LOW-VOLTAGE SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE WITH A COMBINED MULTIELECTRODE RETARDING LENS AND DETECTOR

A miniature double scintillator defector unit (10 mm in height), desig ned for extraction of the topographic contrast has been adapted to the standard SEM. It also functions as a retarding lens decelerating the electron beam at a sample surface biased with a negative voltage. The defocusing properties of the lens are favourable for detection of seco ndary electrons. The lens-detector unit allows micrographs to be obtai ned at very low electron beam energies (of order 10 eV) as well as at routine energies (of the order 10 keV). Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd