Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) have long been essential tools for manufacturers and researchers who need to understand materials at the micro- and nanoscale. As SEM technology has continued to advance, these instruments have become more capable, more reliable, and easier to operate.

Recent developments in table-top and compact SEMs have also made this technology far more affordable—opening new opportunities for teaching-focused institutions.

For educators, this is a meaningful shift. Access to SEM no longer requires million-dollar grants or highly specialized facilities. Today’s compact SEMs are fully featured instruments, offering secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electron (BSE) imaging, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) for elemental analysis, and even electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) in select configurations.