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Related Concept Videos

Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
X-ray Imaging01:24

X-ray Imaging

German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845–1923) was experimenting with electrical current when he discovered that a mysterious and invisible "ray" would pass through his flesh but leave an outline of his bones on a screen coated with a metal compound. In 1895, Röntgen made the first durable record of the internal parts of a living human: an "X-ray" image (as it came to be called) of his wife’s hand. Scientists worldwide quickly began their own experiments with X-rays, and by 1900, X-ray was widely...
The Electromagnetic Spectrum02:37

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum consists of all the types of electromagnetic radiation arranged according to their frequency and wavelength. Each of the various colors of visible light has specific frequencies and wavelengths associated with them, and you can see that visible light makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because the technologies developed to work in various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are different, for reasons of convenience and historical...
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...

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Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles
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Can X-ray spectrum imaging replace backscattered electrons for compositional contrast in the scanning electron

Dale E Newbury1, Nicholas W M Ritchie

  • 1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. dale.newbury@nist.gov

Scanning
|June 4, 2011
PubMed
Summary

High-throughput silicon drift detector energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers enable rapid X-ray spectrum imaging (XSI) alongside backscattered electron imaging. This combined approach maximizes compositional information, revealing elemental distributions efficiently.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Electron Microscopy

Background:

  • Backscattered electron (BSE) imaging is a standard technique in scanning electron microscopy for revealing compositional contrast.
  • Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) provides elemental information but traditionally requires longer acquisition times, limiting its integration with rapid imaging techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of silicon drift detector energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SDD-EDS) for rapid X-ray spectrum imaging (XSI) in scanning electron microscopy.
  • To demonstrate the complementary nature of XSI and BSE imaging for comprehensive material characterization.
  • To establish an efficient combined BSE-XSI measurement strategy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing a scanning electron microscope equipped with a silicon drift detector energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SDD-EDS).
  • Performing rapid X-ray spectrum imaging (XSI) within frame times comparable to backscattered electron (BSE) image acquisition (10-100 seconds).
  • Analyzing the elemental composition and spatial distribution of materials using both BSE and XSI data.

Main Results:

  • Short-duration XSIs effectively detect major (≥0.1 mass fraction) and minor (0.01-0.1 mass fraction) elemental constituents, excluding H, He, and Li.
  • XSI mapping provides strong compositional contrast, competing with BSE imaging for revealing microstructural features.
  • Combined BSE-XSI imaging offers superior compositional information compared to either technique alone, despite potential spatial resolution differences due to signal delocalization.

Conclusions:

  • Silicon drift detector (SDD) technology enables efficient, combined backscattered electron (BSE) and X-ray spectrum imaging (XSI) measurements.
  • The integrated BSE-XSI approach maximizes compositional information obtainable from scanning electron microscopy.
  • Analysts should leverage combined BSE-XSI acquisition when sufficient time (≥10 seconds) is available for comprehensive material analysis.