Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM)

Principle of Operation A field-emission cathode in the electron gun of a scanning electronmicroscope provides narrower probing beams at low as well as high electronenergy, resulting in both improved spatial resolution and minimized samplecharging and damage. For applications which demand the highest magnification possible, we also offer In-lens FESEM. Applications include:

Semiconductor device cross section analyses for gate widths, gate oxides,film thicknesses, and construction details Advanced coating thickness and structure uniformity determination Small contamination feature geometry and elemental composition measurement Why Field Emission SEM?

FESEM produces clearer, less electrostatically distorted images withspatial resolution down to 1 1/2 nm. That's 3 to 6 times better than conventional SEM. Smaller-area contamination spots can be examined at electron acceleratingvoltages compatible with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. Reduced penetration of low kinetic energy electrons probes closer tothe immediate material surface. High quality, low voltage images are obtained with negligible electricalcharging of samples. (Accelerating voltages range from 0.5 to 30 kV.) Need for placing conducting coatings on insulating materials is virtuallyeliminated. For ultra-high magnification imaging, use our In-lensFESEM.

Cross-section of a laser window showing multiple thin layers at 50,000x.(in the original photo) Researchers in biology, chemistry and physics employ the field emission scanning electronen microscope (FESEM) to observe small structures (as small as 1 nanometer = one billion of a millimeter!) on the surface of cells and material. A few examples of object that are studied with a FESEM in practice are organelles and nuclei of cells, synthetical polymeres and coatings of microchips. From your computer you can connect to the simulation FESEM (www.vcbio.science.ru.nl/fesem ) and take a look online at five objects. It is possible to operate a number of interactive settings (e.g. magnification, focus and contrast) in

the virtual FESEM, exactly like in the real microscope at the Department of General Instrumentation. Before starting you may need to download and install plug-ins on your computer the first time. You will be guided step by step through the download procedure.

Here below you will find information on the functioning of a FESEM:

1. Principle 2. Preparation 3. Source of electrons 4. Column 5. Object chamber 6. Image formation 7. Contact and links

1. Principle 1.1.What does the word FESEM mean? FESEM is the abbreviation of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope. A FESEM is microscope that works with electrons (particles with a negative charge) instead of light. These electrons are liberated by a field emission source. The object is scanned by electrons according to a zig-zag pattern.

1.2. What can be done with a FESEM?

A FESEM is used to visualize very small topographic details on the surface or entire or fractioned objects. Researchers in biology, chemistry and physics apply this technique to observe structures that may be as small as 1 nanometer (= billion of a millimeter). The FESEM may be employed for example to study organelles and DNA material in cells, synthetical polymeres, and coatings on microchips. The microscope that has served as an example for the virtual FESEM is a Jeol 6330 that is coupled to a special freeze-fracturing device (Oxford Ato).

1.3. How does a FESEM function? Electrons are liberated from a field emission source and accelerated in a high electrical field gradient. Within the high vacuum column these so-called primary electrons are focussed and deflected by electronic lenses to produce a narrow scan beam that bombards the object. As a result secondary electrons are emitted from ech spot on the object. The angle and velocity of these secondary electrons relates to the surface structure of the object. A detector catches the secondary electrons and produces an electronic signal. This signal is amplified and transformed to a video scan-image that can be seen on a monitor or to a digital image that can be saved and

The Electron Gun (under construction) The electron microscope generates images by bombarding a sample with electrons and then transforming the results of that interaction into a viewable image. For the image to form, the electrons that are generated need to be tightly controlled. Types of electron guns(FEG)

Figure 1. A LaB6 filament. HEATED TUNGSTEN A heated filament made from the metal tungsten. Much in the way that an incandescent light bulb works, the high voltage that is fed through the filament causes electrons to be kicked off the filament. The amount of energy required is known as the work function. LANTHANUM HEXABORIDE (LAB6) The LaB6 filament is also a thermal filament. However, its work function is lower than for a tungsten filament, so it is more efficient. TUNGSTEN FIELD EMISSION GUN (FEG) The FEG gun is not a thermal filament. Instead, electrons are expelled by applying a very powerful electric field very close to the filament tip. The size and proximity of the electric field to the electron reservoir in the filament causes the electrons to tunnel out of the reservoir. Coherence Temporal coherence Because the emitted electrons in the various types of guns are heated, their energy distribution is not a sharp peak. Instead, they have a Boltzmann distribution that can vary widely depending on the type of filament. For a good microscope, you want E/E to be as small as possible, that is, the energy distribution to be a small fraction of the average energy of the electrons. Following is a list of the average energy distributions: Filament Energy Distribution (E)

Heated tungsten 2.5 eV LaB6 Warm FEG 1.5 eV 1.0 eV

Filament Cold FEG

Energy Distribution (E) 0.25 eV

It is clear that the FEG based microscopes have an advantage over the other types. For this reason, they are most often used for high resolution imaging. Ideally, cold FEGs are the best. However, they suffer from rapid degradation and are not economical. Spatial coherence Spatial coherence basically means beam brightness. If the electrons are all emmitted as close to parallel as possible, then the beam will remain together over a long distance. This effect translates to greater brightness. The phase of the electrons also affects coherence. Ideally, the emitted electrons should all be in phase. If they are in phase, the electron waves interact constructively. If the phases are not aligned, then destructive interference will occur, and the beam will be less bright.

Principles of Image Formation

When an electron beam strikes an object, several things can happen. If the electron does not strike an atom in the sample, it will continue to travel in a straight line until it hits the imaging screen. If the electron does come into contact with the sample, it can either bounce off elastically, that is, without any loss of energy, or inelastically, i.e., transferring some of that energy to the atom. In an inelastic bounce, the amount of energy transferred from electron to sample is variable and random. Therefore, when the electron eventually reaches the imaging plane, it has an unknown energy and angle of incidence. This particular electron will then generate noise in the image. However, if the electron bounced elastically, it's energy is constant, and the law of conservation of momentum will determine the angle at which it will bounce. This electron can be used to give high resolution information on the sample. Note that an electron can have an angle of reflection greater than 90. Electrons that follow such a trajectory are termed 'back reflected electrons' and are generally not used in electron microscopy. Contrast arises when there is interference between electrons coming in from different angles. Electrons that interact with the sample are bent away from their original path, and will thus interfere (either constructively or destructively) with the main electron beam. If a small objective aperture is used, electrons that get deflected at a greater angle are blocked,

and the contrast of the image is enhanced. However, electrons with a high deflection contain high resolution information and are therfore lost. A balance needs to be achieved between having good contrast and having a high resolution.

Figure 1. Differentiating between a solid ball (left) and a hollow sphere (right) in a transmission electron microscope. Because the electrons of a TEM pass through the sample before hitting the imaging screen, they contain information on the inside structures of that sample. If a hollow sphere and a solid ball are held in front of a flashlight, both will cast an identical shadow: a solid black disk. In a TEM, however, the two projections will be different. The solid ball will generate a disk that is very dark in the center and progressively drops off in darkness towards the edges (Figure 1 left). The hollow sphere will also cast a circular image. However, the darkness gradient will be in the opposite direction, with the edge being the darkest, and the middle the lightest (Figure 1 right). This happens because the electron beam passes through the least amount of matter in the middle of a hollow sphere. The darkness of the image is proportional to the electron absorbency properties of the material used. Electron microscopes can also be used to generate and view diffraction patterns of samples. These are usually from samples that contain a repeated motif, such as 2D crystals (sheets one layer thick) of proteins. In the back focal plane of the objective lens, a difraction image is formed. Depending then, on the positioning of the intermediate lens, the difraction pattern or the image will be magnified and displayed on the view screen.