The Three Types of Electron Microscope

An electron microscope is a different type of microscope in that it allows a person to see microscope images magnified up to two million times. This is in contrast to the best of the light microscopes, which limit a person’s ability to see images magnified up to only two thousand times.

Fortunately, for those folks who require electron microscopes to do their job, they have a wide range of types to choose from and each is completely different from the other.

There are three types of electron microscopes -
  • Transmission electron microscope
  • Scanning electron microscope
  • Scanning tunneling electron microscope
The father of these three types of microscopes is the transmission electron or TEM, as it is often referred to. It transmits electrons through a small slice of a specimen in order for the image to be seen. These types of microscopes are great for seeing inside the cells of beings on the planet. Much has been learnt by using these microscopes for viewing all types of various cells.
Transmission Electron Microscope DiagramThe two other types of the electron microscope, namely the scanning tunneling and the scanning are two very in depth types of microscopes that are used to view specimens. Both use atoms and electrons to view items, but the tunneling microscope creates a tunneling current between the tip of the microscope and the actual electrons in order to create an image. The scanning microscope on the other hand can make a 3D image that can make looking at cells and other minute specimens simpler and more in depth than ever experienced before.

Various types of the electron microscope are available for folks to view specimens. These types of microscopes are great to view items, such as cells that folks once thought would never be seen by humans. Thanks to great technology, these specimens can be viewed in three dimensions, which can offer folks more wiggle room in order to study and learn the ins and outs of these specimens. Making strides in helping folks has never been more simple thanks to the invention of the many types of electron microscopes that are on the market today.