The Electron Microscope creates magnified images using electrons rather than lightwaves.
The samples to be viewed through this type of microscope have to be prepared so that they are able to conduct electricity and also to withstand the vacuum inside the microscope.
The textile samples I have viewed under the microscope were treated with a very thin residue of gold.

The sample is placed into the chamber of the microscope and air is pumped out to create a vacuum. Then electrons are beamed onto the sample via several magnetic lenses, which focuses the electron beam into a very fine area.

The electron beam scans over the surface of the sample pushing off electrons sitting on the sample this creates an image which is built up from the number of electrons emitted from each spot on the sample.

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