DIY SEM-to-TEM Converter Demonstrates Budget-Friendly Upgrade
A technical project shows how a scanning electron microscope can be converted into a transmission electron microscope using a custom, thinner sample plate and a reworked, space-saving sample holder to free clearance for the primary electron mirror and secondary-electron shield. By dialing in the mirror angle inside the evacuated chamber, the DIY adapter yields improved TEM imaging, with initial tests using gold nanoparticles and iterative shielding tweaks enhancing image quality—an approach that echoes other STEM-converter efforts and aims to later image biological cells while offering a cost-effective alternative to pricey commercial adapters.