[Biological and medical applications of the cathodoluminescence in the scanning electron microscope (author's...

The light emission according to the excitation of solids and molecules by electrons--named cathodoluminescence--extends the analytical field of applications of the scanning electron microscope. This method can be applied in biological and medical research. It can be used for the investigation of marked specimens similar to the fluorescence microscopy. The autoluminescence of some substances can also be used for special applications. The cathodoluminescence in the scanning electron microscope has the advantage that more sensitive detector-systems can be used than with the fluorescence microscope. Moreover, in the scanning microscope it is possible to combine the cathodoluminescence mode with other imaging or analytical equipments.