Contrast-enhancing staining system and method and imaging methods and systems related thereto

Abstract

Described are various embodiments of a contrast-enhancing staining system and method. In one embodiment, a method is described for enhancing contrast in an image of a substrate surface between regions of said substrate having different charge carrier characteristics. The method comprises exposing said substrate to a staining precursor comprising an oxidant; directing microwave electromagnetic radiation at the substrate, said microwave electromagnetic radiation enhancing a reaction rate of said oxidant reacting into a deposition material, said reaction rate being related to the charge carrier characteristics of a proximal region; and acquiring an image of said substrate surface indicating a visual contrast between each of said regions based on differential deposition of the deposition material therebetween.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.