The variety of instrumentation available to the researcher today can be overwhelming and confusing. Scanning Electron Microscopes (“SEM's) are no exception, and choosing one can often serve as an exercise in dealing with complexity. First time purchasers are most at risk, being subject to a barrage of information that attempts to sway the purchaser in one direction or the other. As a result, one can sometimes be drawn to the details of the latest “high end” performance parameter, while overlooking the basics. At its worst, the selection process can degrade to one of vague guesswork with little hard data to serve as a compass.

By applying a methodical approach to define your individual requirements, carefully designed tests of actual instruments, and discussions with your collaborators, potential and experienced users, one can begin to ensure a successful selection process.