Committee

As an institute for collaborative research and education, two types of high-voltage electron microscopes (hereinafter referred to as HVEM) and various microscopes have been equipped in the HVEM Laboratory of Hokkaido University. We have also established a system, which provides research support services for nanoanalytical studies of material surfaces and inner microstructures.

Beginning in 1998, we constructed the world’s highest point resolution multi-beam HVEM connected with two high-energy ion accelerators. Subsequently we developed an advanced pulsed-laser-equipped HVEM (Laser-HVEM) in 2007. Therefore, we expect that our facilities will contribute to extremely unique and advanced research development in the viewpoint of ion, electron, light (electromagnetic waves) and their various multiple beams.

Now we provide support for more than 100 researchers yearly who work on environmental research, energy and life-science relating to green-nano-life science by using our shared use facilities linked to business supporting projects such as “Nanotechnology Platform / Microstructural Analysis Platform” and “Inter-University Joint Use Facilities Group of High Voltage Electron Microscopy Cooperative Station Phase II”.

In order to achieve our mission and further development, we still need broad public support. We hope that you take advantage of our world-leading facilities and research supporting systems,and greatly appreciate your further guidance and encouragement in the future.

A Brief History of Our Laboratory

We started transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study in 1942. Type HU-4 TEM with 50kV acceleration voltage and resolution of 3nm made by Hitachi was first installed here in 1948 as a campus-joint-use electron microscopy experimental facility. It was aiming at implementing its operation under the university-wide organization, then the Electron Microscopy Committee in the Faculty of Engineering was established. After that, due to the improvement in performance of HVEM, upgraded (100kV and 200kV) microscopes were newly installed. Until now, dozens of general-purpose HVEMs have been installed at several departments, laboratories, etc. Since then, excellent results have been achieved in the field of materials science, medicine and biology up to the present time. In response to the rapidly-growing global interest in HVEM since late 1965, the Faculty of Engineering approved the establishment of a HVEM with 650kV acceleration voltage in March 1971. It enabled us to start research on the physical properties particularly in the field of medicine, biology as well as material physics by using this HVEM. We started doingresearch on the effects on nuclear reactor materials by simulation of irradiation with electron, instead of neutron for the first time in the country.

Then, we installed a 1300kV HVEM in March 1981 to do research mainly on irradiation damages and to improve the microscopy performance. This electron microscopy is also equipped with 300kV powered ion accelerator. This is the unique dual-beam HVEM system in Japan that is used for the irradiation simulation research on the fast-breeder reactor and the fusion reactor materials including nuclear reactors. Furthermore, while considering the social needs, we installed the world’s first multi-beam type HVEM consisting of two ion accelerators (300kV and 400kV) and a high-resolution HVEM (JEM-ARM1300 made by Japan Electron Optics Laboratory Ltd. ) in March 1998 after three years of the construction for the supporting program of research environment improvement for COE formation aiming at basic exploratory research. It is located in the Laboratory of New-Generation Advanced Materials, which was built completed in 1997.