The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image is of ‘Nano Swimmers’ that are currently being investigated for potential use as novel drug carriers. These coiled structures are 25 microns in length, 5 microns in diameter and 300 nanometres in thickness. They are composed of a polymer with nickel/titanium coating and were fabricated by the Multi-Scale Robotics Laboratory, ETH Zurich and in collaboration with the NanoMedicine Laboratory, UCL School of Pharmacy. The swimmers were imaged under a FEI Quanta 200F Scanning Electron Microscope; firstly, the sample was given a 5nm gold coating in a Quorum Q150 Sputter coater and imaged at 5KV. In addition a tilt angle of 65 degrees enhanced their full structure, high resolution digital images were captured and imported into photoshop, where they were artistically manipulated and coloured by Ms Annie Cavanagh.

Courtesy of David McCarthy

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

G4 PFIB TEM 21

Taken by Helios G4 PFIB microscope

Female hair fiber.

Courtesy of Mr. FRANCISCO RANGEL , MCTI/INT

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

This image is of salmonella bacteria, a low kV was essential in order to visualise the surface detail of the bacteria, so the image was taken with the VcD (backscatter detector), using beam decelleration.

Courtesy of Miranda Waldron

Taken by Nova NanoSEM microscope

Dehydrated and sputtered with Au/Pd Prepared by Claudia Mayrhofer Coloured by Margit Wallner

Courtesy of Angelika Reichmann

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Flakes of raw vermiculite concentrate are micaceous in appearance and contain interlayer water in their structure. When the flakes are heated rapidly at a temperature above 870° C, the water flashes into steam, and the flakes expand into accordion like particles. This process is called exfoliation, or expansion, and the resulting lightweight material is chemically inert, fire resistant, and odorless. In lightweight plaster and concrete, vermiculite provides good thermal insulation. Vermiculite can absorb such liquids as fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides, which can then be transported as free-flowing solids.

Courtesy of Mr. FRANCISCO RANGEL , MCTI/INT

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Image of a starfish acquired and colorized by high school student Noa Cebalo.

Courtesy of Mrs. Alyssa Waldron , Bergen County Technical Schools

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Yeast, cryo-SEM image, false colured

Courtesy of Bryony James

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

CALCITE CRYSTAL ON CHLORITE CLAYS IN SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Courtesy of Eduardo Palacios

Taken by DualBeam microscope

Large particle of the clay mineral Dickite.

Courtesy of Frank Friedrich

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Taken by Explorer 4 CleanCHK microscope

An image of Japanese star sand. Colorization courtesy of Mr. Peter Guthrie.

Courtesy of Craig Queenan

Taken by Quanta 3D microscope

Protein droplets in ıce cream

Courtesy of Mr. MUHAMMET AYDIN , Namık kemal university

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra tablets.Sildenafil was re crystallised in 10% alcohol and allowed to air dry, then adhered onto a SEM stub using double sided carbon adhesive discs, prior to viewing the sample was gold coated in an Emitech K550 Sputter Coater for 2 minutes at 20mA. The coated sample was then transferred into a FEI XL30 Scanning Electron Microscope and imaged at 10KV using a high tilt angle. High definition digital images were captured and imported into Photoshop for enhancing and colouring.

Courtesy of David McCarthy

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

FIB cut on PES (Polyethersulfone) filtration Membrane

Courtesy of Reingruber Herbert

Taken by DualBeam microscope

Immune surveillance by macrophages and monocytes is important for removing foreign invaders from the body, eliminating dead or damaged cells, and tissue homeostasis. Functional plasticity of macrophages enables them to respond to different stimuli, performing a variety of immune modulatory roles. During tumor development, macrophages are among the first immune cells to migrate into the tumor. Stimuli, including molecules secreted by cancer cells, polarize macrophages into various tumor-associated macrophage subpopulations. Factors secreted by macrophages include immunosuppressive cytokines, inflammatory chemokines, and phagocytosis molecules. Shown here are multiple macrophages (white) associating with a breast cancer cell (red). At the University of New Mexico, we are using nanotechnology to deliver agents that influence immune cells to actively participate in destroying tumor cells.

Courtesy of Dr. Rita Serda , University of New Mexico

Taken by Quanta 3D microscope

Intel microprocessor unit field of view (MPU FOV) - 1µm with IEE decoration complex programmable logic device (CPLD)

Taken by DualBeam microscope

This picture is initial growth state of GaN on patterned sapphire. 

Courtesy of miyang kim

Taken by Nova NanoSEM microscope

Unknown partical in field of tin balls on carbon

Courtesy of Dan Mallery

Taken by Certus 3D microscope

Silver clusters deposited by thermal evaporation onto self-assembled polystyrene nano-spheres (900 nm). Inspect F SEM FEG @ Nanofacility Piemonte INRIM. Self-assembled polystyrene nanospheres are used as masks for thin films and materials nanostructuration on large area. Maybe the subject doesn't match the topics of this year, but surely the title fits.

Courtesy of Luca Boarino

Taken by Inspect microscope

Photoresist dots acted as a mask during etching of a silicon oxide layer. After subsequent etching steps intro the silicon and the final photoresist stripping, these shapes emerged.

Courtesy of Frans Holthuysen

Taken by Nova NanoSEM microscope

A SEM image of the upper part of the style and stigma from an Arabidopsis flower.

Courtesy of Guichuan Hou

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Liposomes TEM imaging at room temperature .

Courtesy of Mr. Durga Prasad Muvva , UGC-Networking Resource Centre, School of Chemistry and The Centre for Nanotechnology, University of Hyderabad

Taken by Tecnai microscope

The petal epidermal cells of Mazus. The images is gotten by cryo-SEM.

Courtesy of Wann-neng Jane

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope

Very small idiomorphic kaolinite crystals on spheroidal quartz particles

Courtesy of Frank Friedrich

Taken by Quanta SEM microscope