Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) laboratory uses the Explorer Model microscope by Thermomicroscopes, USA. This device helps us to get 3D information about the sufaces of materials studied. The image is composed by point after point detecting the movements of the measuring tip. The method is non-contact, the sample and tip are in interatomic interaction (van der Waals forces). The whole text >>
The Laboratory of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis is an all Institute service center. It is equipped by electron probe X-ray microanalyzer JXA-733 of JEOL (Japan). This instrument is based on scanning electron microscope equipped with three wave-length dispersive spectrometers (WDS) and one energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) of Kevex, U.S.A. Software is from SAMx, France. The whole text >>
Precession electron diffraction is a new method that allows for the determination of crystal structure of microcrystals from electron diffraction data. It is different from the standard electron diffraction in that the beam is not stationary, but precesses along a cone, and this precessing motion has the effect of partially suppressing the dynamical effects in diffracted intensities. The whole text >>
Some physical measurements, optical or magnetic should be done using single crystal specimens aligned in a given orientation with respect to crystal axes, as their properties are anisotropic (dependent on the direction). Orienting of such specimens is done in the Laboratory for orienting single crystals.
The main experimental tool for investigating atomic structure of monocrystals with x-ray diffraction is the four-circle diffractometer Gemini with CCD detector Atlas. This modern instrument installed at the beginning of 2008 ranges to the best machines of this category in terms of sensitivity and data collection speed. It allows for very exact measurement of satellite reflections of aperiodic crystals.
X-ray diffraction on powder samples is widely used in many analytical methods: phase analysis, structure analysis, investigation of thin films, texture analysis, investigation of nanomaterials etc. Diffraction pattern is composed of independent diffractions of microcrystals of the powder sample. The whole text >>
