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Northwestern University

| Exploring Inner Space

NUANCE: Nanoscale Characterization Experimental Center

NUANCE will begin accepting submissions to the 2026 "Art of Science" Image Contest on August 3, 2026!

The Starry Night / Image by Yasemin Cimen Mutlu

Facilities

Events

Upcoming Events

Jul
31
2026
NUANCE Guest Speaker Seminars

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Cook Hall, 2220 Campus Drive

Come join us for 3 exciting seminars: "Crystal Structural Analysis of Chiral Nanocrystals" "Investigating mineralized st...

Aug
14
2026
NUANCE Tech Talk: EPIC-FIB

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Please join us for monthly user meetings! Tech staff will showcase our state-of-the-art capabilities, provide updates on...

Instrument Spotlight

Now a Permanent Part of the EPIC-SEM Fleet

EPIC-SEM is excited to announce that the Hitachi SU8700 is now a permanent member of our microscope fleet! 
8700 SEM


We would like to thank the offices that supported the purchase: The Office for Research, the International Institute of Nanotechnology, the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, and the NUANCE Center.

Key Features
  • Schottky field emission electron source
  • North America's first Oxford Near-Axis TKD (NA-TKD) system
  • 170 mm² Ultim Max SDD EDS (largest at NUANCE)
  • Extreme windowless EDS for light-element analysis
  • On-axis Unity BEX detector
  • Integrated STEM-in-SEM imaging
  • Exceptional low-kV, high-resolution imaging
  • Automated workflows with Hitachi EM Flow Creator
Discover what the SU8700 can do for your research!

Learn more

Contact:
Tirzah Abbott, MS

EPIC SEM Facility Manager
Office:  Tech #AG92
Phone:  (847) 467-0798
Email: 
tirzah.abbott@northwestern.edu

Nicholas Gogola, MS

EPIC SEM Assistant Core Scientist
Office:  Tech #AG90
Phone:  (847) 491-2993
Email: 
nicholas.gogola@northwestern.edu