Humidified imaging with an environmental scanning electron microscope

A method and apparatus are described for imaging wet samples with an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM). In particular, a carrier gas is humidified such that the water vapor in the carrier gas in the sample chamber of the ESEM has a partial pressure equal to the saturated vapor pressu...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser:	LYNN C. ERICKSON, FRANCESCO P. ORFINO, JOERG ZIMMERMANN
Format:	Patent
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING PROBEMICROSCOPY [SPM] BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS ELECTRICITY GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES IRRADIATION DEVICES MEASURING NUCLEAR ENGINEERING NUCLEAR PHYSICS PHYSICS SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOTOTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR TESTING
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	A method and apparatus are described for imaging wet samples with an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM). In particular, a carrier gas is humidified such that the water vapor in the carrier gas in the sample chamber of the ESEM has a partial pressure equal to the saturated vapor pressure of water. Thus, the sample can be imaged without observing any evaporation or condensation thereon. Both the carrier gas and the water vapor may act as the imaging gas within the ESEM. The apparatus is an imaging gas delivery system for the ESEM wherein the carrier gas may be appropriately humidified.