Specific Process Knowledge/Characterization/SEM Tabletop 1: Difference between revisions
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The SEM Tabletop 1 is a scanning electron microscope. It produces enlarged images of a variety of specimens. This important and widely used analytical tool provides exceptional resolution and depth of field and requires minimal specimen preparation. | The SEM Tabletop 1 is a scanning electron microscope. It produces enlarged images of a variety of specimens. This important and widely used analytical tool provides exceptional resolution and depth of field and requires minimal specimen preparation. | ||
The SEM is | The SEM chamber is the relatively small, so sample loading can be done fast and easy. | ||
The stage can be moved manually in the X and Y directions by turning two knobs on the door to the SEM chamber. It is not possible to adjust the height of the stage, and it is not possible to rotate and tilt the sample. However, samples can be mounted on pinstubs with a fixed tilt angle. | |||
Many sample materials are allowed in the this SEM, including all standard cleanroom materials and samples from the Laser Micromachining tool and the Polymer Injection Molding tool. Some other samples, including biological samples, are also allowed if they have been approved by Danchip. | |||
It is not needed to perform much optimization in order to obtain good SEM images. | |||
However, it has a limited resolution compared to the other SEMs at Danchip, but for inspection of samples with structures in the micrometer range it is very fast and easy to use. | |||
The SEM can be operated in different pressure modes: Conductor, standard and charge-up reduction. By increasing the pressure in the chamber it is possible to image isolating samples. The higher density of gas molecules will eliminate the charges at the cost of slightly reduced resolution. Thus the charge-up reduction mode makes it possible to obtain SEM images of most samples including non-conducting samples without much sample preparation. | The SEM can be operated in different pressure modes: Conductor, standard and charge-up reduction. By increasing the pressure in the chamber it is possible to image isolating samples. The higher density of gas molecules will eliminate the charges at the cost of slightly reduced resolution. Thus the charge-up reduction mode makes it possible to obtain SEM images of most samples including non-conducting samples without much sample preparation. | ||