Instrumentation company FEI has added a UniColore (UC) monochromated electron source to its Versa 3D DualBeam system. UC technology improves the DualBeam’s ability to image fine surface detail at low accelerating voltages without compromising its analytical performance at high voltages and beam currents.
The UC source dramatically improves imaging resolution at low accelerating voltages by decreasing the energy spread among beam electrons, which reduces chromatic aberration and permits the beam to be focused into a smaller spot on the sample surface. Given a sufficiently small spot, image resolution and sensitivity to surface detail are further enhanced at low beam voltages by the reduction of beam penetration and scattering. Low-voltage imaging can also eliminate charging effects that interfere with imaging on non-conductive materials.
The Versa 3D DualBeam is designed with a highly-configurable platform to allow customers to adapt the system’s capabilities to their specific requirements. High vacuum, low vacuum and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) options provide coverage of the widest range of sample types and applications.