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Experimental secondary electron spectra under SEM conditions.
D C Joy1, M S Prasad, H M Meyer
1University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37996-0840, USA. djoy@utk.edu
Journal of Microscopy
|July 3, 2004
Summary
Secondary electron spectra from pure elements and compounds are reproducible and characteristic of the material, even with surface contamination. This data is valuable for designing scanning electron microscope detectors and for microanalysis applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Physics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) relies on detecting secondary electrons.
- Surface contamination can affect the reproducibility of spectral data.
- Understanding secondary electron emission is crucial for microanalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize secondary electron spectra from various materials under SEM-like conditions.
- To assess the reproducibility and material specificity of these spectra despite surface contamination.
- To provide data for improving SEM detector design and microanalysis techniques.
Main Methods:
- Collected secondary electron spectra from pure elements and compounds.
- Conducted experiments under conditions simulating a scanning electron microscope.
- Analyzed spectral reproducibility and characteristics in the presence of surface contamination.
Main Results:
- Secondary electron spectra were found to be reproducible and characteristic of the underlying material, even with significant surface contamination.
- The typical peak energy in these spectra is approximately 5 eV.
- Fifty percent of the total secondary electron emission occurs within the 0-12 eV range.
Conclusions:
- Secondary electron spectra provide reliable material characterization in SEM, irrespective of typical surface contamination.
- The energy distribution of secondary electrons offers insights for optimizing detector performance.
- These findings support the application of secondary electron spectroscopy in microanalysis.