A correction for higher-order refraction in cathodoluminescence spectrometry

Area of Science:

• Electron microscopy
• Materials science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Cathodoluminescence (CL) is an emerging electron microscopy technique with high energy resolution.
• Czerny-Turner spectrometers with blazed gratings are commonly used for CL analysis.
• Blazed gratings offer linear spectral dispersion but are susceptible to higher-order diffraction artifacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a method for correcting CL spectra affected by higher-order diffraction.
• To enhance the accuracy of spectral analysis in cathodoluminescence microscopy.
• To demonstrate the application of the correction method on specific material samples.

Main Methods:

• Implementing a novel correction algorithm for spectral data.
• Acquiring cathodoluminescence spectra from Calcium Oxide (CaO) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) samples.
• Applying the developed correction method to analyze the acquired CL spectra.

Main Results:

• Successfully corrected CL spectra for higher-order diffraction intensities.
• Demonstrated significant improvement in spectral accuracy for CaO and GaN samples.
• Validated the effectiveness of the developed correction technique.

Conclusions:

• The presented method effectively corrects for higher-order diffraction in CL spectra.
• Accurate spectral data is crucial for reliable material characterization using cathodoluminescence.
• This technique enhances the utility of CL spectroscopy in electron microscopy.