Instrumentation
Tranmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is a high-resolution imaging technique that reveals the internal structure of materials at the atomic and near-atomic scale. Unlike SEM, which images surfaces, TEM transmits a beam of electrons through an ultra-thin sample, producing images that expose crystal structure, lattice defects, grain boundaries, and nanoscale features invisible to other methods. At RJ Lee Group, TEM supports failure analysis, nanomaterial characterization, and advanced research across industries including pharmaceuticals, electronics, aerospace, and materials science.
What is TEM?
A transmission electron microscope (TEM) works by accelerating a beam of electrons through a sample that has been thinned to less than ~100 nanometers. As electrons pass through the material, they interact with its atomic structure, producing images with resolution down to the ångström level, fine enough to resolve individual atomic columns in crystalline materials.
TEM provides information about crystal structure, phase identification, defect analysis, particle morphology, and crystallographic analysis via selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Paired with techniques such as energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and polarized light microscopy (PLM), TEM also delivers elemental and chemical composition data at the nanoscale, making it indispensable for understanding materials where structure-property relationships matter.
What Can You Do With TEM?
At RJ Lee Group, TEM supports a broad range of regulatory, research, and forensic applications where nanoscale resolution is essential:
- Asbestos Identification & Quantification: TEM is a core technique for regulatory and compliance-driven asbestos analysis across multiple sample types:
- Air samples: NIOSH 7402, ISO 10312, and ISO 13794.
- Bulk, dust, and surface samples: ASTM D5755, ASTM D6480, and EPA methods for bulk matrices.
- Water samples: EPA 100.1 and EPA 100.2 for non-potable and drinking water.
- Air samples: NIOSH 7402, ISO 10312, and ISO 13794.
- Particulate & Fiber Characterization: Analyze ultrafine particles and fibers at resolutions beyond the reach of SEM or optical microscopy, including nanoscale particle morphology and sizing, identification of mineral fibers (erionite, wollastonite, fibrous talc) and synthetic fibers (ceramic, carbon, glass), and high-resolution particulate characterization for environmental and industrial investigations.
- Nanomaterials & Advanced Materials Research: Image and characterize nanoparticles at atomic- and lattice-scale resolution, supporting research-driven projects, including documented collaboration with NASA.
- Materials Science & Failure Analysis: Resolve microstructural detail critical to root-cause investigations, including fine-scale analysis of construction and cementitious materials, metallurgy, corrosion, and raw material contamination.
Why Choose RJ Lee Group for TEM Analysis?
At RJ Lee Group, TEM is more than an imaging technique — it's a gateway to understanding materials at their most fundamental level. Our team brings decades of microscopy expertise, advanced instrumentation, and a collaborative approach to every TEM project.
- Deep Microscopy Expertise: Our TEM capabilities are backed by decades of cutting-edge SEM experience and a broad range of optical microscopy services, giving clients access to a full spectrum of imaging techniques and the expertise to match the right method to each analytical challenge.
- Integrated Analytical Capabilities: Our TEM analyses are strengthened by complementary techniques, including SEM, EDS, EELS, XRD, and FTIR, giving clients a complete picture of structure, composition, and behavior in a single engagement.
- Proven Across Industries: From regulatory asbestos testing under EPA, NIOSH, ISO, and ASTM methods to advanced materials research in collaboration with NASA, our TEM work supports clients across environmental compliance, litigation, manufacturing, and cutting-edge research.
Get in Touch
For more than four decades, RJ Lee Group has delivered high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) services to clients across regulatory, industrial, and research sectors. From asbestos identification under EPA, NIOSH, ISO, and ASTM methods to nanomaterials research in collaboration with NASA, our TEM capabilities provide the atomic-scale insight needed to answer the most demanding analytical questions. Connect with our team to discover how our specialized expertise and comprehensive technical capabilities deliver actionable insights and results unmatched by other laboratories.
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