bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Another Way To Prepare Permanent Mounts for Light Microscopy
Authors: McCrone Walter C 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Having read John Kiernan's contribution in the January 1999 issue of Microscopy Today, I decided to add my two-cents worth (ignoring inflation), I have water-mounted preparations older than 5 years with no indications of threats to their permanence. The procedure is so simple it hardly bears writing about much less printing it for others to read.
I simply make sure any aqueous coversiip preparation on a microscope slide be dry at the edges of an otherwise full (of water) coverslip preparation, I simply add tiny amounts of water to completely fill the space between slide and coversiip, then wait a minute or two for the excess water on the slide outside the coversiip to evaporate. I can speed this step by wicking any excessive excess into a forceps-held small square of filter paper.
A Microscope as the Smallest Pen
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In a movie I saw recently, a young Will Shakespeare was seen to repeatedly dip the nib of a quill into a reservoir of ink and scrawl on pieces of paper until, finally, what we know as "Romeo and Juliet" was penned. As pointed out by Richard Piner, Jin Zhu, Feng Xu, Seunghun Hong, and Chad Mirkin, this technology is much older than Shakespeare, dating back about 4000 years. But even technology this old can change.
As you are well aware, making devices on a smaller and smaller scale (nanofabrication) is certain to change our future way of life, Nanofabrication frequently relies on lithographic methods where a pattern is superimposed on a resistive film and the film is chemically etched to create a structure that conforms to the pattern.
Thoughts About Waste Disposal and Regulations
Authors: Dapson Richard W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
First, it matters not a bit what others are doing, even if they are doing it with the full knowledge and permission of their wastewater treatment officials. This is because every treatment plant is different, and must set its own limits on chemical waste. Approval must be obtained from local officials.
Getting permission from one's own group of officials may be a pleasant or difficult experience, but the way can be eased a bit by being prepared. Realize that most of them do not know what our histological chemicals are, so provide them with the OSHA mandated hazard codes {e.g., flammable, corrosive, carcinogenic, etc.). They also want to know flash point, pH, miscibility with water and odor (if strong).
Ruthenium Tetroxide: A Complementary Fixative and Stain to Osmium Tetroxide
Authors: Eichelberger Henry 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Ruthenium tetroxide (RuO4), which is a stronger oxidizing agent than osmium tetroxide (OSO4), reacts well with some of the more polar lipids that fail to show a reaction with OsO4 . it has been demonstrated that the use of RuO4 can overcome the failure of OsC4 to visualize epidermal intercellular lamellae. RuO4 reacts strongly with both saturated and unsaturated lipid molecules, as well as with proteins, glycogen, and monosaccharides. RuO4 fixed membranes appear thicker than those fixed with OsO4 do4.
RuO4 penetrates tissue very slowly and sometimes uneven, patchy preservation may occur. The use of vibratome sections is recommended to optimize penetration of the RuO4 fixative.
Need For Education, Not Just Training
Authors: Foster Barbara 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Microscopy is unique among its analytical counterparts: it requires a hand-eye-brain coordination not needed in any other type of analytical instrumentation. On one hand, manufacturers of microscopes and auxiliary technologies are working to make systems seamless, transparent, and easier to use. On the other hand, microscopists, even those who will use the microscope as routine tools, need to be knowledgeable in their core disciplines as well as fluent in microscopy and sample preparation. It is not enough that a the person running a microscope be trained to "push this button; turn this knob". Especially as we move into the next millennium, it will become increasingly important to understand the light/matter, electron/matter, or probe/matter interactions which occur when examining a specimen. Microscopists of all descriptions will need to know how to optimize both the sample and the technology, how to interpret the information presented by the image, and how to separate artifact from true information. To compound the problem, the convergence of computer, diverse software packages, microscope, camera, and analytical techniques is producing a new type of multiple level information which, in turn, requires expertise in multiple disciplines.
Correcting Scanning Errors in Scanning Probe Microscopes
Authors: Hsiao Gregor , Leckenby Jezz 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) are a family of instruments used for studying the surface properties of materials on a dimensional scale ranging from the atomic to the micrometer level. As depicted in Figure 1, all SPMs work by scanning a finely tipped probe in a raster pattern over the sample surface while measuring and mapping some interaction between the probe and the surface as a function of x-y position. The piezoelectric scanners used to provide the scanning motion offer very fine positional control but have certain inherent errors that, uncorrected, can distort images, introduce artifacts, and degrade measurement accuracy.
Automated TEM Sample Preparation
Authors: Kaplan Wayne D , Raz Efrat , Smith Colin 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The rising demand in the semiconductor industry for higher spatial resolution in the analysis of device defects has focused attention on the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, conventional TEM sample preparation can be difficult and time-consuming, and, depending on the operator, may result in a low yield of quality specimens. One solution to this problem is the use of focused ion beam (FIB) milling for the final stage of TEM sample preparation. However, specimens have to be mechanically thinned prior to FIB and the need to characterize specific devices requires a pre-FIB preparation method that can target specific features on the wafer. We will discuss an innovative and automated solution that isolates specific devices and prepares TEM specimens for subsequent FIB thinning. The complete pre-FIB preparation takes less than 30 minutes and yields a sample in which the targeted feature is positioned a specific distance from the sample edge, thereby minimizing final FIB milling time. The output specimen is automatically packaged for FIB milling and TEM analysis. We also present drawings of the process flow and examples showing TEM results from tungsten filled vias.
The Birth of the Microscopy Advantage™ CD
Authors: Garber Charles A , Kovacs Kristof 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In North America, one could very easily get a distorted view of the rest of the world when it comes to internet access. in the USA and Canada, one can stay connected continually, without regard to cost. And the connections tend to be fast and convenient.
But this is not the case in most of the rest of the world. While there are some notable exceptions, Australia and Israel for example, many in the international microscopy and microanalysis community have to struggle with connections that are either very slow, or very expensive, or both, in fact, in many parts of the world, internet content is routinely not with the benefit of graphics. This is really a great disadvantage since, in many instances, the real important information is contained within the graphics. Even in the USA and Canada, because of firewall considerations or other concerns, a surprisingly large number of end users do not have internet access at their main workstations, and they have to suffer the inconvenience of using some kind of shared resource, either “down the hall” or worse yet, in another building.
Isolation and Identification of Paint Pigments by Sublimation
Authors: Palenik Skip J 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The particle size of organic pigments used in modern coatings is extremely fine. Since these individual pigment crystals are typically less than 1 μm in size, they are difficult, if not impossible, to characterize and identify by microscopical means. The occurrence of occasional pigment aggregates may help identify a pigment to a microscopist who is familiar with a variety of known pigments under controlled conditions. More often, however, such observations provide a qualitative basis for comparison of questioned and known paints without leading to identification of the specific pigments involved. Microscopic observations of this type are assisted by the use of a high-magnification oil immersion objective and condenser with numerical apertures of 1.25 or greater.
The Resolution Revolution
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The history of microscopy has focused on better and better resolution, as has been documented on these pages [e.g., J.-P Revel). As one can see in the first graph, the early improvement in resolution was agonizingly slow, as it was dependent on technological improvements in optics and methods for preparing specimens. Hans and Zacharias Jensenn are credited with being the first to put two lenses in the same optical path to create a primitive microscope in 1590 Nearly a century later Antoni van Leeuwenhoek was impaling specimens an needles. Whereas van Leeuwenhoek and other observers were able to make significant observations to change fundamental concepts of their day, microscopists such as Ernst Abbe, Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz, Lord John Rayleigh and Carl Zeiss brougnt us to the brink of optimal performance of the light microscope.
Projector Slide Plates
Authors: Christensen A Kent 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The preparation of electron micrographs for 2″ x 2″ slide presentations is usually done by photographing EM prints with a 35 mm camera. However, for some of our better electron micrographs, many of us have enjoyed printing the negatives directly on 2″ x 2″ Kodak Projector Slide Plates (#s 140 6875 & 140 6867), which can yield projected images of particularly pleasing tonal quality.
A previous issue of Microscopy Today (issue 94-2, March 1994} contained a brief article my me describing a method for making 2″ x 2″ EM slides with Projector Slide Plates. Unfortunately, it now appears that Kodak has raised the price of these plates to a level that is well beyond what most of us can afford. My first inkling of this came after the article was in the hands of the editor. I telephoned Kodak and confirmed that the price was now about $560 per box of 36 plates, roughly 10 times the former price. However, it still seemed possible that this had been an oversight on the part of Kodak, and that it could be rectified.
More Than One Ever Wanted To Know About X-ray Detectors
Authors: Lund Mark W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Spiderman carefully slid the sample of mud into the microscope. As he increased the magnification he caught sight of a tiny spherical crystal. Zooming in on it, he said “Let's see what it's made of”. He reached over and flipped on the x-ray detector. As the spectrum formed on the screen a gasp went through the small group of researchers. “Kryptonite…the intruder is from another comic strip!”
The primary function of a microscope is to get a closer look at a sample. Many times a closer look is enough. Other times you need as much information as possible to solve a problem. In the above example, a reading of the chemical elements contained in the sample gave important clues about the sample's origin. X-ray analysis in electron microscopy combines elemental analysis with high resolution imaging. Of all the analytical techniques available to microscopists, it is the most highly developed and easiest to use.
Is It Possible to Produce Micro-Gravity in Our Own Lab?
Authors: Newberry Sterling 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Wouldn't it be nice to have some kind of laboratory hood in which gravity is greatly reduced so we could grow more perfect crystals or do biological experiments without having to go into orbit. There was a report in Science last year which hinted that gravity cancellation or modification just might be possible some day, but I doubt that any of our readers noticed it. The title was “Inertia: Does Empty Space Put Up the Resistance?”. One has to read this news report carefully to find that physicists have long pondered the connection between the inertial property of mass and the gravitational attraction between masses and that the work quoted here, suggests that once inertia is understood it might be controlled, even canceled. Upon inquiry the editor, Robert Matthews found other physicists believed that the ability to modify inertia could soon be tested experimentally but remarked that “it is a bit too early to be talking about inertia free star ships.”
Lateral and Chemical Force Microscopy Mapping Surface Friction and Adhesion
Authors: Heaton MG , Prater CB , Kjoller KJ 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Lateral Force Microscopy (LFU) is a scanning probe microscopy (SPM) technique that identifies and maps relative differences in surface frictional characteristics. It is one of several techniques developed as extensions to the basic topographical mapping capabilities of SPM. LFM is particularly useful for differentiating among materials on surfaces. Applications include identifying transitions between different components in polymer blends, composites and other mixtures, identifying organic and other contaminants on surfaces, delineating coverage by coatings and other surface layers, and chemical force microscopy using functionalized tips.
More Than One Ever Wanted To Know About X-ray Detectors Part IX: Antigravity Holes
Authors: Lund Mark W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In this series we have explained why x-ray spectrometers are useful in electron microscopes and, to some extent, how they work. In this article I will discuss some of the physics behind the detector.
First I have been asked to explain what a hole is. In a silicon crystal every silicon atom is bound to four others with covalent bonds. Every electron has a home, which consists of its home atom in the case of the inner electrons. The four outer (or valence) electrons have a home on the road, shuttling back and forth between too atoms each. In this way the five atoms share eight electrons among themselves.
Finding the First Fires with Microscopes
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Coal is remnants of plant matter that were compressed and held at a high temperature for eons. However, if plants are charred first, they become hard and brittle, and may resist compression. Under appropriate circumstances, anatomic detail can be elegantly retained. Ian Glasspool, Dianne Edwards, and Lindsey Axe have performed detailed studies on plant fossils recovered in England, near the Welsh border, that can be considered to be evidence for the earliest wildfire yet described on our planet. They examined a series of mesofossils, about one millimeter in size, which required microscopic study.
It is well known that chemical and structural changes occur to organic tissues during charring. This can mean that charcoal is resistant to decay and compression and it is also more reflective than non-charred material. Glasspool et al. used incident light and scanning electron microscopy to reveal 3-dimensional cellular detail of the specimens. Additional specimens were embedded and polished for reflectance microscopy. The results indicated that the specimens were charcoal.
Variable Magnification Electron Holography for 2-D Mapping of Semiconductor Devices
Authors: Wang YY , Gribelyuk M , Domenicucci A , Bruley J , Gaudiello J , Kawasaki M 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The exit electron wave from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens contains both amplitude and phase information. In routine TEM imaging, only amplitude information is recorded on the recording devices (film or CCD camera) and phase information of the electron wave function normally is canceled out.
In 1947, Dennis Gabor proposed off-axis electron holography, a method of interference imaging in which the phase and amplitude components of the electron beam are obtained to correct spherical aberration of the transmission electron microscope to improve spatial resolution. In that process, the electron beam is split into the two beams: the un-scattered electron beam (i.e. the reference wave) and the image beam (or object wave) diffracted by the specimen and exiting the bottom of the specimen surface.
Microwave Processing of Drosophila Tissues for Electron Microscopy
Authors: Buchanan JoAnn 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Insect tissue is often difficult to prepare for electron microscopy because of the impenetrable barrier surrounding the body tissues. Drosophila salivary glands have been used for numerous studies because of the large size of the cells and their large polytene chromosomes. Early TEM studies of salivary glands used a protocol that took several days. We were able to achieve excellent preservation and good ultrastructure in Drosophila salivary glands and imaginal discs from Stage L3 larvae using microwave processing in a protocol requiring less than 2 hours.
We used a Pelco Laboratory microwave (model #3451) equipped with a Cold Spot, Steadytemp chiller/recirculator run at 15° C, and vacuum chamber (Ted Pella, Mountain Lakes, CA). The heads and attached salivary glands were removed from the animals and placed in PBS. The tissue was transferred to Pelco prep-eze specimen holders (#36157) for ease of handling. Our goal was to use the microwave effect, not the heating effect, to prepare the tissue.
Converting Microscopy Images Into Other Formats
Authors: Bailey Jessica 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In recent years, microscopy systems have become more capable of capturing, transferring, and manipulating electronic images. In the last issue of this publication, there was a summary of different image format types and their flexibility for use with microscopy. This article will briefly discuss converting images among different formats, which often becomes necessary when transferring images from one software application to another or creating hardcopy of the image. In order to transfer the image, either the original software has to save the image to a format which the new software or output device can read, or that new software or device has to read a format which is native to the image generating software.
Sometimes (happy days), this all works out straightforwardly. Other times, transferring an image is impossible. The user then has the choice of writing his own conversion software, finding freeware, or purchasing a commercial conversion utility.
Microdroplets of Liquid Part I: Glass Fiber Brush
Authors: McCrone Walter C 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
It is very important to be able to deliver tiny droplets of liquid onto any surface. There are two general methods for this. One, a glass fiber brush seaied into a capillary; and, the other, a polyethylene micrapipette. Both are capable of delivering droplets as small as 100 μm in diameter. Description of the glass fiber brush follows. Part II, later in this publication, will describe the polyethylene micropipette.
We have borrowed this clever idea from Fred Schneider of IBM (private communication). A bundle of 20 to 30 glass fibers, 5 to 8 mm long and about 20 μm in diameter, is sealed with a microflame into one end of a glass capillary. A melting point capillary 1 to 2 mm in diameter and open at both ends is convenient (Fig. 1), To use for small drop deposition, the capillary is partly filled (2 to 3 cm. long column of the desired liquid} so that the sealed-in end of the glass fiber bundle is fully immersed.
Application of Slow-Scan CCD Cameras in Routine Biological TEM
Authors: Mooney PE , Krivanek OL , Ray DA , Charlesworth J 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Slow-scan CCD (charge-coupled device) cameras (SSCs) are based on optical image detection technology introduced in the seventies and first used in astronomy in the eighties. When they are properly configured for the detection of medium energy electrons rather than photons, they are able to capture images that exceed the quality of images recorded on photographic film. Here we discuss aspects of their operation pertinent to routine biological TEM.
Compared to the TV-rate CCD sensors that have become ubiquitous in miniature camcorders, scientific (astronomy-grade) CCDs have several unique characteristics: 1) their pixels are typically 20-27 urn in size rather than the 6 urn typical of TV rate CCDs, 2) their read-out amplifiers are optimized for low noise at read out rates of 1/10 to 1/100 of TV rate, 3) they do not have a separate frame-transfer buffer for CCD read-out, and 4) they are available in large total sizes (up to 2048 x 2048 pixels).
Microscopes aren't just for Microscopists, Anymore (Continued)
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Microscopes are being used to obtain more and more information from a specimen. We are all acquainted with various ways to visualize structures, whether on the surface or embedded within a relatively translucent specimen. There are many ways to “tag” a molecule of interest so that the molecule can be positively identified within the specimen. Traditional microscopes are not able to identify a molecule for us. Other analytical tools are used for that. For example, the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of a molecular species yields a “fingerprint” that gives a reliable identification. Wouldn't it be great to combine the sensitivity of a state-of-the-art microscope with the molecular analytical capabilities of NMR?
Well you guessed it, this has been done. This approach was first suggested by John A. Sidles at the University of Washington and has recently been demonstrated by Dan Rugar and colleagues at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose.
The Application of Monte Carlo Modeling to X-Ray Microanalysis
Authors: Chernoff Don 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
X-ray microanalysis (EDS) on a SEM or TEM is a valuable tool for research and industry. No other technique can provide so much information so easily about the chemistry of micro-volumes of a material. Many samples require nothing more than positioning of the electron beam onto the area of interest, collecting a spectra, and 30 seconds later you have your answer. Or do you?
Any technique as widespread and straightforward as energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy is bound to be misused on occasion. It has been my experience that many users either overestimate the capabilities of EDS to answer difficult materials questions or do not fully appreciate the limitations of the technique and how to work around them. These problems tend to show up as the need to analyze increasingly complex samples increases. The following brief description of the physics of electron beam/specimen interaction may be useful in explaining why problems can exist.