Delong Instruments

For International Museum Day, here is a collection no curator had to arrange. Under the electron microscope, diatoms resemble a drawer of miniature relics — intricate, ornamental, and quietly spectacular. They may look like tiny engraved exhibits, but these silica structures were shaped by nature and hidden in river sediment until brought into view.

Captured with the LVEM 5 in SEM BSE mode, this micrograph shows diatoms and stones on a stub with striking contrast and crisp surface detail. The point of interest is the remarkable diversity of forms and textures, revealing just how much architecture, pattern and scientific value can be found in objects far too small for the naked eye.

Sample courtesy of , Jakub Dobiáš

April is Earth Month — and it's almost over

As April draws to a close, it's a good time to remember that caring for our planet isn't limited to one day on the calendar, but it's important to realize how fragile and complex our planet's ecosystems are. Corals may appear static, but at the microscopic level, they reveal highly organized structures that play a key role in reef formation.

TEM and electron diffraction (ED) images of a coral sample acquired using the LVEM 25E. Corals build their skeletons from crystalline calcium carbonate, and the diffraction pattern highlights this crystallographic order, helping scientists understand how reefs grow and respond to environmental stress.

Sample courtesy of Helmut Gnaegi

From synchrotrons to the lab bench—bringing nanomaterials into sharper focus at Hun-Ren Wigner Fizikai Kutatóközpont .

In our latest user profile, Dr. Gyula Faigel explains how the LVEM5 complements advanced X-ray techniques by providing essential morphological insight at the nanoscale. From checking AFM tips and analyzing nanotube systems to studying hybrid perovskites and crystalline forms, the instrument enables fast and routine characterization. Its compact design and multi-mode capability (TEM, SEM, STEM, and electron diffraction), combined with nanometre-scale resolution, make it a powerful and reliable tool for advanced materials research.

Read the full interview here: https://www.delong.cz/references

At first sight, these nanoparticles might look like Easter eggs — just not the kind you'd find in a basket.
At the nanoscale, spherical gold nanoparticles can take on an egg-like appearance. In bright-field imaging (a), they show up as neat, uniform shapes, while EDS elemental mapping (b), carried out in collaboration with Bruker, uncovers their true “filling”—clearly identifying gold (Au) and silicon (Si) and how they’re distributed.

Captured using the LVEM25E in STEM mode (15 kV) with EDS mapping, these images highlight how straightforward it is to explore size, shape, and composition at the nanometre scale—even without unwrapping any foil.
More about low kV elemental mapping of core–shell nanoparticles:
https://lnkd.in/gpe7zhbX

Wishing you a joyful Easter—and may all your discoveries be just as well hidden (and satisfying to find).