A bug, like any other SEM sample, must be thoroughly dried, mounted to a viewing platform, then coated with gold before viewing with the microscope.
Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) are powerful, multi-million dollar pieces of equipment that allow you to image objects, in three dimensions, at sub-nanometer resolutions. You can see details of a piece of material or, in this case, a bug that are smaller than a nanometer with the best SEMs.
Scanning electron microscopes operate by aiming a beam of electrons at an object that is mounted on a platform and coated with gold. The electrons bounce off the gold-coated object, forming an image that a computer monitor digitally captures and displays.
When operating a scanning electron microscope, not only must you fastidiously adhere to specific protocols of SEM use in order to obtain a proper image, you must also take precautions to avoid damaging the instrument.
Instructions
1. Dry your bug using a critical point dryer, for one to three days. The bug must be completely dry before putting it in the SEM, to avoid damaging the SEM.
2. Mount your bug to a small microscope viewing platform. Place a small piece of electrical tape on the surface of the platform, and place your bug on top so that it adheres.
3. Place your bug in a gold-coating machine. Coat your bug with a thin layer of gold for 30 seconds.
4. Vent the chamber of your SEM, and open the chamber doors. Place your mounted bug on the microscope stage, the viewing platform for samples. Close the chamber and, on the computer hooked up to the SEM, click "Pump" to create a vacuum in the chamber.
5. Switch on the beam when the chamber has reached vacuum. Locate the bug on the microscope stage and focus your image so that you can see the bug clearly.
6. Acquire your image by taking a snapshot, using SEM software, of your bug on screen. Take multiple images of your bug from different angles.
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