Preliminary Work Item Proposal on 3-D Tomography in a Transmission Electron Microscope to ISO/TC229


The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is seeking your support for a proposal for a Preliminary Work Item on Nanotechnologies – 3- D Tomography in a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) that will be discussed during the ISO/TC229 Nanotechnologies Meetings November 7-11, 2016.

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is a tool that uses electrons to produce a resolution that is a thousand times better than a light microscope. The use of a TEM in electron tomography allows users to get a detailed three dimensional view of nanomaterials by collecting hundreds of density projections. With advances in nanotechnology and the semiconductor industry there is an increasing need for high-resolution 3-D structural information. Currently, results for quantitative measurement of dimensions at the nanoscale vary widely depending on the type of tools used.

A standard would help to ensure the images and measurements produced by electron tomography in a TEM are reproducible and accurate, as well as ensure that the varieties of instruments are applied in a consistent way. For example, if a full tilt range is not performed when collecting the hundreds of images used to produce the 3-D image, the results may produce inaccuracies. Ensuring that a full tilt is always performed in the same manner by use of a standard would ensure a consistent result.  It would also allow for reliable measurements of nanoparticles in order to evaluate their impact on our environments, our industries and our citizens.

SCC is seeking your support for their proposal on 3-D Tomography in a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) as a Preliminary Work Item on the ISO/TC229 work programme.

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