A high efficiency annular dark field detector for STEM

A new high efficiency annular dark field (ADF) detector for an HB501 STEM (Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope) has been constructed and tested. This detector uses a single crystal YAP scintillator and a solid quartz light pipe extending from the scintillator (inside the vacuum) to the photomultiplier tube (outside the vacuum). A factor of approximately 100 improvement in signal relative to the original detector has been obtained. This has substantially improved the signal to noise ratio in the recorded high resolution ADF-STEM images.