent, Howe James, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Diffractometry of Materials, Springer 4th edition 2013


Ray F. Egerton Physical Principles of Electron Microscopy An Introduction to TEM, SEM, and AEM, Springer Nature , 2nd edition, 2016

Transmission Electron Microscopy: A Textbook for Materials Science.
David B. Williams, C. Barry Carter, Springer; 2nd edition (2009).

The knowledge acquired by the students will be verified through written examinations.
The students will be asked to solve some numerical exercises related to the arguments explained during lessons. Furthermore the students will be asked to answer some theoretical questions about topics developed during classes.

written

The final grade will the arithmetic average between the mark obtained during the written examination and the mark of the oral examination.

experimental session in electron microscopy research laboratory

Enrolling for the examination is allowed only to students that attended at least 80% of laboratory classes.
Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion

Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding supportservices and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.