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Beam-Induced Damage to Thin Specimens in an Intense Electron Probe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2005

Raymond F. Egerton ,
Feng Wang  and
Peter A. Crozier
Raymond F. Egerton
Affiliation:
Physics Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2J1, Canada
Feng Wang
Affiliation:
Physics Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2J1, Canada
Peter A. Crozier
Affiliation:
Center for Solid State Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1704, USA
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Abstract

We have investigated the changes produced in single-element and two-layer transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens irradiated by an intense nanometer-sized electron probe, such as that produced in a field-emission or aberration-corrected TEM. These changes include hole formation and the accumulation of material within the irradiated area. The results are discussed in terms of mechanisms, including electron-beam sputtering and surface diffusion. Strategies for minimizing the effect of the beam are considered.

Keywords

radiation damageelectron sputteringaberration-corrected probe
Type
MICROANALYSIS
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , February 2006 , pp. 65 - 71
Copyright
2006 Microscopy Society of America

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