Richard Sheridan | Dec 25, 1988 | 4 min read
With the scanning electron microscope (SEM), scientists in a range of fields—from biology to materials science to microelectronics—can analyze the surface of objects with a resolution approaching molecular dimensions. Although conceptually developed in the 1940s, the SEM was not put into practical use until the 1960s. Improvements in SEM technology continue with the introduction this year of a device that can image unprepared specimens without contaminating the microscope or charg