EM Unit

State-of-the-art electron microscopy equipment and technology

The Electron Microscopy Unit, NIMS, supports a wide range of electron microscopic analyses in various phases of research. The unit provides support for the use of transmission electron microscopes (TEM), scanning electron microscopes (SEM), focused ion beam (FIB) devices, etc., as well as state-of-the-art observation and analysis utilizing special observation techniques.

Researchers outside of NIMS can also access the instruments and technologies of this station through several programs such as Advanced Research Infrastructure for Materials Nanotechnology Japan (ARIM JAPAN) and the NIMS Open Facility.

What's New!!

  2025.9.11  NEW 
The following equipment is now available for night use. If a user is NIMS member and is permitted to use the B licensed equipment without any staff at night, the user can book the equipment in nighttime as an A licensed user. Please contact our administrative office (tem[at]nims.go.jp) if you are interested.

  • TEM sample preparation apparatus (Room#103 in Physical Analysis Lab. Building)
     * Available from 9:00 to 20:30 on weekdays (to 20:00 for the equipment that reservation required)
  • NB5000 and Helios 650 (Room#129 in Physical Analysis Lab. Building)
     * Available Morning session (9:00-12:30), Afternoon session (13:00-16:30) and also Night session (17:00-20:30) on weekdays
  •   2025.9.5  NEW 
    There are no major changes in the operations of "Equipment Management System"; however, please note that notification e-mails regarding reservations have become sent from "tem-regist[at]nims.go.jp" (previously sent from "info-arim[at]nims.go.jp").
      2025.3.17
    We are now accepting applications for use in fiscal year 2025. Please check the application procedures before applying. If you have any questions, please contact <tem[at]nims.go.jp>.
  • FY2025 Application Procedures (Internal Use)
  • FY2025 Application Procedures (External Use)
  •   2024.9.1
    It has become mandatory to include an acknowledgement when presenting results in your papers using shared facilities. See the bottom of this page for details.

    Regarding "Acknowledgments" [Important Notice!!] 

    From September 1st, 2024, it has become mandatory to include an acknowledgement when presenting results in your papers using shared facilities. Please refer to the example below.

     ARIM facilities :

    Example: (A part of) This work was supported by "Advanced Research Infrastructure for Materials and Nanotechnology in Japan (ARIM)" of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Proposal Number JPMXP12xxNMyyyy.

     Non-ARIM facilities :

    Example: (A part of) This work was supported by the Electron Microscopy Unit, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS).