scanning electron microscope: Meaning and Definition of

scan'ning elec'tron mi"croscope

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a device in which the specimen is examined point by point directly in a moving electron beam, and electrons reflected by the specimen are used to form a magnified, three-dimensional image on a television screen. Abbr.: SEM
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.