infocus #50 An SEM at Home - From Fantasy to Realisation, Over Half a Century

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.161

Since seeing my first SEM image at the age of 19, I had wanted to own my own instrument. Until very recently, this was pure fantasy, but a coming together of happy coincidences, and the generosity of experts with their knowledge, has led to this becoming a reality.

This article describes my journey to becoming an amateur electron microscopist, nearly fifty years after my first encounter with an SEM, and provides practical advice for anyone wishing to follow a similar path.