Scientists report the size of a SARS-CoV-2 particle to be between 50-140 nm. New microprocessor technology in devices from companies like Apple, Intel, and AMD produces chips with features as small as 5-10 nm. Wow- that's very, very small!
Virologists, Electrical Engineers, Petroleum Engineers, and Geologists all need to study things that are extremely small, nano-sized particles and materials. Scientists and engineers who need to study nano-sized particles or structures require a unique microscope called a Transmission Electron Microscope, or TEM for short.
Before we go any further, we should take a step back and discuss a few basics of microscopy. In a standard light microscope, the wavelength of the light is about 500 nm. Thus, we can resolve objects that are about 250 nm or more apart.
To see smaller objects with clarity we need to use a source with a wavelength less than that of visible light. This is where electrons come in! With the electron beam as the source, details that are only 0.5 or 0.25 nanometer can be seen clearly.
As the name indicates, in a TEM the electrons are transmitted through the sample. In a TEM, the electron source replaces the light bulb, the beam of electrons is focused with a series of lenses, and it passes through a very thin sample.
Scientists at Cerium Laboratories use TEM daily to investigate a variety of samples for our customers.