Scintillation secondary electron detector for ESEM and SEM

0383890 - ÚPT 2013 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Jirák, Josef - Čudek, P. - Neděla, Vilém
Scintillation secondary electron detector for ESEM and SEM.
Microscopy and Microanalysis. Roč. 18, Suppl. 2 (2012), s. 1266-1267. ISSN 1431-9276. E-ISSN 1435-8115
R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP102/10/1410; GA MŠMT EE.2.3.20.0103
Institutional support: RVO:68081731
Keywords : environmental scanning electron microscopes * scintillation detector * secondary electrons
Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering
Impact factor: 2.495, year: 2012

In environmental scanning electron microscopes (ESEMs) specimens can be observed not only at vacuum conditions, but also at the pressure up to thousands of Pascals of different gases in the specimen chamber. It makes possible the direct observation of wet specimens, nonconductive specimens and phenomena on phase interfaces. Detection of signal electrons at the vacuum in the specimen chamber of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) is often based on the Everhart-Thornley scintillation detector. Detection of low energy secondary electrons (SEs) by this detector requires adding voltage up to 10 kV to a thin conductive layer on the scintillator and creating an electric field in front of the scintillator. Secondary electrons emitted from the sample surface are accelerated in this electric field and receive sufficient energy to evoke scintillations in the scintillator. This method of the detection of secondary electrons cannot be used at a higher pressure of gases in the specimen chamber of the ESEM because of problems with electric discharges in the gas environment.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0213687