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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Comprehensive Characterization of Extended Defects in Semiconductor Materials by a Scanning Electron Microscope
Published on: May 28, 2016
Scanning electron microscope observation of dislocations in semiconductor and metal materials
Noriyuki Kuwano1, Masaru Itakura, Yoshiyuki Nagatomo
1Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka, Japan. kuwano@astec.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image contrasts have been investigated for dislocations in semiconductor and metal materials. It is revealed that single dislocations can be observed in a high contrast in SEM images formed by backscattered electrons (BSE) under the condition of a normal configuration of SEM. The BSE images of dislocations were compared with those of the transmission electron microscope and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and the dependence of BSE image contrast on the tilting of specimen was examined to discuss the origin of image contrast. From the experimental results, it is concluded that the BSE images of single dislocations are attributed to the diffraction effect and related with high-angle dark-field images of STEM.
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