Evaluation of electron beam broadening due to the specimen in analytical electron microscopy

Understanding of electron beam broadening in specimens is important when an alytical electron microscopy is carried out in the area of nanometer order with a fine electron probe. In this work, the electron beam broadening was experimentally measured for various specimens. For the specimens, amorphous SiO2, single crystal MgO and single crystal Si were used. The size of the beam diameter with and without the specimens was measured quantitatively by recording the intensity profiles accurately with an imaging plate system. As a result, the electron beam broadening was evaluated as a function of th e specimen thickness, and it was compared and discussed with the values cal culated on the basis of a theoretical model.