Abstract:
When a transmission-type electron microscope is used to make an observation of a diffraction image produced by a focused electron beam, it is desired that the divergence angle of the electron beam be varied at will while maintaining the spot diameter of the beam on a specimen constant. The present invention provides three stages of focusing lenses and a means for controlling these lenses in interrelated manner in a space between an objective lens and an electron gun in which the specimen is placed. The three stages of lenses are designed to be controlled independently. When an operation is performed to increase the divergence angle of the electron beam, the excitations of the first and second stages of focusing lenses are reduced while the excitation of the third stage of focusing lens is increased, thus maintaining the spot diameter of the beam on the specimen constant.
Abstract:
An ion scattering spectroscopic method and apparatus wherein an oscillatory variation in the yield of ions scattered from solid surfaces provides information indicative of electron exchange processes associated with particular electronic states in the atom, which states vary with the electronic environment surrounding the atoms. The apparatus includes means for directing a beam of ions having a known mass and a known charge state toward a solid target surface such that an ion impinges thereon and scatters therefrom. During the impingement, the energy of the incident ions is varied over a range of predetermined primary ion kinetic energies. Ions having a given primary kinetic energy prior to impingement lose a given fraction of that energy upon elastic scattering from an atom of given atomic mass on the target surface. Accordingly, ions scattered from atoms of a single atomic mass are continuously detected by synchronously ''''tracking'''' the acceptance energy of an analyzer with the variation in the kinetic energy of the incident ions. A signal indicative of the yield of ions scattered from atoms having a single atomic mass is thus produced and when plotted as a function of incident primary ion kinetic energy, forms a spectrum wherein particular electronic states may be discerned.
Abstract:
A set of methods of processing a set of Kikuchi diffraction patterns acquired for a series of incident positions of an electron beam on a sample material are described. One such method involves the steps of identifying a first pattern in the set containing a matrix signal and suspected of additionally containing a secondary phase signal; identifying a second pattern close to the first pattern which contains a matrix signal without containing a secondary phase signal; modifying the contrast and intensity of either the first pattern or the second pattern, the modification depending on a relative property of the first and second patterns, resulting in a modified first or second pattern; and obtaining a secondary phase signal pattern by either i) if the first pattern was modified, subtracting the original second pattern from the modified first pattern; or ii) if the second pattern was modified, subtracting the modified second pattern from the original first pattern.
Abstract:
Method and system for generating a diffraction image comprises acquiring multiple frames from a direct-detection detector responsive to irradiating a sample with an electron beam. Multiple diffraction peaks in the multiple frames are identified. A first dose rate of at least one diffraction peak in the identified diffraction peaks is estimated in the counting mode. If the first dose rate is not greater than a threshold dose rate, a diffraction image including the diffraction peak is generated by counting electron detection events. Values of pixels belonging to the diffraction peak are determined with a first set of counting parameter values corresponding to a first coincidence area. Values of pixels not belonging to any of the multiple diffraction peaks are determined using a second, set of counting parameter values corresponding to a second, different, coincidence area.