Localization microscopy (SPDM) facilitates high precision control of lithographically produced nanostructures

Nanoscale resolution in material sciences is usually restricted to scanning electron beam microscopes. Here we present a procedure that allows single molecule resolution of the sample surface with visible light. Highlighting the performance we used electron beam lithography to generate highly regular nanostructures consisting of interconnected cubes. The samples were labeled with Alexa 647 dyes. The spatial organization of the dyes on nanostructured surfaces was localized with single molecule resolution using localization microscopy. This succeeded also in an absolute spatial calibration of the localization method applied (spectral precision distance microscopy/SPDM). The findings will contribute to the field of product control for industrial applications and long-term fluorescence imaging.     

基于光电子脉冲展宽的高时间分辨成像技术

为获取超快光脉冲信号,提出了一种基于光电子脉冲准线性展宽的高时间分辨二维成像技术。利用高频时变电场的线性工作区加速光电子脉冲信号,通过优化阴极激励源的电参数,选择光电子进入加速区的时刻实现光电子脉冲的准线性展宽。利用曝光时间100ps的门控选通微通道板在脉冲展宽模块的记录面进行选通曝光成像,实现高时间分辨的二维成像。为改善系统的空间分辨和成像畸变,添加轴向聚焦磁场解决电子漂移区中由电子空间电荷效应引起的时间和空间弥散,对于能量4 keV、出射角0.1°的电子束,聚焦磁场的最佳强度为0.057 T,此时阴极中心位置的空间分辨可达5 1p/mm,阴极边缘位置空间分辨稍差。基于光电子脉冲准线性展宽技术,可将漂移距离50 cm,初始脉宽10 ps的电子脉冲展宽10倍,从而可将门控MCP探测器的时间分辨提高1个量级(即10 ps以内)。     

High-resolution imaging of inhomogeneities in superconducting tunnel junctions by scanning with a modulated electron beam

A two-dimensional image of spatial structures within a superconducting tunnel junction can be obtained by scanning the current-biased junction with an electron beam and detecting the voltage change. The resolution of this imaging technique is governed by the thermal-healing length which describes the spatial diffusion of the beam energy through the superconducting film. Due to the thermal skin efect this resolution can be improved remarkably by high-freqency modulation of the beam intensity and synchronous signal detection.     

一种有效提高太赫兹时域光谱装置成像空间分辨率的方法

太赫兹波成像技术一个最显著的制约因素是其有限的空间分辨率。提出通过在样品前加小孔的方法来提高传统太赫兹时域光谱装置成像的空间分辨率。采用在样品前约2 mm处加直径为0.5 mm小孔的方法使成像的空间分辨率从1.276 mm提高到0.774 mm,提高0.502 mm,约39％。通过这个简单的方法在传统的太赫兹时域光谱成像装置上实现了空间分辨率从毫米量级到亚毫米量级的提高。聚乙烯板上直径为1 mm的小孔被作为成像的研究对象,分别采用传统的太赫兹时域光谱装置对样品进行直接成像和在样品前约2 mm处加直径为0.5 mm的小孔后对样品成像两种方式,并采用损失成像中信噪比较好的能量损失成像,对比两种方式得到的样品的太赫兹像,结果显示聚乙烯板上小孔的边界加小孔后成像比不加小孔直接成像明显清晰。证实了在样品前加小孔可以有效的提高太赫兹成像系统的空间分辨率。从理论上对通过在样品前加小孔提高系统空间分辨率的方法进行了分析,指出小孔尺寸越小,系统的空间相干长度越大,空间分辨率越高,但同时太赫兹信号的强度会相应减小。该方法可以简单有效的提高太赫兹时域光谱装置成像的空间分辨率,从而进一步拓展太赫兹谱成像技术的应用领域。     

适用于表面分析的小型低能电子显微镜

介绍并表征了一套单法兰集成的低能电子显微镜. 这套显微镜中采用了10o偏转角的磁分束器,从而有利于将其集成到一个10 in的法兰上. 电子光学系统中的一些修正单元被简化,以使其结构简单,容易操作. 样品被置于地电位,方便各静电透镜浮在高电压上. 通过几个实验展示了这台显微镜在典型的低能电子成像、低能电子衍射和光电子成像模式下的性能. 低能电子成像的空间分辨率为51 nm. 利用飞秒激光做光源,相应的非线性光电子发射过程使得这台设备非常适合进行光学近场现象的观察,并获得110 nm的光电子成像空间分辨率.     

环形电子束积分图像诊断技术

 采用图像诊断方法对高能环形电子束形状及空间尺寸进行了研究,以高能脉冲环形电子束轰击高Z靶材料产生脉冲X射线,X射线经过X射线增感屏转换为可见光,用单次图像采集系统获取可见光的积分图像。为满足诊断所需的空间分辨和系统灵敏度,通过理论计算确立了靶的材料、厚度及X射线增感屏的型号和厚度等参数。根据测试环境,设计了系统的现场安装结构,系统基本满足测试要求。分析从实验中获取的图像,可知环形电子束的内径为36.5 mm,环厚为1 mm,环形不均匀,水平方向电子束强。     

Continuous X-ray induced Auger microprobe analysis and microscopy: First results

X-ray induced Auger electron spectroscopy can be applied to the chemical analysis of thin samples with a spatial resolution in the 10 μm range. The first experimental results obtained with various anode materials and various samples are reported. The signal intensities (in the range of 10³ counts/s) are similar to those obtained by using a conventional electron spectrometer with a resolution in the millimeter range. Theoretical considerations together with the results obtained make it possible to evaluate the sensitivity of this technique and suggest how the spatial resolution can be improved further (20 μm at present, 2–3 μm in the near future). The radiation damage and sample thickness constraints of this new technique and of conventional Auger electron spectros- copy are compared. Application of X-ray induced Auger analysis to biological objects is suggested and the effect of the present results on scanning X-ray radiography and characteristic X-ray absorption microanalysis is also pointed out.     

基于电子束剪切干涉的PIE成像技术研究

提出了基于M?llenstedt电子双棱镜的电压扫描剪切干涉全场ptychographic iterative engine(PIE)显微成像技术.从低到高逐步改变电子双棱镜的电压,并同时记录所形成的剪切干涉条纹,待测样品透射电子束的强度和相位分布就可以用PIE算法得以快速重建,而且双棱镜的方向、位置和实际电场强度分布等诸多实验中不可避免地偏差都可以在迭代过程中自动得以更正.所提技术能够克服现阶段用电子束进行PIE成像的诸多技术困扰,从而有望推动PIE技术在电子显微成像领域的发展和应用.     

Observation of magnetic domain structure in Terfenol-D by scanning electron acoustic microscopy

The magnetic domain structure in oriented Tb_0.3Dy_0.7Fe_1.92 (Terfenol-D) is investigated by scanning electron acoustic microscopy (SEAM) in a wide frequency range from 75 to 530 kHz. Both secondary electron image and electron acoustic image can be obtained in situ simultaneously. By changing the modulation frequencies, the SEAM can be used as an effective nondestructive method to observe not only the surface topography and domain structure but also the subsurface domain structure and defects. The magnetic domain structure is verified by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). Furthermore, magnetic domains can be observed in both linear and nonlinear imaging modes by SEAM. The contributions to the image contrast are related to the signal generation through the piezomagnetic coupling mechanism, magnetostrictive coupling mechanism, and thermal-wave coupling mechanism.     

Three-dimensional electric field visualization utilizing electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation in nematic liquid crystals

An electric-field-induced second-harmonic-generation signal in a nematic liquid crystal is used to map the electric field in an integrated-circuit-like sample. Since the electric-field-induced second-harmonic-generation signal intensity exhibits a strong dependence on the polarization of the incident laser beam, both the amplitude and the orientation of the electric field vectors can be measured. Combined with scanning second-harmonic-generation microscopy, three-dimensional electric field distribution can be easily visualized with high spatial resolution of the order of 1 microm.     

Sub-10 nm writing: focused electron beam-induced deposition in perspective

Over the past decade, focused electron beam-induced deposition has become a mature necessary part of the tool box engineers and scientists. This review presents the current state of the art in sub-10 nm focused electron beam deposition and describes the dominant mechanisms that have been found so far for this regime. Several questions regarding patterning at the highest resolution are addressed. What do our findings mean for using sub-10 nm focused electron beam deposition for industrial applications? And which fundamental issues remain to be solved? The overview shows that low-energy secondary electrons dominate the deposition process. As a result, the highest obtainable spatial resolution (averaged over many deposits) is limited by the mean free path of those electrons. Therefore, the only route to improve the resolution beyond the current appears to be using complexes that are sensitive to the high-energy electrons in the incident beam, rather than to the secondaries. Focused electron beam-induced deposition is compared to related techniques. It is on par with resist-based sub-10 nm electron beam lithography, showing similar spatial resolutions at similar electron doses. Regarding ion beam lithography, there are several distinguishing issues. Sub-10 nm writing has yet to be demonstrated for ion deposition, and although the deposition rate is relatively low when writing with electrons, electrons do not induce damage to the sample. The latter is a crucial advantage for focused electron beam-induced deposition. Finally, the main challenges regarding the applicability of sub-10 nm focused electron beam-induced deposition are discussed.     

基于微孔硅阵列的像素化γ-CuI闪烁转换屏的研制及性能表征

以微孔硅阵列为模板,高纯CuI粉末为原料,采用压力注入法,成功制备了具有单分散微柱结构的像素化CuI闪烁转换屏。扫描电子显微镜(SEM)与X射线衍射(XRD)的测试结果表明,所制备的转换屏中CuI微柱连续、致密,微柱柱径约为2.5μm、间隔约为1.5μm、柱长约为80μm,并具有良好的γ相晶体结构。在X射线激发下,所制备的像素化γ-CuI闪烁转换屏具有峰值波长位于680nm附近的红光慢发射带;掺碘后,该发射带被较大幅度的抑制,同时出现了峰值波长位于432nm的快发光峰;当碘掺杂含量达到10Wt%时,峰值波长位于680nm附近的红光慢发射带被完全抑制,只存在峰值波长位于432nm的快发光峰。采用刃边法测量了所制备的像素化γ-CuI闪烁屏的空间分辨率,结果显示其分辨率可达38lp·mm-1,表明该闪烁屏除拥有超快时间响应特性外,兼具很高的空间分辨本领,在X射线成像方面具有独特的应用价值。     

Spatial resolution and radiation damage in quantitative high-resolution STEM-EEL spectroscopy in oxides

The chemical analysis on the atomic scale in a scanning transmission electron microscope bears a number of challenges. These are an unambiguous assignment of a spectroscopic signal to a sample location and sufficient signal above noise for quantification. Modern aberration-corrected optics provide intense electron probes allowing for the highest spatial resolution and beam current density possible. On the other hand, non-destructive analysis requires low irradiation doses, so that there is a limit to the achievable signal-to-noise ratio. Here, we employ the StripeSTEM method that sacrifices the resolution in one spatial dimension in return for decreased radiation damage to the sample. Using this technique, radiation damage effects and achievable quantification accuracy are examined on the example of bulk SrTiO₃ and a one unit cell thick layer of LaAlO₃ in SrTiO₃. The results show that valency artefacts are expected for conventional recording conditions where the electron dose is concentrated to a few atomic columns. Likewise a high accuracy for measuring the oxygen defect chemistry without radiation damage requires spreading out the irradiation dose.     

New thermoelastic technique for detection of residual stress distribution in solids

I.IntroductionNondestructiveeva1uationofstressdistributioninmaterialandmovingor1oadedcompo-nentsisveryimportantinmaterialscienccandengineering.Theultrasonictechnique['l,Ramanspectroscope['l,X-ray['landneutrondiffrac1iontcchnique[4]areusua1lyusedtodetectthestressdistributioninanopaquesample.RecentlytheScanningE1ectronAcousticMicroscopy(SEAM)[s]andphotoacoustictcchniquc[6]havebccnrcportedasncwtechniquetodeterminetheresidualstressdistribution.Itisshownthatthethermalwavealsocanbeusedtomcasure…     

Effects of Pumping Sizes on THz Radiation Based on Ultrashort Light Pulse Optical Rectification for High Spatial Resolution T-Ray Imaging

We present our experimental studies on the effects of the pumping sizes on THz radiation based on ultrashort light pulse optical rectification for high spatial resolution T-Ray imaging. Our experiments show that high spatial resolution T-ray imaging requires both thin THz emitter and sample, and rigorous tolerance of the gap between the sample and the emitter, as well as small pumping size which usually much smaller compared with THz wavelength. Such a small pumping size results in dramatic decrease of the THz wave power, which originates from strong diffraction of THz wave, the depolarization of the focused tightly pumping beam, the spatial filtering of the emitter exit-surface, and the strong phase-mismatching between the pumping and the high spatial Fourier components of the THz signal, rather than two-photon absorption.     

双光子荧光与相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射显微成像技术的实验研究

双光子荧光与相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射同属于三阶非线性效应,二者之间的差异与联系是一个值得研究的问题.本文基于自行搭建的超连续谱近红外宽带相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射显微成像系统进行光谱成像,同时通过理论与实验对比分析了双光子荧光与相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射图像存在差异的原因.结果表明,具有亚微米以上横向分辨率的相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射成像系统,可以使用较大尺寸的荧光珠进行双光子荧光成像,通过解卷积得到双光子荧光成像的系统分辨率,并将它近似等效于相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射成像系统的当下分辨率.如果需要得到相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射成像系准确的分辨率结果,就必须使用尺寸比相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射成像系统实际分辨率小的球形样品进行实验测量.     

A stopping layer concept to improve the spatial resolution of gas-electron-multiplier neutron detector

In recent years, gas electron multiplier (GEM) neutron detectors have been developing towards high spatial resolution and high dynamic counting range. We propose a novel concept of an Al stopping layer to enable the detector to achieve sub-millimeter (sub-mm) spatial resolution. The neutron conversion layer is coated with the Al stopping layer to limit the emission angle of ions into the drift region. The short track projection of ions is obtained on the signal readout board, and the detector would get good spatial resolution. The spatial resolutions of the GEM neutron detector with the Al stopping layer are simulated and optimized based on Geant4GarfieldInterface. The spatial resolution of the detector is 0.76 mm and the thermal neutron detection efficiency is about 0.01% when the Al stopping layer is 3.0 μ m thick, the drift region is 2 mm thick, the strip pitch is 600 μ m, and the digital readout is employed. Thus, the GEM neutron detector with a simple detector structure and a fast readout mode is developed to obtain a high spatial resolution and high dynamic counting range. It could be used for the direct measurement of a high-flux neutron beam, such as Bragg transmission imaging, very small-angle scattering neutron detection and neutron beam diagnostic.     

A 2-dimensional detector with high spatial and temporal resolution for metastable rare gas atoms

We describe a detector for metastable rare gas atoms which allows the investigation of transverse atomic beam distributions on the single atom level with lateral dimensions of 1 m, which occur frequently in the field of atom optics. In contrast to existing detection techniques, the conversion step from the metastable atom to an electron is separated from the charge amplification to improve spatial resolution. The conversion is performed at a metal surface, which is followed by an electron-optical system imaging the electron distribution with a proper magnification onto a single electron detection unit. The spatial resolution that we achieve with this technique is on the order of 1 m, the temporal resolution on the order of 1 s. The application of the detector for atom interferometry is discussed. Received: 22 May 1996 / Revised version: 21 June 1996     

Recent Developments of Crystallographic Analysis Methods in the Scanning Electron Microscope for Applications in Metallurgy

The field of metallurgy has greatly benefited from the development of electron microscopy over the last two decades. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has become a powerful tool for the investigation of nano- and microstructures. This article reviews the complete set of tools for crystallographic analysis in the SEM, i.e., electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD), and electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI). We describe recent relevant developments in electron microscopy, and discuss the state-of-the-art of the techniques and their use for analyses in metallurgy. EBSD orientation measurements provide better angular resolution than spot diffraction in TEM but slightly lower than Kikuchi diffraction in TEM, however, its statistical significance is superior to TEM techniques. Although spatial resolution is slightly lower than in TEM/STEM techniques, EBSD is often a preferred tool for quantitative phase characterization in bulk metals. Moreover, EBSD enables the measurement of lattice strain/rotation at the sub-micron scale, and dislocation density. TKD enables the transmitted electron diffraction analysis of thin-foil specimens. The small interaction volume between the sample and the electron beam enhances considerably the spatial resolution as compared to EBSD, allowing the characterization of ultra-fine-grained metals in the SEM. ECCI is a useful technique to image near-surface lattice defects without the necessity to expose two free surfaces as in TEM. Its relevant contributions to metallography include deformation characterization of metals, including defect visualization, and dislocation density measurements. EBSD and ECCI are mature techniques, still undergoing a continuous expansion in research and industry. Upcoming technical developments in electron sources and optics, as well as detector instrumentation and software, will likely push the border of performance in terms of spatial resolution and acquisition speed. The potential of TKD, combined with EDS, to provide crystallographic, chemical, and morphologic characterizations of nano-structured metals will surely be a valuable asset in metallurgy.