Modern Scanning Electron Microscopy. 1. Secondary Electron Emission

The development of modern technologies, including nanotechnology, is based on the application of methods for the diagnostics of objects used in technologies processes. For this purpose, most promising methods are those implemented using a scanning electron microscope. Moreover, one of the basic methods is the measurement of linear sizes of relief structures of micrometer and nanometer ranges used in microelectronics and nanoelectronics. The basis of operation of scanning electron microscopes is the secondary electron emission of a solid body. However, practically all known regularities of secondary electron emission have been obtained for surfaces, the relief of which was neglected. A review of theoretical and experimental materials of studying the secondary electron emission of solid bodies on surfaces without a relief is given. Practically all known regularities have been verified in experiments and have received their own physical explanation. However, the application of secondary electron emission in scanning electron microscopy, used in microelectronics, nanoelectronics and nanotechnology, requires knowledge of the regularities, which emerge on relief surfaces. The regularities that can be applied in a scanning electron microscope to measure the linear sizes of relief structures are demonstrated. A conclusion is drawn as to the necessity of studying the influence of the surface relief of a solid body on secondary electron emission.