title: Analysis of improvement in performance and design parameters for enhancing resolution in an atmospheric scanning electron microscope.
abstract: The scanning electron microscope is used in various fields to go beyond diffraction limits of the optical microscope. However, the electron pathway should be conducted in a vacuum so as not to scatter electrons. The pretreatment of the sample is needed for use in the vacuum. To directly observe large and fully hydrophilic samples without pretreatment, the atmospheric scanning electron microscope (ASEM) is needed. We developed an electron filter unit and an electron detector unit for implementation of the ASEM. The key of the electron filter unit is that electrons are transmitted while air molecules remain untransmitted through the unit. The electron detector unit collected the backscattered electrons. We conducted experiments using the selected materials with Havar foil, carbon film and SiN film.
authors.affiliation: ADD, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeo Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Korea Electronics-Machinery Convergence Technology Institute, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea dhkim@seoultech.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Dong Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: SiN film effect; atmospheric scanning electron microscope; electron detector unit; electron filter unit