| scanning electron microscope [`skan·iŋ i`lek´trän `mī·krǝ´skōp] ELECTRONICS A type of electron microscope in which a beam of electrons, a few hundred angstroms in diameter, systematically sweeps over the specimen; the intensity of secondary electrons generated at the point of impact of the beam on the specimen is measured, and the resulting signal is fed into a cathode-ray-tube display which is scanned in synchronism with the scanning of the specimen. |