Transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with scintillation gaseous detection device

Gerasimos Danilatos; Mary Kollia; Vassileios Dracopoulos

doi:10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.11.010

Transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with scintillation gaseous detection device

Ultramicroscopy. 2015 Mar:150:44-53. doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.11.010. Epub 2014 Dec 5.

Authors

Gerasimos Danilatos¹, Mary Kollia², Vassileios Dracopoulos³

Affiliations

¹ ESEM Research Laboratory, 28 Wallis Parade, North Bondi, NSW 2026, Australia. Electronic address: gerry@danilatos.com.
² Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, GR-26504 Patras, Greece.
³ Foundation for Research & Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (ICE-HT), Stadiou Str., Platani P.O.Box 1414, GR-26504 Patras, Greece.

PMID: 25497719
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.11.010

Abstract

A transmission environmental scanning electron microscope with use of a scintillation gaseous detection device has been implemented. This corresponds to a transmission scanning electron microscope but with addition of a gaseous environment acting both as environmental and detection medium. A commercial type of low vacuum machine has been employed together with appropriate modifications to the detection configuration. This involves controlled screening of various emitted signals in conjunction with a scintillation gaseous detection device already provided with the machine for regular surface imaging. Dark field and bright field imaging has been obtained along with other detection conditions. With a progressive series of modifications and tests, the theory and practice of a novel type of microscopy is briefly shown now ushering further significant improvements and developments in electron microscopy as a whole.

Keywords: Bright field; Carbon nanotubes; Dark field; ESEM; ESTEM; GDD; Gaseous detection device; TESEM; Transmission environmental scanning electron microscope; wet-ESEM.