title: Beam voltage effects in the study of embedded biological materials by secondary electron detectors.
abstract: Thin and semithin sections were extensively examined by the secondary electron (SE) detector in a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM), and in a transmission electron microscope with a scanning attachment (STEM). Various parameters, in particular the beam voltage, were shown to affect the final SE image (SEI). As for SEM observation, a surface contrast was imaged at low primary electron (PE) voltages (0.6-2 kV), whereas a subsurface contrast predominated at higher energies (15-30 kV). In STEM, significant differences were not detected by varying the PE in the 20-100 kV range. Surface and subsurface information was simultaneously imaged even though the SEI were better resolved at the highest energy.
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007668:Kidney / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure*