School
of Life Sciences
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The Sussex Centre for Advanced Microscopy |
| **Latest
Updates on TEM and SEM Labs**
Microscope Training Instructions Camera Booking Sample preparation Methodologies Associated instrumentation Research example: AD and the Tauopathies website Interesting EM and other scientific links Compiled by: Julian Thorpe |
Updates on TEM and SEM Facilities
Dear All,
Just to let you know that the SEM is up-and-running
again. The vacuum problem is now sorted out and in fact it is now much
improved and appears to pump down much more quickly (under 3min) than before.
Please remember though that when you begin to pump out the microscope you
should push the door inwards towards the column by pressing on the very outer
(tilting part) of the stage door for 10 seconds or so; it (just the outermost
tilting part of the door) may also require a slight lifting as you do this to
make sure it is symmetrically seated against its O-ring and the rest of the
door.
Cheers,
Jules
(1/3/12) FAO TEM Users: problem with image file batch conversion Dear All,
Just to let you know that you should check your
converted files (by viewing thumbnails is easiest and quickest) after batch
conversion to .jpg or .tiff format, as sometimes they are not converting
properly at the moment. Don't worry though, as the Gatan format versions of
your image files are always remotely stored safely, so I can always bring them
back for you to reconvert them again properly, OK?
Cheers,
Jules
(23/2/12) FAO TEM Users: Camera up-and-running again Dear All,
Am glad to say that the TEM camera is now up-and-running
again, and I have hung up most of the fibre-optic cabling on the wall, so all
bar the most athletic of mice can get at it now! Re the software upgrade,
there is a rather nice new icon available (just below 'Help' on the upper
toolbar) that can give you a dynamic readout of line length on your image in
any direction.
Cheers,
Jules
(22/2/12) FAO TEM Users: Camera Use Dear All,
Whereas mice can be invaluable to science as providers
of antibodies and models of disease, etc., the ones that chew through the
fibre-optic cabling between the TEM and the CCD camera are less so! Anyway,
just to let you all know that I should be receiving new cables tomorrow and,
once I've fitted them and checked all is well with image acquisition again,
I'll mail you all to confirm that the TEM plus imaging is available again. The
good news is that Neil Wilkinson from Gatan has also updated all our software
and you should be able to use the usual 'hammer and spanner' icon and the
'save 123' option again to input your specimen details and save your images
again.
Cheers,
Jules
(25/11/11) FAO TEM Users: Camera Use Dear All,
Firstly, to say that the TEM itself seems fine now, so
that's a relief! Secondly, the other day I sent you a mail explaining that you
need only press the PHOTO button now when acquiring images from the CCD camera
(and you do not have to switch the button alongside it any more), but what I
failed to tell you was that you should make sure the Film Feed STOP button to
the left of the PHOTO button is on, i.e. illuminated. If it is not, just press
it.
Cheers,
Jules
(18/11/11) FAO TEM Users: TEM problem Dear All,
I'm afraid that the TEM is having problems again, in
that the voltage keeps cutting out every few minutes, making it near
impossible to use. I have alerted the engineer, but as yet have no time for
his visit. I will turn it on again on Monday morning, just in case it 'rights
itself', which may be possible, as I think it is an intermittent circuit board
problem and will obviously let you all know if it's suddenly OK again. So,
unless you need to just quickly check a sample, I suggest that it's probably
not worth your while using it until it is, hopefully(!), sorted out.
Cheers and have a good weekend,
Jules
(11/11/11) FAO TEM Users: Gatan camera software 'quirk' Dear All,
Just to let you all know that, since the camera service
visit, there is a Gatan camera software 'quirk'. What this means is that you
cannot click on the 'hammer & spanner' icon to feed in your 'session
details' etc., as this just causes the camera software to crash. To counter
this please just save individual images as you go along by clicking on the
'normal' save button, which is just to the left of the '123' save button. I
suggest you include the magnification in the filename, but you don't need to
as you will have the scale bar of course. Sorry for this minor pain, but the
Gatan service man will soon access my PC remotely and try and diagnose/rectify
the fault.
Cheers,
Jules
(10/11/11) FAO TEM Users: Gatan camera now easier to use Dear All,
Just to say that the Gatan service engineer has
yesterday set the camera up to be easier to use. Now you just have to press
the PHOTO button alone to image, and turn it off again to go back to viewing
on the TEM. In other words, the switch that you had previously to operate
after the PHOTO button is now redundant, which makes life a little easier!
Please avoid touching the Film Feed buttons to the left of the PHOTO button
though.
Cheers,
Jules
(25/6/10) FAO TEM Users Re intermittent alignment fault on the TEM Dear All, (9/2/10) FAO TEM Users Re updated TEM Instructions page on website Dear All, I've just updated the TEM Instructions page of my lab website http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/home/Julian_Thorpe/flow3c.htm to include a 'TEM troubleshooting' section (link is within the Table towards the top of the page), which you should find useful. I will add to this as and when problems arise. Cheers, Jules (9/2/10) FAO TEM Users Re TEM camera service this Thursday a.m. Dear All, The Gatan Ultrascan 1000 CCD camera on the TEM is being serviced on Thursday morning this week. If you have any specific quesitions you'd like me to ask the engineer, please get back to me or drop by at the time to ask the engineer yourself. Cheers,Jules (8/2/10) FAO TEM Users Re: Loss of movement in the X and Y specimen shifts of the TEM Another troubleshooting point for users to be aware of: If you find that the X and Y specimen shifts of the TEM suddenly stop working, this can usually be rectified by pushing in the recessed 'reset' button (with the wooden stick or the straight [not the delicate curved!!] forceps) that is located just to the left of the CRT screen displaying the image position, etc. (and just below the X and Y position numbers) on the upper left panel of the TEM as you are sat at it. If this does not work, please see Julian or leave me a note or mail me if I am unavailable. I will add this mail to the 'Latest Updates on TEM and SEM Labs' link that is accessible via top left of the TEM and camera instructions page for future reference.
(9/11/09) FAO TEM Users Re: status of the TEM and additional link on the Lab Website Dear All, Just to update you all on the status of the TEM. The faulty part in the HT tank has now been located. Last week another HT tank was shipped over from Germany with a view to cannibalising the relevant part, but......the same part was faulty in that tank too, would you believe?! I cannot understand why they didn't check it before they sent it over, but there you go! Anyway, another HT tank will be shipped over, hopefully in the next few days, and I am hoping that we just might be up-and-running by next week and perhaps by the end of this. Jules
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