Secondary electron detector for use in a gaseous atmosphere

A scanning electron microscope which comprises:

• (a) a vacuum envelope having a pressure limiting aperture;
• (b) an electron beam source located within the vacuum envelope and capable of emitting an electron beam;
• (c) focusing means located within the vacuum envelope and capable of directing an electron beam emitted by the electron beam source through the pressure limiting aperture;
• (d) electron beam scanning means located within the vacuum envelope and capable of scanning an electron beam emitted by the electron beam source across the diameter of the pressure limiting aperture;
• (e) sample platform means, disposed outside the vacuum envelope, capable of maintaining a sample enveloped in gas at a pressure of at least 0.05 torr in registration with the pressure limiting aperture such that a surface of the sample may be exposed to an electron beam emitted from the electron beam source and directed through the pressure limiting aperture;
• (f) an electrode disposed outside of the vacuum envelope and positioned within between about 1 and about 200 mm of the sample platform means such that secondary electrons emitted from a surface of a sample located on the sample platform means and exposed to an electron beam emitted from the electron beam source may come into contact with it;
• (g) a voltage source, connected between the electrode and an electrical ground, capable of maintaining an electrical potential difference between the electrode and the sample platform means of greater than about 50 volts and less than about 2000 volts, the electrode potential being positive relative to the sample platform means potential, so as to accelerate the secondary electrons with an electric field of sufficient strength so as to cause the secondary electrons emitted from the sample to collide with gas molecules and produce negative charge carriers which can subsequently produce additional negative charge carriers through multiple collisions with other gas molecules resulting in a number of negative charge carriers greater than and proportional to the number of original secondary electrons, the strength of the electric field being sufficiently low so as to avoid catastrophic electrical discharging or arcing;
• (h) a current amplifier connected to the electrode;
• and
• (i) current detection means connected between the current amplifier and an electrical ground.

A method for generating, amplifying and detecting secondary electrons from a surface of a sample which comprises:

• (a) scanning the surface of the sample under a suitable gaseous pressure with a charged particle beam having sufficient energy so as to cause secondary electrons to be emitted from the surface of the sample;
• (b) accelerating the secondary electrons with an electric field of sufficient strength so as to cause them to collide with gas molecules and produce negative charge carriers which can subsequently produce additional negative charge carriers through multiple collisions with other gas molecules resulting in a number of negative charge carriers greater than and proportional to the number of original secondary electrons, the strength of the electric field being sufficiently low so as to avoid catastrophic electrical discharging or arcing;
• and
• (c) detecting electrical current resulting from electrons and ionized gas molecules, thereby detecting a signal proportional to the number of secondary electrons emitted from the surface of the sample.