Performance of thin foil scintillating screen for transmission electron microscopy

Scintillating screens made by coating a thin metal foil with a layer of phosphor appear to be attractive for transmission electron microscopy applications. We report here the brightness and resolution in the voltage range of 100-400 kV of such a screen made of a 10 microns layer of P20 phosphor on a 2 microns Al foil. Both brightness and resolution are superior to that of a screen made by coating a glass plate with a similar layer of phosphor. An exciting property of such a device is that its resolution improves slightly at higher voltages. This, combined with its excellent resistivity to radiation damage and stability under the electron beam, makes it a good candidate for high-voltage applications.