Samples to be studied using EELS techniques are more or less sensitive to the effects of the radiation exposed to them by the beam. Quite often the sample is damaged due to the high radiation doses in the areas where the beam has been focused. Secondly, the build up of carbon contamination on the surface of the sample caused by the beam affects the results of the analysis if the sample itself contains carbon. The solution to these problems is to minimize the exposure times needed to record the spectrum, which will lower the radiation-doses on the sample. In addition, problems related to beam instabilities would be reduced due to the shortened acquisition times. However, in order still to achieve an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio the need for a detector with high detective quantum efficiency is essential. We have investigated the possibilities using silicon detectors such as photodiode arrays (PDA) and charge coupled devices (CCD) in direct electron detection mode using 100 keV incident electrons.