introduction and history

The Electron Microscopy Facility (EMF) is an all-University research, teaching and service facility located in Pearson Hall on Miami University's main campus, in Oxford, Ohio.

This web site is designed as a resource for interested students and current users of the lab.

The EMF was established in 1987 as a centralized facility through continued funding from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School, and a Botany Department Academic Challenge Grant. The EMF provides instruction and consultation in transmission and scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy, and digital imaging for undergraduates, graduates, post-docs, faculty, and staff. The EMF is used by members of the Departments of Botany, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Engineering Technology, Geology, Microbiology, Paper Science and Engineering , Physics, and Zoology, as well as by researchers from a number of regional Colleges and Universities. The EMF is available for use without charge to the Miami University community.

The EMF houses two scanning electron microscopes (JEOL 840 and Zeiss Supra 35), two transmission electron microscopes (JEOL 100S and Zeiss 10C), two laser scanning confocal microscopes (Olympus FV500 and Nikon PCM 2000), a deconvolution light microscope (Olympus IX-81) and a wide-field multimode light microscope (Olympus AX-70). Both SEM'sare equipped with an energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis (EDAX EDAM & Genesis 2000), one SEM has an electron back scattered diffraction system (HKL EBSD) and one TEM and both SEMs are capable of digital imaging. All electron microscopes are covered under service contracts.

The EMF has a diversity of computer and digital imaging/analysis capabilities. The Facility is hard wired with category 6 ethernet which provides for its own local area gigabit network as well as providing access throughout the Miami University network and the Internet. Digital images can be captured from a diversity of input sources including direct digitizing from the SEM's, LM, VCRs, copystand CCD camera, and a high resolution flatbed scanner (prints and negatives). Image manipulation/analysis software includes: Image Pro Plus, Global Lab Imaging, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Presentations, Corel Photopaint, and others. Images can be output via high resolution Lexmark Optra Rn+ laser printer, Kodak 8650PS dye sublimation printer, Mitsubishi CP700 dye sublimation printer, Epson stylus photo ink jet printers, Polaroid 7000 Film recorder or via Miami University's Applied Technologies Media Center. Data storage is handled via 500 GB of on-line storage, DVD or CD-ROM recording.

In addition to being fully equipped for conventional specimen preparations, the EMF is specialized for cryo-preservation techniques. The EMF houses one of the few high pressure freezing units in North America (Balzers HFP 010), a propane jet freezing unit (RMC MF7200), a slam freezer (Pelco "Gentleman Jim"), and an automated freeze-substitution system (Reichert CSAuto). In addition, the Facility has 26+ pieces of specimen preparation equipment and 4 fully-equipped darkrooms. A small library of Journals and books is also available.

The EMF occupies 15 lab rooms with approximately 2600 square feet of laboratory space. All the laboratory rooms are climate controlled and the TEM lab spaces have building independent humidity controls.

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