Expanding the Analytical Capabilities of Scanning Electron Microscopy in the Detection of Backscattered Electrons

Abstract

New possibilities for the mode of detecting backscattered electrons in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) are presented. The technique for determining the chemical composition of the probed area of the sample using the precalibrated scale of the SEM’s gray screen has been further developed. Simple relationships are presented for practical application in finding the thicknesses of thin films on a massive substrate. The parameters of the double layer of the film nanostructure on the substrate are determined, that is, depth and thickness of subsurface fragments of the microobject. A technique is proposed for measuring the surface potential of negatively charged dielectric samples upon irradiation with medium-energy electrons.