Diagnostic electron microscopy at UCSF

Definition

A microscopy technique that produces an electronically-magnified image of a specimen for detailed observation. The electron microscope (EM) uses a particle beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and create a magnified image of it. The microscope has a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because it uses electrons that have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than visible light (photons), and can achieve magnifications of up to 2,000,000x, whereas light microscopes are limited to 2000x magnification.

Synonyms

Electron microscopy, EM

Categories

Assay → Imaging assay → Microscopy → Diagnostic electron microscopy

Subcategories

Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy