scanning electron microscope

American  

noun

1. a device in which the specimen is examined point by point directly in a moving electron beam, and electrons reflected by the specimen are used to form a magnified, three-dimensional image on a television screen. SEM

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scanning electron microscope British  

noun

1. a type of electron microscope that produces a three-dimensional image

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scanning electron microscope Scientific  

/ skăn′ĭng /

1. An electron microscope that moves a narrowly focused beam of electrons across an object and detects the patterns made by the electrons scattered by the object and the electrons knocked loose from the object. From these patterns a three-dimensional image of the object is created.

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Etymology

Origin of scanning electron microscope

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

To measure how much stronger the treated material had become, the researchers used a specialized probe inside a scanning electron microscope to test how much force was needed to fracture the electrolyte surface.

From Science Daily

Whatever process occurred to do this preserved the original brain tissue so well that individual neurons can actually be seen using a scanning electron microscope.

From Salon

The researchers got another surprise when they looked at the shells under a scanning electron microscope.

From Science Daily

The novel "nanopasta" formed a mat of nanofibers about 2 cm across, and so is visible, but each individual strand is too narrow to be clearly captured by any form of visible light camera or microscope, so their widths were measured with a scanning electron microscope.

From Science Daily

When viewed under a scanning electron microscope, the powder resembles tiny basketballs with billions of holes, said study leader Zihui Zhou, a materials chemist who is working on his PhD at UC Berkeley.

From Los Angeles Times