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NanoSIMS imaging of Bacillus spores sectioned by focused ion beam
Author(s) -
WEBER P.K.,
GRAHAM G.A.,
TESLICH N.E.,
CHAN W. MOBERLY,
GHOSAL S.,
LEIGHTON T.J.,
WHEELER K.E.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2009.03336.x
Subject(s) - focused ion beam , secondary ion mass spectrometry , ion beam , secondary electrons , scanning electron microscope , mass spectrometry , materials science , transmission electron microscopy , ion , analytical chemistry (journal) , resolution (logic) , sample preparation , optics , maldi imaging , chemistry , electron , nanotechnology , chromatography , composite material , physics , matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , adsorption , artificial intelligence , desorption , computer science
Summary Preparation and sectioning of bacterial spores by focused ion beam and subsequent high resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry analytical imaging is demonstrated. Scanning transmission electron microscopy mode imaging in a scanning electron microscope is used to show that the internal structure of the bacterial spore can be preserved during focused ion beam sectioning and can be imaged without contrast staining. Ion images of the sections show that the internal elemental distributions of the sectioned spores are preserved. A rapid focused ion beam top‐sectioning method is demonstrated to yield comparable ion images without the need for sample trenching and section lift‐out. The lift‐out and thinning method enable correlated transmission electron microscopy and high resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses. The top‐cutting method is preferable if only secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses are performed because this method is faster and yields more sample material for analysis; depth of useful sample material is ∼300 nm for top‐cut sections versus ∼100 nm for electron‐transparent sections.