Electron microscopy, 5 credits

Elektronmikroskopi

Course information

Language of instruction: English
Course period: February-March 2024
Course structure: Campus teaching, Laboratory courses, Assignments

Recommended prerequisites

Recommended prerequisites Knowledge taught in engineering, materials’ science, physics, chemistry. Studies in medicine, pharmacy, biology are sufficient to follow this course (One part of the course is dedicated to soft and biological matter).

Learning outcomes

Aims (relaterad till Högskoleförordning, bilaga 2, Kunskap och Förståelse):

• Understand systematically the basics of electron microscopy
  
• Being able to develop the methodology to solve material analysis problems using down to single atom scale with electron microscopy techniques and foster the competence to relate the result from electron microscopy analysis to the properties of physical, chemical and biological matter.

Learning outcomes (relaterad till Högskoleförordning, bilaga 2, Färdighet och Förmåga):

1. Develop the skill to use nano- and atomic level electron microscopy analysis for impacting the development of novel materials.
   
2. Understanding of principles of electron/ion-matter interaction in electron microscopes and apply electron microscopy techniques quantitatively.
   
3. Learn methods at the forefront of electron microscopy as well as focused ion beam techniques.
   
4. Know electron microscopy techniques in soft matter and biology.

Learning outcomes for doctoral degree

How: The examination goals are reached by a combination of the teaching modes of: lecture, laboratory course, group work and assignment. The course contains student centred teaching and in all course elements, the students are actively encouraged to contribute to the course. Forefront electron microscopy methods are presented and related research works are discussed with the course participants fostering knowledge, critical understanding and independent thinking. In particular, most students in the science faculty need to know analytical methods to understand the materials and biological samples that they are studying. The course gives equally important insight in the framework of analytical techniques being part of many PhD study programs at the Teknat faculty.

The course addresses PhD students from Biology, Geology, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering department and is cross disciplinary. The course is shared between hard matter and biological matter study. The inclusion of topics on electron microscopy on soft matter gives insight for students with a materials’ science background in characterisation methods of biological materials. Students from biology and chemistry are welcome to learn the basics of electron microscopy which has a strong presence in both, materials and life science. In 2017, we have launched a novel EM centre (CEM4MAT) between UU, SU, KTH and involve teachers from these sites to the course. Furthermore, the exchange of students from many different disciplines, both in laboratory and assignment groups fosters cross-disciplinary knowledge.

Course contents

n this course we will teach the methodology that is needed to use electron microscopes and focused ion beams for characterization of materials and to make an active contribution to the development of modern materials. The course contains the following parts:

1. Electron microscopy techniques spanning across several disciplines such as physics, biology, medicine, materials science, their basis and electron-sample interaction. Both, scanning- and transmission-electron microscopy techniques are taught, mostly available at UU. We also include some techniques available to the scientists at the Swedish infrastructure ARTEMI.
   
2. We will illustrate the use of electron microscopy with the corresponding applications in materials science, physics, chemistry and biology.
   
3. The focused ion beam device is presented with its capacity sputter samples with a nanometer precision as well as to use it for a local TEM sample lift-out.
   
4. The students will be confronted to selected problems/techniques in the laboratory course sessions in several state of the art Electron Microscopy laboratories in Uppsala. The study format of the course consists of lectures, laboratory course and assignments. To pass the course, the students must hand in the answers to our assignments and approve the assignments. The course will be passed finally, when the student has passed the oral exam.

Instruction

We build a tutorial program to improve the student centered learning and group work.

The course is a block course in 2 times one week. Week 1 is dedicated to SEM and FIB teaching and laboratory course, week 2 is dedicated to TEM. Physical and biological science are taught across the two weeks, where we take up the challenge to teach across disciplinary borders and to a cross-disciplinary group of course participants. The theory lectures is in the morning, laboratory course is in the afternoon.

In the weeks after the course blocks, the students will work together in the groups formed in the laboratory course to elaborate together the assignments. To foster knowledge and also to build a creative assignment group environment, the groups will be accompanied by tutors.

We will take up critical topics related to use of AI in data analysis as well as accompany the students in the use of resources from the internet.

Assessment

Oral examination.

Course examiner

Klaus Leifer, klaus.leifer@angstrom.uu.se

Department with main responsibility

Materialvetenskap

Contact person

Klaus Leifer, klaus.leifer@angstrom.uu.se

Application

Submit the application for admission to: Klaus Leifer klaus.leifer@angstrom.uu.se
Submit the application not later than: 30th January 2024