Scanning Electron Microscopy is a versatile and well-established complementary technique to light optical microscopy. By using a beam of electrons instead of photons, samples can be imaged at far higher magnifications than a LOM can achieve. The Topcon SM300 at ITRI Innovation is capable of imaging up to 100,000 times magnification, although in practice magnifications of this magnitude are seldom required. As well as being capable of far higher magnification than light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy has a far larger inherent depth-of-focus, making the technique particularly suitable for examination of the surfaces of 3-D samples such as populated circuit boards.

As with light microscopy, the SEM can use different signals to generate contrast mechanisms. The back-scattered electron and secondary electron signals can be used to form images that can give information about the structure, topography and compositional features of a sample. The SM300 is also fitted with an energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectrometer. This device measures the energy of x-rays that are generated by the atoms of the sample during interactions with the electron beam. The x-ray spectra formed are characteristic of the atoms that formed them, allowing the chemical composition of the sample to be determined.

The L200 and SM300 microscopes are backed up by a full range of metallographic and materiallographic preparation equipment. This includes facilities for the preparation of cross-sections for microscopical analysis by grinding and diamond polishing.

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