Author/Authors :
Gerthsen, Dagmar Laboratory for Electron Microscopy - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus South - Karlsruhe, Germany , Kowoll, Thomas Laboratory for Electron Microscopy - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus South - Karlsruhe, Germany , Müller, Erich Laboratory for Electron Microscopy - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus South - Karlsruhe, Germany , Hettler, Simon Laboratory for Electron Microscopy - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus South - Karlsruhe, Germany , Störmer, Heike Laboratory for Electron Microscopy - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus South - Karlsruhe, Germany , Fritsch-Decker, Susanne Institute of Toxicology and Genetics - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus North - Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz - Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany , Weiss, Carsten Institute of Toxicology and Genetics - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - Campus North - Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz - Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Abstract :
This study is concerned with backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy (BSE SEM) contrast of complex nanoscaledsamples which consist of SiO2nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on indium-tin-oxide covered bulk SiO2and glassy carbon substrates.BSE SEM contrast of NPs is studied as function of the primary electron energy and working distance. Contrast inversions areobserved which prevent intuitive interpretation of NP contrast in terms of material contrast. Experimental data is quantitativelycompared with Monte-Carlo- (MC-) simulations. Quantitative agreement between experimental data and MC-simulations isobtained if the transmission characteristics of the annular semiconductor detector are taken into account. MC-simulations facilitatethe understanding of NP contrast inversions and are helpful to derive conditions for optimum material and topography contrast
Keywords :
Contrast , Backscattered Electron SEM Images , Nanoparticles , Substrates , Complex Structure , BSE SEM
