electron microscope: Quick Facts

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Nov. 8, 2026

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Photos

Micrograph, taken with a transmission electron microscope, showing the atomic structure of a diamond surface. A spacing of about 0.1 nanometre is clearly resolved.

scanning electron microscope; butterfly egg

Cilia (yellow) in the oviduct of a rabbit; a false-colour scanning electron micrograph at 3,550 magnification

spinach chloroplast

Streptococcus pyogenes

Figure 79: Electron micrograph illustrating the thin, tubular, threadlike units of imogolite (magnified about 390,000X).

Plague bacteria

Diagram of a scanning electron microscope showing labeled components including the electron gun, anode, magnetic lens, detectors, and a specimen on a stage, illustrating the electron beam path and detection process.

Diagram of a transmission electron microscope showing labeled components, including an electron gun, anode, condenser lens, specimen, objective aperture lens, intermediate lens, projector lens, and fluorescent screen.

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Topics

scanning tunneling microscope immunosorbent electron microscope transmission electron microscope environmental scanning electron microscope scanning electron microscope field-emission microscope high-voltage electron microscope electron microscopy field-ion microscope cryo-electron microscopy ultramicroscope acoustic microscope X-ray microscope

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Key People

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Ernst Ruska

German engineer

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Keith Roberts Porter

American biologist

Klug, Aaron

Aaron Klug

Lithuanian-born British chemist

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Hugh Esmor Huxley

British biologist