The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM) is a central Monash University Technology Research Platform. It provides an advanced capability in electron microscopy to enable researchers to solve major scientific challenges and is optimised for non-biological and engineering applications. MCEM conducts innovative research in electron microscopy, and provides advanced instrumentation, expertise and training to researchers from across the university, government and industry sectors. A brochure provides a small snapshot of just some of the resulting research impact. MCEM together with the Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy form the Victorian node of Microscopy Australia.
MCEM has a suite of advanced instruments, including a double-aberration-corrected Titan3 80-300kV fitted with pixelated and CMOS detectors for scanning CBED and 4D-STEM. In 2021, MCEM installed a next generation S/TEM with outstanding spatial and energy resolution, multiple fast detectors and unique electron-optical elements to optimise performance in S/TEM. In addition, MCEM has 1 other FEGTEM, 1 TEM, 3 FEG-SEMs and a FIB/ESEM plus a range of supporting computing, software and specimen preparation equipment.
Hours of Operation and Location
Facility Hours: Business Hours 9:00am - 5:00pm, After Hours all other times that the Univerity is open
Staffed Hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm, during normal University working days
Advanced Instrumentation, Expertise and Training in Electron Microscopy
MCEM is the largest electron microscope facility in Victoria, serving several hundred registered researchers from Monash, other universities, government research agencies, as well as providing consultancy services to industry. It plays an important role in educating/supporting students in electron microscopy and materials characterisation and is a key complementary facility to the Australian Synchrotron and the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN), the Australian National Fabrication Facility’s (ANFF) central node in Victoria. MCEM works closely with The Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Monash Micro Imaging (MMI) which provide optical and electron microscopy facilities for the biological sciences.
MCEM has a suite of advanced instruments, including the Thermo Scientific Spectra-ϕ, a next generation S/TEM with outstanding spatial and energy resolution, multiple fast detectors and unique electron-optical elements to optimise performance in S/TEM; a double-aberration-corrected Titan3 80-300kV with pixelated detectors; plus 1 other FEGTEM, 1 TEM, 2 FEG-SEMs and a FIB/ESEM plus an extensive range of supporting computing, software and specimen preparation equipment. In addition, later this year MCEM will install a Thermo Scientific Helios 5 UX FIB-SEM Triple beam microscope including high speed EDX & EBSD and ToF-SIMS and a Thermo Scientific Verios 5 UC FEGSEM. It is also in the process of procuring an in-situ mechanical/heating FEG-SEM and high performance analytical FEG-SEM.
Inquire
Microscopy Specialist Services
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
MCEM's four TEMs can provide atomic resolution information about structure, composition and bonding, and range from conventional to world-class instruments.
Quantitative Atomic Resolution and Aberration Corrected Electron Microscopy
Phase Contrast High-Resolution Electron Microscopy
Electron Diffraction: selected area, convergent beam, large angle, scanning (4D STEM)
Quantitative Analytical Spectroscopy and Mapping
High Energy Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy
Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
ALCHEMI
Electron Tomography via STEM and TEM
Scanning Confocal Electron Microscopy
Electron scattering theory and computation; elastic and inelastic
In situ heating, biasing and cooling close to liquid nitrogen and helium temperatures.
Multiple imaging modalities (high-resolution
Specimen Preparation
A suite of specimen preparation techniques, including:
Etching, dimpling, sawing, coating
Polishing (Electropolishing, Precision Ion and Tripod)
Ultramicrotomy (hard/composite materials)
Vacuum or controlled atmosphere specimen transfer to SEM, FIB and TEMs
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB)
We have three SEMs and one SEM/FIB system capable of imaging surface features to below 2nm in size. All SEMs/FIB are fitted with equipment allowing the chemical composition and crystal structure of materials to be studied. The FIB can be used to prepare site-specific cross-sections at the sub-micron scale.
Angle-resolved Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy and Imaging
FIB (sectioning, in situ lift-out, 3D reconstructions)
In situ X-ray Ultramicroscopy and Tomography
In situ cooling near to liquid nitrogen, low- temperature heating
Data analysis
A suite of commercial, public domain and in- house computer programs for data analysis and interpretation:
Crystallography programs and databases
High energy electron scattering calculations, elastic and inelastic
Low energy electron trajectory and X-ray production calculations
Electron Back Scatter Diffraction analysis
Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy
Pixelated (4D) STEM analysis
Tomographic reconstruction, visualisation and analysis
Inquire
Working With Us
The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM) enables the determination of the composition, structure and bonding of materials down to the atomic scale. MCEM performs research in the development and application of electron microscopy methods and provides advanced instrumentation, expertise and teaching in electron microscopy. Together, these enable the solution of key problems across science and engineering. MCEM established Australia's first double- aberration-corrected TEM and pixelated STEM capability. MCEM recently installed the "Spectra Phi", a pioneering new transmission electron microscope with ultrahigh spatial and energy resolution, to further push the boundaries of materials characterisation. Together with the Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo- Electron Microscopy, we form the Victorian Node of Microscopy Australia.
EXPERTISE
Our team has research expertise in the development and application of electron microscopy methods. We support and collaborate with researchers from Monash University, other universities, government research agencies and industry. Our staff and equipment provide a complementary facility to the Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy and the Australian Synchrotron – located adjacent to Monash University's Clayton campus.
KEY INSTRUMENTATION
Our platform houses four transmission electron microscopes, three scanning electron microscopes and a dual-beam focused ion beam microscope, as well as a broad range of instrumentation for sample preparation and software for data analysis. These microscopes are housed in an award-winning building designed to provide exceptional mechanical, thermal and electromagnetic stability to optimise instrument performance: one of the most stable buildings in the world.
Advanced Instrumentation, Expertise and Training in Electron Microscopy
MCEM is the largest electron microscope facility in Victoria, serving several hundred registered researchers from Monash, other universities, government research agencies, as well as providing consultancy services to industry. It plays an important role in educating/supporting students in electron microscopy and materials characterisation and is a key complementary facility to the Australian Synchrotron and the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN), the Australian National Fabrication Facility’s (ANFF) central node in Victoria. MCEM works closely with The Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Monash Micro Imaging (MMI) which provide optical and electron microscopy facilities for the biological sciences.
MCEM has a suite of advanced instruments, including the Thermo Scientific Spectra-ϕ, a next generation S/TEM with outstanding spatial and energy resolution, multiple fast detectors and unique electron-optical elements to optimise performance in S/TEM; a double-aberration-corrected Titan3 80-300kV with pixelated detectors; plus 1 other FEGTEM, 1 TEM, 2 FEG-SEMs and a FIB/ESEM plus an extensive range of supporting computing, software and specimen preparation equipment. In addition, later this year MCEM will install a Thermo Scientific Helios 5 UX FIB-SEM Triple beam microscope including high speed EDX & EBSD and ToF-SIMS and a Thermo Scientific Verios 5 UC FEGSEM. It is also in the process of procuring an in-situ mechanical/heating FEG-SEM and high performance analytical FEG-SEM.
Inquire
Microscopy Specialist Services
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
MCEM's four TEMs can provide atomic resolution information about structure, composition and bonding, and range from conventional to world-class instruments.
Quantitative Atomic Resolution and Aberration Corrected Electron Microscopy
Phase Contrast High-Resolution Electron Microscopy
Electron Diffraction: selected area, convergent beam, large angle, scanning (4D STEM)
Quantitative Analytical Spectroscopy and Mapping
High Energy Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy
Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
ALCHEMI
Electron Tomography via STEM and TEM
Scanning Confocal Electron Microscopy
Electron scattering theory and computation; elastic and inelastic
In situ heating, biasing and cooling close to liquid nitrogen and helium temperatures.
Multiple imaging modalities (high-resolution
Specimen Preparation
A suite of specimen preparation techniques, including:
Etching, dimpling, sawing, coating
Polishing (Electropolishing, Precision Ion and Tripod)
Ultramicrotomy (hard/composite materials)
Vacuum or controlled atmosphere specimen transfer to SEM, FIB and TEMs
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB)
We have three SEMs and one SEM/FIB system capable of imaging surface features to below 2nm in size. All SEMs/FIB are fitted with equipment allowing the chemical composition and crystal structure of materials to be studied. The FIB can be used to prepare site-specific cross-sections at the sub-micron scale.
Angle-resolved Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy and Imaging
FIB (sectioning, in situ lift-out, 3D reconstructions)
In situ X-ray Ultramicroscopy and Tomography
In situ cooling near to liquid nitrogen, low- temperature heating
Data analysis
A suite of commercial, public domain and in- house computer programs for data analysis and interpretation:
Crystallography programs and databases
High energy electron scattering calculations, elastic and inelastic
Low energy electron trajectory and X-ray production calculations
Electron Back Scatter Diffraction analysis
Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy
Pixelated (4D) STEM analysis
Tomographic reconstruction, visualisation and analysis
Inquire
Working With Us
The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM) enables the determination of the composition, structure and bonding of materials down to the atomic scale. MCEM performs research in the development and application of electron microscopy methods and provides advanced instrumentation, expertise and teaching in electron microscopy. Together, these enable the solution of key problems across science and engineering. MCEM established Australia's first double- aberration-corrected TEM and pixelated STEM capability. MCEM recently installed the "Spectra Phi", a pioneering new transmission electron microscope with ultrahigh spatial and energy resolution, to further push the boundaries of materials characterisation. Together with the Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo- Electron Microscopy, we form the Victorian Node of Microscopy Australia.
EXPERTISE
Our team has research expertise in the development and application of electron microscopy methods. We support and collaborate with researchers from Monash University, other universities, government research agencies and industry. Our staff and equipment provide a complementary facility to the Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy and the Australian Synchrotron – located adjacent to Monash University's Clayton campus.
KEY INSTRUMENTATION
Our platform houses four transmission electron microscopes, three scanning electron microscopes and a dual-beam focused ion beam microscope, as well as a broad range of instrumentation for sample preparation and software for data analysis. These microscopes are housed in an award-winning building designed to provide exceptional mechanical, thermal and electromagnetic stability to optimise instrument performance: one of the most stable buildings in the world.
Welcome!
