Since the emergence of nanotechnology, high resolution imaging especially TEM/HRTEM become important for nanoscience/nanotechnology researchers. Due to various reasons many researchers from different disciplines migrated to this important domain. Preparation of nanomaterials are quite easy. But for characterization and eventual publication, the morphological evaluation is very important. Though alternate techniques exist for size and distribution measurements, it became a necessity for synthetic chemists (or even materials people) to decorate the manuscript with a few impressive microscopy images, which is obviously authentic compared to indirect measurement techniques such as DLS, SAXS, SANS, XRD, etc. Often we get attracted to the manuscripts with incredible TEM/HRTEM images, which is a prerequisite for high impact journals.
However, it is a fact that the TEM/HRTEM exist only in a few major laboratories. Mainly because of cost factors. Compared to AFM and many other instruments, only a few players exist in market for TEM/HRTEM. I understand that customers have to wait for a while to get the system they have ordered.
Why don't more companies come up with new generation affordable TEMs?
In Europe and in the USA, there are several TEM user facility centers. There you can perform TEM/HRTEM's studies (of cause with support of the local staff) on state of the art microscopes free of charge. It is also possible to do a sample preparation like FIB in these centers (also free of charge).
Please remember that microscopy is only a very local technique. You need the other techniques. TEM is good but HRTEM won´t help you because too often the material is too thick - you just can´t see anything. You don´t have to have incredible images, but images supporting your idea.
Can any one publish a paper on synthesis of a new nanomaterials of different morphologies without a TEM image?
The question asked is when TEM /hrtem becomes affordable?
True but very long waiting time! And you never know what you see at the end of it!
well then you have an highly competent scientist to run the devices, which is at the end also a limiting factor... But I am not sure that all the universities should have HRTEM everywhere because after you should also count the running costs which are not cheap...
What's the experience is getting TEM images from STIC/ SAIF ? What's the typical kind of waiting time? Do you get some good images from them? Do they involve you in the sample preparation?
Every where there is wait time if the sample is submitted in colloidal form then sedimentation can affect the result. and in IITM HRTEM imaging cost is around 1500 + service charge + sample preparation charge. and if we submit 3 sample for imaging 3 x tem charges which will be a huge amount. and since there are only few HRTEM the problem with time comes.
possible solution can be the availability of TEM in many institutes where the cost of instrument comes into play and other solution is to innovate a novel method to reduce the production cost of TEM
HR TEM is a very expensive piece of equipment. I assure you that if there was chipper way of its manufacturing it were already implemented (capitalism, you know…) Free access to the equipment means more taxes on poor people. Otherwise, how government can supply researchers with needed toys?
That's the key issue. More manufactures, new cost effective ways of manufacturing etc to make the systems affordable like other analytical tools. It' not that all should have free acesss. Though AFM was invented much lAter, there are numerous players selling AFM's. Ofcourse the AFM tech is much simpler compared to TEM!
Let us hope that a few more manufactors come up with new TEM's.
I have the same opinion than Vladimir! It is just too costly to construct (vacuum, etc) that it is not possible to get the machine cheap!
I don't think so. optical crystals, lasers and even X-ray radiography systems are manufactured in China and sold at though away prices (10 times cheaper).
TGA/DSC system by a Korean company is half the price of the systems sold by others. So, the technology can be made cheaper! Then old would talk about quality, reliability etc, Well it is a matter of concern but with more players the cost should come down.
look how a TEM work and all what you need to run it and then you will see that sometimes it can not be made as cheap as you wish.
Well table top SEM and TEM where for a long time a nice dream that came to reality...
Both Alexandre and Vladimir are wrong. It is a typical mistake to mix up production cost and end user price. Production cost of a TEM is not high! End user price is high. End user price includes warranty, agents fees, salaries, adv and so on. We do not buy TEM every day. It is not a burger. So there is no continuous cash flow. Imagine that all the labs in the world would get a TEM next year. Well that is great! But that also means that there is no sales in the next 10 years. No sales mean no salaries, no stuff, no new technologies. And no manufacturing companies at the end. The mosе expesive thing is time. High end user price is a price of time.
Max, your typical mistake is in believing that other people are mistaken. Production cost of TEM is high. R&D cost is high. Service cost is high. In part it is because TEM is practically hand maid. No conveyer belts. R&D cost should be spread on relatively small number of produced units. Etc. I would not comment on “cash flow” remark, OK?
John, I am optimist also, but cautious optimist. In terms of price even optimists are getting what they are paying for. Tabletop microscope is a good example. Cost could be 10 times lower than HRTEM, but due to multiple (and severe) limitations, its application field is very limited. As for new players in the field, we have now new company TESCAN (about 10 years old). It did not really help to drive SEM prices down.
Interesting. Recently I purchased a high end Xrd system with many special attachments. When we got the offer from two companies, one has given me 35% rebate on their actual offer along with 3 year extra warranty. The rebate plus sops was really huge and I could buy a rheomicroscpe with it.
This shows how competition can influence the pricing. Lots of money is eaten by agents.
Affordable doesnot mean cheap. Now with nanotechnology boom, the requirement of TEM is many fold. If it becomes affordable every institute would have one.
Vladimir, do you know me so close to speak about "my typical mistakes"? Good old soviet style, a? Take a look at Volker Klemm message. This can give you an idea of the level of your competence. It is also strange that you do not know that service cost is not included in to manufacturing costs. It is an add-on to end user price. And yes, it is better not to comment on the things you do not know and do not understand (including cash flow).
It is also strange that your are not aware that TESCAN existed far more than 10 years. Long ago in Czechoslovak it was TESLA. By the way, it is at least twice cheaper than JEOL or FEI.
Wow, Max, what an answer! Try to guess who first used wording “typical mistake”? (Hint – reread your first message.) You think you have right to be rude without any consequences? Try to write as a grownup.
P.S. About Tesla. It manufactured electron microscopes mostly for soviet block and was not a major player outside it. For a while it was subcontractor for some western electron microscope manufacturers (including Philips Electron Optics, now FEI) and made parts for their microscopes. Then it dissipated and now FEI has its own manufacturing facilities in Brno, and TESCAN exists as a separate entity. In contrast to Tesla TESCAN now is a global company. By the way the report that TESCAN is at least twice cheaper than JEOL is greatly exaggerated. Our Geology department recently have bought TESCAN, but JEOL was cheaper…
Vladimir there is a difference between "typical mistake" wich occurs here and there and "your typical mistake".
The fact that in your particular case JEOL was cheaper only confirms that the real price of any electron microscope is not high. Sometimes because of the political reasons JEOL can give smaller price than usualy.
Hi John,
Since you are from IGCAR, it's hard to believe for me that HRTEM facility is not easily available (if I understood correctly) in a premier DAE funded institute. I also think that in today's context there is no dearth of funds even in Indian scenario. Not at least in DST and/or DAE institutes. We are quite rich in this aspect. I am from Jadavpur University, Kolkata and in my area there are at least 4-5 modern TEMs within a radius of 1 KM. As Volker said, analytical TEMs are not that expensive anymore!!
But in my opinion, the problem lies elsewhere and the key is knowing how to utilize the equipment. Its a regret for me to say that in India, we seriously lack good skilled TEM personnel whose expertise goes beyond normal many beam bright field imaging. I take full responsibility in what I said in the previous sentence. In most of the places, the zone axis is not even attained nor tried to be identified. You may be surprised to know that even some of the JEOL India guys go mad when asked to demonstrate the 'rotation calibration' or 'Weak Beam Dark Field' on their new 2200FS TEM!! Don't go for JEOL in India, Tecnai is much better option in terms of service, although more expensive than JEOL. And I don't have the knowledge to conclude which equipment is better. Volker Klemm is an absolute expert on this.
As you said, you procured a new high end XRD. Congrats for your new equipment. Although I don't know your exact requirements but I would like to mention that the emphasis should be on acquiring the skill to use the equipment. For instance, we never needed any high end XRD for rigorous X-ray analyses. We used two legendary powder XRDs, namely Philips PW1710 and a Siemens D500 . I don't know how many of today's young researchers are aware with these models. But trust me, one will never regret using these legends!! I am sure the experienced researchers on this forum will agree.
All the best!!
Puspendu
The question is about the affordability !
I agree with you on many points.
Point on expert available for installation of equipments is very correct. Many systems are dumped and often WE INSTALL IT.
Many things you indicated is not practical in DAE but is fine for non-DAE institutes! I can't elaborate more.
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