Electron beam - specimen interactions and SEM signals have been well understood and documented for many years. These interactions result in a variety of electron signals including the most common, secondary and backscattered electron. Each electron signal produces unique characteristic information about the sample surface, subsurface, and elemental composition. Important information can be gained by controlling and filtering electron signals collected by the electron detector system.

The S-4700 Cold Field Emission SEM incorporates a set of electrodes and plates positioned in the objective lens upper pole piece in close proximity to the upper secondary detector (figure 1). When a positive voltage is applied to the electrode plates, a high yield of secondary and backscattered electrons spiral up the column of the objective lens. The backscattered electrons are filtered with the ExB producing a SE rich signal. The information from this type of signal provides absolute detail from the sample surface, but can be prone to charging with some highly nonconductive samples. Figure 2a shows the effect of charging while observing uncoated Teflon ™. The image becomes distorted with bright intermittent horizontal lines. Surface detail is enhanced due to the high contribution of SEs from the sample surface.

When the electrode voltage is set negative, through the instrument GUI, the low energy secondary electrons are repelled providing a signal rich in backscattered electrons. The information from this type of signal provides compositional information and inherently reduces charging. The uncoated Teflon ™ sample in figure 2b shows all charging affects have been eliminated.