We are pleased to announce that our distributor, Herzan LLC., will represent Spicer Consulting at ISTFA 2023. The ISTFA conference will be held on November 12-16th at Phoenix, Arizona. If you would like to learn how our Magnetic Field Cancelling System and SC28 Monitoring System may help improve the images of your electron microscopes, electron beam lithography systems, CD-SEMs, and focused ion beam tools, please stop by Booth #423. Contact Spicer Consulting Limited Contact Herzan LLC

The unparalleled magnification capabilities of electron microscopes (EMs) make them indispensable for applications requiring nanometre scale imaging. However, the sensitivity required to operate at such high magnification levels leaves them vulnerable to magnetic field perturbations, vibration and changes in temperature and humidity, all of which need to be kept to a minimum to ensure peak performance. Keeping track of such environmental factors is no mean feat, but dedicated continuous monitoring systems are now available to detect changes in instrument surroundings in real time, simplifying troubleshooting procedures and ensuring optimal device performance. Blurred lines The superior magnification offered by EMs stems from the use of electrons instead of light to probe a sample; the wavelength of these particles can be many orders of magnitude shorter than photons on the visible spectrum, enabling them to resolve much smaller features. The beam of electrons is focused on the specimen, and interacts with atoms in the sample to produce signals that contain information about surface topography and composition. Seeing details at such a small scale requires the beam to be perfectly positioned and focused, which can be compromised by external interferences from acoustic noise and vibrations, leading to blurred images. Additionally, since the electrons are charged particles, EM performance is also greatly affected by external magnetic fields. This leads to distinct artefacts appearing in the image; AC fields often show up as sharp jagged edges, while DC fields create wavy lines. EM manufacturers therefore precisely map and specify the degree of interference that their instruments can handle before the image quality drops below the acceptable limit.