Publication detail

Resolution Limits of Low Voltage BSE Imaging in Scanning Electron Microscopy Resolution Limints of Low Voltage BSE Imaging in Scanning Electron Microscopy

ČUPERA, J.

Original Title

Resolution Limits of Low Voltage BSE Imaging in Scanning Electron Microscopy Resolution Limints of Low Voltage BSE Imaging in Scanning Electron Microscopy

Type

conference paper

Language

English

Original Abstract

Scanning electron microscopy is an important part of material sciences and brings new perspectives into study of materials. Modern material engineering follows tend to develop materials in nanoscale. There can arise many problems with analysis and even electron microscopy can reach its borders. Conventional access allows to analyse parts of the materials with size of about few microns or hundreds of nanometres. This restriction is caused by construction of detectors which requires electrons with relatively high energy. As an example can be mentioned four-quadrant silicon detector of back scattered electrons (AsB). This detector is able to detect electrons with energies in range 5-30 keV (ideally 10-20 keV). Interaction volume and penetration depth of electrons with a high landing energy is about 1-2 micrometers. Therefore, there is limitation in the size of the observed parts of the materials. This problem can be reduced using electron microscopy at low landing energy (0.1-3 keV). Interaction volume of the low energy electrons is about few nanometers. When the impact energy is lowered to 2 keV, detector positioned in the electron optics (in-lens) for BSE has to be used (EsB). The contrast mechanism at low impact energies does not depend on atomic number or material density, but only on the bonding structure of the outer shell electrons. There we get ionization losses, resonances (phonons, plasmons) or band gap losses. Low Voltage BSE imaging allows phase contrast imaging (like high voltage BSE imaging) and in addition arises capability observe non-conductive samples due to decrease charging of the materials.

Keywords

Scanning electron microscopy; nanoscale materials; Interaction volume; Low voltage BSE imaging; non-conductive samples; EsB; in-lens

Authors

ČUPERA, J.

RIV year

2015

Released

5. 6. 2015

Publisher

Brno University of Technology

Location

Brno

ISBN

978-80-214-5146-9

Book

MULTI-SCALE DESIGN OF ADVANCED MATERIALS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

ISBN

NEUVEDENO

Pages from

30

Pages to

35

Pages count

6

BibTex

@inproceedings{BUT114713,
  author="Jan {Čupera}",
  title="Resolution Limits of Low Voltage BSE Imaging in Scanning Electron Microscopy Resolution Limints of Low Voltage BSE Imaging in Scanning Electron Microscopy",
  booktitle="MULTI-SCALE DESIGN OF ADVANCED MATERIALS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS",
  year="2015",
  pages="30--35",
  publisher="Brno University of Technology",
  address="Brno",
  isbn="978-80-214-5146-9"
}