Scanning charged-particle-beam microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

A compact charged-particle-beam microscope for imaging a sample, the microscope comprising:

• a vacuum chamber to maintain a low-pressure environment;
• a stage to hold a sample in the vacuum chamber;
• a charged-particle beam source to generate a charged-particle beam;
• charged-particle beam optics to converge the charged-particle beam onto the sample;
• one or more beam scanners to scan the charged-particle beam across the sample;
• a charged-particle detector to detect charged-particle radiation emanating from the sample and generate a corresponding charged-particle-detection signal;
• at least one energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDS) to detect x-rays emanating from the sample and generate a corresponding x-ray-detection signal, the EDS being coupled to a chassis of the chamber by a material that is both a thermal conductor and an electrical insulator, the material comprising an elastomeric binder compounded with a thermally conductive filler coated on a carrier;
• and
• a controller to analyze the charged-particle-detection signal and the x-ray-detection signal to generate an image of the sample and a histogram of x-ray energies for at least a portion of the sample,
• wherein the compact charged-particle-beam microscope weighs less than about 50 kg and has a size of less than about 1 m×1 m×1 m.

A compact charged-particle-beam microscope for imaging a sample, the microscope comprising:

• a vacuum chamber to maintain a low-pressure environment;
• a stage to hold a sample in the vacuum chamber;
• a charged-particle beam source to generate a charged-particle beam;
• charged-particle beam optics to converge the charged-particle beam onto the sample;
• one or more beam scanners to scan the charged-particle beam across the sample;
• a charged-particle detector to detect charged-particle radiation emanating from the sample and generate a corresponding charged-particle-detection signal;
• at least one energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDS) to detect x-rays emanating from the sample and generate a corresponding x-ray-detection signal;
• and
• a controller to analyze the charged-particle-detection signal and the x-ray-detection signal to generate an image of the sample and a histogram of x-ray energies for at least a portion of the sample,
• wherein the compact charged-particle-beam microscope is adapted to consume a total power of less than about 275 W during operation and has a size of less than about 0.5 m×0.5 m×0.5 m.