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US 8,299,432 B2Granted
Scanning transmission electron microscope using gas amplification
AssigneeFEI Company
InventorsMilos Toth, William Ralph Knowles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scanning transmission electron microscope operated with the sample in a high pressure environment. A preferred detector uses gas amplification by converting either scattered or unscattered transmitted electrons to secondary electrons for efficient gas amplification.
Claims22
The method of observing a specimen, comprising:
- directing a primary beam of electrons toward a sample maintained in a gaseous environment;
- amplifying an electron signal from electrons transmitted through the sample using gas amplification;
- detecting the amplified electron signal;
- and
- using the detected electron signal to form an image of the sample.
2 more elements
An electron microscope for observing a sample in a high pressure environment, comprising:
- a source of primary electrons;
- an electron optical column including electron optical elements for forming the primary electrons into a beam and deflecting the beam;
- a sample region;
- a pressure limiting aperture to maintain a lower pressure in the electron optical column than in the sample region;
- and
- a detector including at least one metal electrode positioned on the opposite end of the sample from the electron optical column, the detector detecting electrons transmitted though the sample and amplified by gas cascade amplification.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.