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New Scanning Electron Microscope Installed at IAP

Since the beginning of November, a state-of-the-art Zeiss Sigma HD-VP scanning electron microscope is supporting research at the Institute of Applied Physics. Three research areas share the new device.

Photo of the Zeiss Sigma HD-VP scanning electron microscope in the electron microscopy laboratory at the IAP. The image shows the device and the connected control monitors for imaging and analysis.

© Gyula Nagy

Zeiss Sigma HD-VP Scanning Electron Microscope

The new Zeiss Sigma HD-VP Scanning Electron Microscope in the laboratory of the Institute of Applied Physics at TU Wien

On November 7, 2025, a new Zeiss Sigma HD-VP scanning electron microscope (SEM) was put into operation at the Institute of Applied Physics. The device is shared by the three research units “Atomic and Plasma Physics,” “Applied Interface Physics,” and “Physics of Three-dimensional Nanomaterials.”

The new microscope is equipped with several detectors that enable high-resolution imaging using secondary electrons (SEM), backscattered electrons, X-rays (EDX), and electron diffraction (EBSD).

One of the important areas of application will be fusion research, as the new instrument allows detailed morphological and elemental analysis of material surfaces – both before and after ion irradiation.

We are delighted about this important expansion of our infrastructure – and look forward to the many exciting results that will be made possible with the new SEM!