Abstract
Finding a faster alternative to tilt-series electron tomography is critical for rapidly evolving fields such as the semiconductor industry, where failure analysis could greatly benefit from higher throughput. We present a theoretical and experimental evaluation of scanning confocal electron energy-loss microscopy (SCEELM) using valence-loss signals, which is a promising technique for the reliable reconstruction of materials with sub-10-nm resolution. Such a confocal geometry transfers information from the focused portion of the electron beam and enables rapid three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction by depth sectioning. SCEELM can minimize or eliminate the missing-information cone and the elongation problem that are associated with other depth-sectioning image techniques in a transmission electron microscope. Valence-loss SCEELM data acquisition is an order of magnitude faster and requires little postprocessing compared with tilt-series electron tomography. With postspecimen chromatic aberration (C c) correction, SCEELM signals can be acquired in parallel in the direction of energy dispersion with the aid of a physical pinhole. This increases the efficiency by 10×-100×, and can provide 3D resolved chemical information for multiple core-loss signals simultaneously.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1036-1049 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Microscopy and Microanalysis |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Aberration-corrected electron microscopy
- Chromatic aberration correction
- Inelastic confocal
- Scanning confocal electron energy-loss microscopy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Instrumentation