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Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

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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.
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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.
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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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In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400...
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Single-Digit Nanometer Electron-Beam Lithography with an Aberration-Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope
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Interlaboratory Study on the Lithographically Produced Scanning Electron Microscope Magnification Standard Prototype.

Michael T Postek1, Andras E Vladar1, Samuel N Jones1

  • 1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001.

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
|January 6, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

NIST developed a new scanning electron microscope (SEM) calibration standard for high and low voltages, crucial for semiconductor metrology. An interlaboratory study validated its design and tested SEM instrumentation performance across diverse labs.

Keywords:
SEMcalibrationlinewidthlithographymagnificationpitchscanning electron microscopestandard

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Metrology
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) are vital tools in scientific research and industry.
  • Accurate magnification calibration is essential for reliable SEM metrology, especially in the semiconductor sector.
  • Existing calibration standards may not meet the diverse operational needs of modern SEMs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a new SEM magnification calibration reference standard.
  • To assess the standard's suitability for both high and low accelerating voltages.
  • To evaluate SEM instrumentation performance and metrology capabilities through an interlaboratory study.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of test samples with patterned structures (0.4 μm to 3000 μm pitch) on silicon substrates using electron beam lithography.
  • Distribution of samples to 35 university, research, and industrial laboratories for an interlaboratory study.
  • Collection and analysis of micrographs and metrology data from 49 SEM instruments across two study rounds.

Main Results:

  • The study successfully tested SEM instrumentation and gathered data on instrument performance.
  • Analysis of data from 49 instruments provided insights into the suitability of the new standard's design.
  • The developed standard demonstrated utility across various SEM applications, particularly for the semiconductor industry.

Conclusions:

  • The new SEM magnification calibration reference standard is suitable for a wide range of applications, including semiconductor metrology.
  • The interlaboratory study confirmed the standard's effectiveness in testing SEM performance and metrology.
  • Further analysis of the collected data will refine SEM calibration methodologies.