Electron Microscopy Characterisation of the Nanoscale

This course provides a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of electron microscopy, specifically focusing on transmission electron microscope (TEM). You will gain a deep understanding of the underlying principles that drive these powerful instruments, and how they are used to advance our understanding of materials science. With a solid theoretical foundation, you will explore into the building blocks and main imaging modes of the transmission electron microscope, including diffraction, imaging with diffraction contrast, atomic resolution images, and spectroscopy.

By the end of the course, you will have the knowledge and skills to answer the why and how of using a specific electron microscope technique, as well as the ability to critically evaluate TEM images and data from real-world applications.

This course is a must-take for anyone looking to expand their knowledge in the field of materials science and deepen their understanding of electron microscopes and their practical applications.

The assessment of the course consists on the combination of formative assessments. These include: quizzes (10%), problem-solving activities (30%), laboratory reports (30%),

and final presentation (30%) where the number in parenthesis indicates the weight that each assessment component has on the final grade of the course.

Handing in all the course assessments within the indicated deadlines is compulsory to obtain a passing grade of the course. This includes the final presentation of the course, which has mandatory attendance for all course participants.

Since the assessment of the course is formative, there will be no written final exam. Instead, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the material through the various assessments, with the relative weight indicated above. Submitting all the assessments within the deadline is required to obtain a passing grade.

Students that fail some of the assessments will be offered an opportunity to redo them in the retake period only. If you are unable to take part in one of the assessments due to a well-justified reason, please contact the responsible instructor. In such cases, it will be possible to repeat the failed assessments in the retake week only.

Participation in person in the laboratory activities is also required to obtain a passing grade in the course, and cannot be replaced by any other assignment.

The final presentation will take place in person, and students are also required to attend all other presentations as part of their participation and assessment in the course. The dates of the presentations will be indicated in Brightspace.