Once I found it on the surface of a specimen during SEM observations. Nobody knew what it might be.
Damaged turboprop from a micro-drone? Single neuron of Si-based alien life?
I've seen flat ribbons and knots growing in high-temperature ovens (>>1200C). Did you do EDS? This thingie is large enough for getting good spectrum....
It looks like a piece of metal from some machining or cutting process. You might want to clean the surface of your sample a bit better in the future.
Tomas, you could try posting the same question to Microscopy ListServer (http://www.microscopy.com) - such puzzles are very welcomed there and I do not recall a case which remained unresolved (though it is possible I have missed something).
Mmmh, the "legs" look like chips from a drilling process. First Approach was a drillhole from the back and some of the chips sticking to the drill got stuck when the drill got out of the hole. But the center looks connected like soldered or welded (probably surface to rough)...
At first sight, one might think that a little spider was metallized and come with under SEM's. .-)
I don't like the idea of Little metallic Spiders running around...
But I would probably ask a department in our Institute who should know about it :)
(yours!) :)
It may be the some metal impurity present on the sample. By EDAX can give the clear answer. It may be some metal present in conductive paste.
David, the picture looks similar, but to symmetrical for a simple pollution!? It could be flight screens comparable with those of blowballs for the transport of plant seeds.
Although it is quite small, it has around 400µm, by using the scale and rughly measuring one of the 'legs' and multiplying by 2. Anyway, it could well be a seed or a polen, as Thomas Grund said. The spiral of the 'legs' reminds me of seeds that are dispursed by air currents, or by working as a spring as it busts open.
Let us know if someone identifies it. It would be interesting to know for sure.
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