Depth of information in photoelectron microscopy
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
Published on: March 12, 2017
Abstract:
The depth of information is defined as the distance below the surface of a specimen from which information is contributed at a specific resolution. A simplified model of photoemission is used to explore the relationship between electron escape depths and depth of information in photoelectron microscopy (PEM or photoemission electron microscopy). The depth of information is equal to the escape depth when the escape depth is small relative to the instrument resolution. When the escape depth is large compared to the instrument resolution or when information is carried for example by reflected light, the image consists of well resolved surface detail at the instrument resolution and dimmer, more diffuse, images of detail below the surface. Thus the same sample can exhibit different depths of information depending on the image details of interest. Other mechanisms of transmitting information to the surface, for example induced topography, are discussed, and experimental examples are given.
Related Concept Videos
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy
Overview of Electron Microscopy
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Transmission Electron Microscopy
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques

