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Understanding Electron-Matter Interactions

When an electron beam hits a sample in a scanning electron microscope, it interacts with atoms in the sample in several ways. Some electrons are bounced back out as backscattered electrons, others knock into atoms and eject secondary electrons from the sample. Heat, x-rays, and light can also result from the interactions. The volumes of secondary electrons, backscattered electrons, and x-rays form an interaction volume within the specimen that depends on the beam's kilovolt level and the sample's density. Specifically, secondary electrons are emitted from the top 15nm, backscattered electrons from the top 40%, and x-rays from the entire interaction volume. Electron-matter interactions are divided into elastic scattering, where the electron's

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47 views9 pages

Understanding Electron-Matter Interactions

When an electron beam hits a sample in a scanning electron microscope, it interacts with atoms in the sample in several ways. Some electrons are bounced back out as backscattered electrons, others knock into atoms and eject secondary electrons from the sample. Heat, x-rays, and light can also result from the interactions. The volumes of secondary electrons, backscattered electrons, and x-rays form an interaction volume within the specimen that depends on the beam's kilovolt level and the sample's density. Specifically, secondary electrons are emitted from the top 15nm, backscattered electrons from the top 40%, and x-rays from the entire interaction volume. Electron-matter interactions are divided into elastic scattering, where the electron's

Uploaded by

Sara Miller
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Electron-matter interactions

When the electron beam hits a sample it interacts with the atoms in that sample. There are a number of
outcomes. Some electrons are bounced back out of the sample (backscattered electrons), others knock into
atoms and displace electrons that, in turn, come out of the sample (secondary electrons); alternatively X-rays,
and light or heat (in the sample) can be the result of these interactions.
Generally heat is how most of the energy is dispersed. We collect the electrons coming out of the material in
order to produce the traditional SEM images (called micrographs).

The volumes involved in the production of secondary electron (SE), backscattered electron (BSE) and X-rays,
form into a shape that ranges from a tear-drop to a semi circle within the specimen. This shape is called
an interaction volume and its depth and diameter depends on the kV as well as the density of the specimen.
Approximately the top 15nm of the volume comprises the zone from which SE can be collected, the top 40% is
the region from which BSE can be collected and X rays can be collected from the entire region.

Electron-matter interactions can be divided into two classes:


1.

Elastic scattering the electron trajectory within the specimen changes, but its kinetic energy and
velocity remains essentially constant. The result is generation of backscattered electrons (BSE).

2.

Inelastic scattering the incident electron trajectory is only slightly perturbed, but energy is lost
through the transfer of energy to the specimen. The result is the generation of:
o

phonon exitation (heating);

cathodoluminescence (visible light fluorescence);

continuum radiation (bremsstrahlung);

characteristic x-ray radiation;

plasmon production (secondary electrons);

auger electrons (ejection of outer shell electrons).

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