School of Life Sciences

The Sussex Centre for Advanced Microscopy

Updates on TEM and SEM Facilities

(25/11/11) FAO TEM Users: Camera Use

Dear All,

Firstly, to say that the TEM itself seems fine now, so that's a relief! Secondly, the other day I sent you a mail explaining that you need only press the PHOTO button now when acquiring images from the CCD camera (and you do not have to switch the button alongside it any more), but what I failed to tell you was that you should make sure the Film Feed STOP button to the left of the PHOTO button is on, i.e. illuminated. If it is not, just press it.

Cheers,

Jules

(18/11/11) FAO TEM Users: TEM problem

Dear All,

I'm afraid that the TEM is having problems again, in that the voltage keeps cutting out every few minutes, making it near impossible to use. I have alerted the engineer, but as yet have no time for his visit. I will turn it on again on Monday morning, just in case it 'rights itself', which may be possible, as I think it is an intermittent circuit board problem and will obviously let you all know if it's suddenly OK again. So, unless you need to just quickly check a sample, I suggest that it's probably not worth your while using it until it is, hopefully(!), sorted out.

Cheers and have a good weekend,

Jules

(11/11/11) FAO TEM Users: Gatan camera software 'quirk'

Dear All,

Just to let you all know that, since the camera service visit, there is a Gatan camera software 'quirk'. What this means is that you cannot click on the 'hammer & spanner' icon to feed in your 'session details' etc., as this just causes the camera software to crash. To counter this please just save individual images as you go along by clicking on the 'normal' save button, which is just to the left of the '123' save button. I suggest you include the magnification in the filename, but you don't need to as you will have the scale bar of course. Sorry for this minor pain, but the Gatan service man will soon access my PC remotely and try and diagnose/rectify the fault.

Cheers,

Jules

(10/11/11) FAO TEM Users: Gatan camera now easier to use

Dear All,

Just to say that the Gatan service engineer has yesterday set the camera up to be easier to use. Now you just have to press the PHOTO button alone to image, and turn it off again to go back to viewing on the TEM. In other words, the switch that you had previously to operate after the PHOTO button is now redundant, which makes life a little easier! Please avoid touching the Film Feed buttons to the left of the PHOTO button though.

Cheers,

Jules

(25/6/10) FAO TEM Users

Re intermittent alignment fault on the TEM

Dear All, There is an intermittent alignment fault with the TEM. You may know recently that the Voltage has been cutting out here and there, but sometimes, when you turn the voltage back on again, the beam is very misaligned. If I'm around when this happens to you, please come and ask me to show you what to do. If I am not, then please refer to the TEM Instructions page on the lab website at http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/home/Julian_Thorpe/flow3c.htm and click on the 'TEM troubleshooting' link in the table at the top. Under Point 1 (losing the beam/image), refer to the last paragraph, beginning 'If this latter does not work....' for instructions, but having referred to the previous paragraphs of this point as well, if needs be. Cheers, Jules

(9/2/10) FAO TEM Users

Re updated TEM Instructions page on website

Dear All, I've just updated the TEM Instructions page of my lab website http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/home/Julian_Thorpe/flow3c.htm to include a 'TEM troubleshooting' section (link is within the Table towards the top of the page), which you should find useful. I will add to this as and when problems arise. Cheers, Jules

(9/2/10) FAO TEM Users

Re TEM camera service this Thursday a.m.

Dear All, The Gatan Ultrascan 1000 CCD camera on the TEM is being serviced on Thursday morning this week. If you have any specific quesitions you'd like me to ask the engineer, please get back to me or drop by at the time to ask the engineer yourself. Cheers,Jules

(8/2/10) FAO TEM Users

Re: Loss of movement in the X and Y specimen shifts of the TEM

Another troubleshooting point for users to be aware of:

If you find that the X and Y specimen shifts of the TEM suddenly stop working, this can usually be rectified by pushing in the recessed 'reset' button (with the wooden stick or the straight [not the delicate curved!!] forceps) that is located just to the left of the CRT screen displaying the image position, etc. (and just below the X and Y position numbers) on the upper left panel of the TEM as you are sat at it. If this does not work, please see Julian or leave me a note or mail me if I am unavailable.

I will add this mail to the 'Latest Updates on TEM and SEM Labs' link that is accessible via top left of the TEM and camera instructions page for future reference.

(9/11/09) FAO TEM Users

Re: status of the TEM and additional link on the Lab Website

Dear All, Just to update you all on the status of the TEM. The faulty part in the HT tank has now been located. Last week another HT tank was shipped over from Germany with a view to cannibalising the relevant part, but......the same part was faulty in that tank too, would you believe?! I cannot understand why they didn't check it before they sent it over, but there you go! Anyway, another HT tank will be shipped over, hopefully in the next few days, and I am hoping that we just might be up-and-running by next week and perhaps by the end of this. Jules