Image formation mechanisms of low loss electron images in scanning electron microscopy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26790022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nanomaterials engineering
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: KUMAGAI Kazuhiro 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 物質計測標準研究部門, 研究員 (20582042)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 走査電子顕微鏡法 / 低エネルギー損失電子 / 像形成 / SEM / 電子分光

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recent reports say that energy selective detection of low loss electrons (LLEs) enables us to observe surface and material sensitive images in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The auther studied the image formation mechanisms of this LLE images taking titania nano film on Si substrate as a model specimen. The backscattering electron images taken with various energy detection conditions were compared with energy spectra of the specimen measured by electron analyzer. As a result, this study revealed that electrons, whose energy is about that of plasmon loss energy, play important role to give strong contrast to the nano film in SEM-LLE image formation.

Free Research Field

走査電子顕微鏡法