A new methodology to analyze instabilities in SEM imaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Physics
• Engineering

Background:

• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is crucial for material analysis.
• Imaging instabilities can compromise the accuracy of SEM data.
• Quantifying these instabilities is essential for reliable measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a statistical method for analyzing SEM imaging instabilities.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the method across different SEM generations.
• To provide a framework for ensuring data integrity in SEM-based measurements.

Main Methods:

• Digital image correlation (DIC) was employed as the core analytical technique.
• Three distinct approaches and four key parameters were evaluated.
• The methodology was tested using internal stress measurements combining ion milling and SEM imaging.

Main Results:

• The statistical method successfully quantifies imaging instabilities in SEM.
• The source of imaging instability can be identified using this approach.
• Testing SEM columns is crucial for minimizing and randomizing instabilities before measurements.

Conclusions:

• The developed method provides a reliable way to assess SEM imaging stability.
• Understanding and quantifying instabilities improves the accuracy of SEM applications, including stress analysis.
• This work highlights the importance of pre-measurement SEM column characterization.