<P> An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination . As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a higher resolving power than light microscopes and can reveal the structure of smaller objects . A scanning transmission electron microscope has achieved better than 50 pm resolution in annular dark - field imaging mode and magnifications of up to about 10,000,000 x whereas most light microscopes are limited by diffraction to about 200 nm resolution and useful magnifications below 2000x . </P> <P> Electron microscopes have electron optical lens systems that are analogous to the glass lenses of an optical light microscope . </P> <P> Electron microscopes are used to investigate the ultrastructure of a wide range of biological and inorganic specimens including microorganisms, cells, large molecules, biopsy samples, metals, and crystals . Industrially, electron microscopes are often used for quality control and failure analysis . Modern electron microscopes produce electron micrographs using specialized digital cameras and frame grabbers to capture the image . </P> <P> The first electromagnetic lens was developed in 1926 by Hans Busch . </P>

What did the electron microscope allow scientists to see