ELECTRON DETECTORS FOR SEM

PRESENTED BY Engr. Naeem Basra (MM-06, 2006-07)

What is a SEM?

Is a microscope that uses electrons rather than light to form an image and to examine objects on a very fine scale. This examination can yield the following information: Topography surface features Morphology shape and size Composition elements and compounds/ relative amount of them Crystallographic information how the atoms are arranged in the sample

How the SEM Works

Applications
Microstructure

evaluation Small feature measurements Fracture mode preliminary identification Grain size Corrosion failure inspection Surface contamination evaluation Chemical Composition Crystallographic information

Interaction between electron beam and sample

The interactions may be elastic or inelastic.

The elastic interactions: incident electrons and nucleus a large-angle deflection of incident electrons. little energy loss
The inelastic interactions: incident electrons and orbital shell electrons a small-angle deflection of incident electrons. heavy energy loss

Secondary electrons (SE)

Generated when a primary electron dislodges a specimen electron from the specimen surface. Produced by inelastic interactions. SE energy level is only 3 ~ 5 eV. Can be easily collected The maximum escape depth is about 5 nm in metal and 50 nm in insulators.

Backscattered electrons (BSE)

Produced by elastic interactions. BSE energy level is about 60 ~80 % of incident one. Special detector is required to collect BSE. The maximum escape depth varies inversely with the average atomic number, the range from a fraction of micrometer to several micrometers. (Larger atomic number, larger escape depth).

X-rays
Generated when electron are dislodge from specific orbits of an atom in the specimen. Large escape depth due to difficulty of x-ray absorption Energy and wavelength of x-ray can be used for chemical analysis. 1. energy-dispersive spectroscopy, EDS, 2. wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy, WDS

Electron Detectors

Hitachi SEM Detectors

EDS detector

Annular BSE detector

ESED detector E-T SE detector IR Chamber scope

View from inside, looking up obliquely (image taken by handheld digital camera)

Detecting electrons
Detectors used to amplify the signal rather than detected secondary and backscattered electrons directly i.e. Electrons Photons Electrons Backscattered electrons are high energy (i.e. 1 - 40 keV) Secondary electrons are low energy (~0 - 50 eV)

Must use different detectors to collect the backscattered and secondary electron signals.

Detecting backscattered electrons

Two

specialized detectors are used to detect BSE Detector sits directly beneath the objective lens. Large surface area to maximize collection efficiency.

Backscatter electron detector

Scintillator detectors
These

comprise a scintillator (phosphor) with a light pipe and a photomultiplier Fast response time and high gain, which makes them suitable for use at TV rates. Bulky and may restrict the working distance of the microscope.

Solid state detectors

Si

p-n junction which forms electron-hole pairs on the impingement of a BSE. A reverse bias separates the electron hole pairs, giving rise to a detectable current. Much smaller than a scintillator Cheap to make Slow response time makes them unsuitable for operation at TV scan rates

Limitations
Slow

response time

Detecting secondary electrons

used

an Everhardt-Thornley detector based on a scintillator-photomultiplier system Energy of the secondary electrons is too low to be detected directly accelerated by applying a bias of ~ +10 kV to a thin Al film on the scintillator

Detecting secondary electrons

A

collector grid which is biased to ~200 V is also used to attract the secondary electrons This collector screens the scintillator from the incident beam and improves the collection efficiency of the detector Light is converted into pulses of electrons in the photomultiplier which are used to modulate the intensity on a CRT

Secondary Electron Detector

THANKS